Fair points...my thing is...replace the name Alabama with the name Missouri and they're not getting that bump. The SEC bump especially helps the big brand names in the conference but means far less to the S.Cars and Mississippis.
Fair, however I’d disagree bc I think it has more to do with starting rank as opposed to who it is. If you start the season in the top 5 you have further to fall. So if you lose, you don’t drop too far down. Ole Miss isnt a marquee program but getting the same treatment. Outside the SEC Notre Dame is as well

9-3 regular seasons on deck plus random 6 loss seasons. at some point you have to decide 'okay this is who we've been for twenty years maybe we should switch it up as the landscape of college football continues to change.


