Lane Kiffin Advocates Using Vegas Odds for SEC Playoff Inclusion

Lane Kiffin, head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, has tossed out an idea that could shake up how the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection works. With the first 2025 CFP rankings reveal coming up soon, Kiffin suggests the 12-member selection committee should use Vegas betting odds to help break ties between teams with similar resumes.

This comes right after the CFP changed its selection criteria to put more weight on a team’s strength of schedule. Kiffin thinks Vegas odds could cut through bias and give a more accurate read on which teams really deserve a Playoff spot. Maybe he’s onto something?

Lane Kiffin’s Proposal: What Would Vegas Do?

During a recent SEC Coaches Teleconference, Kiffin explained his idea about using Vegas odds as a tool for the CFP committee. He argued that Vegas is incredibly good at sizing up teams and setting betting lines—sometimes better than any committee.

By simply asking, *What Would Vegas Do?*, Kiffin says the committee could make more objective picks, free from the usual conference bias. It’s a bold suggestion, and you can almost hear the shrug in his voice—why not try it?

The Current State of the SEC

Kiffin’s eighth-ranked Rebels (6-1, 3-1 SEC) are still in the Playoff hunt, even after a recent loss to No. 5 Georgia. The SEC is all over the AP Top 25, with five teams in the Top 12 and ten in the Top 25 after Week 8.

If the CFP committee ever did use Vegas odds, it’s hard not to think the SEC would come out ahead. The conference is stacked with tough teams and brutal schedules, year after year.

Changes to the CFP Selection Criteria

Back in August, the CFP announced tweaks to its selection criteria. Now, there’s a bigger focus on a team’s strength of schedule and how they actually perform against it.

These changes were meant to address complaints from the SEC, which argued its teams were getting shortchanged despite playing tougher schedules than some Playoff picks.

New Metrics for Evaluating Teams

The updated criteria include new tools for measuring schedule strength, with more credit for playing strong opponents. There’s also a new metric—*record strength*—that looks at how teams do against their schedules.

This metric rewards teams for beating tough opponents and doesn’t punish them as much for losing to the best. But if you lose to a weaker team, you’ll feel it in the rankings. Beating up on the bottom feeders? That won’t get you far.

Past Controversies and the Need for Change

Last season, Indiana (11-1) and SMU (11-2) grabbed the Playoff’s 10th and 11th seeds. That left out No. 11 Alabama (9-3) and other 9-win SEC teams like Ole Miss and South Carolina.

Indiana and SMU had schedules ranked 35th and 41st nationally, according to ESPN’s FPI. Meanwhile, Alabama’s schedule was 20th, South Carolina’s was 21st, and Ole Miss was 37th. The SEC teams felt snubbed, and honestly, it’s hard to blame them.

Implications for the SEC

If Vegas odds were part of the selection process, the SEC could benefit. This conference always seems to have several teams with killer schedules, and Vegas odds might help spotlight their real strength.

It’s not a perfect fix, but maybe it would help make sure deserving SEC teams aren’t passed over for squads with easier paths.

The Role of Vegas Betting Odds

Kiffin’s pitch is rooted in the idea that Vegas odds are a more objective measure of a team’s strength. Oddsmakers are pros at evaluating teams and setting lines—sometimes with uncanny accuracy.

By looking at what the betting odds would be for a hypothetical neutral-site game, the CFP committee could get a better sense of which team is actually stronger. Doesn’t sound too crazy, right?

Neutral-Site Comparisons

Kiffin’s big point is about comparing teams on a neutral field. If you ask, *What would Vegas make the spread?*, you get a clearer answer about who’d be favored in a head-to-head matchup.

This kind of approach could cut out some of the usual bias tied to conferences or regions. It’s not perfect, but it might give everyone a fairer shot.

Conclusion: A Fairer Selection Process

Bringing Vegas betting odds into the CFP selection mix could really shake things up for college football. It might offer a more objective way to gauge team strength, sidestepping the usual biases and subjective calls.

The SEC, with its tough schedules and stacked teams, might finally get the recognition it deserves. Maybe we’d see fewer deserving squads left out just because their résumés don’t fit the usual mold.

The first 2025 CFP rankings are almost here, and honestly, who knows if Kiffin’s idea will catch on? Still, his suggestion puts a spotlight on the ongoing debate about fairness and transparency in picking playoff teams.

If you want to dig deeper into Lane Kiffin’s proposal and what it could mean for the playoff process, check out the full article on On3.