Miami Tops First CFP Rankings; Alabama and Notre Dame Draw Questions

Undefeated Miami claimed the No. 1 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday. Georgia, which has one loss, sits at No. 2, followed by undefeated Utah at No. 3. The committee’s initial ranking generated immediate questions about the placement of several prominent programs.

Indiana, the defending national champion, was ranked fourth. Ohio State, which lost to Indiana earlier in the season, sits at No. 12. Alabama is positioned at No. 5, eight spots above Tennessee, despite Alabama losing to Tennessee by 16 points a few weeks ago. Kentucky holds the No. 6 slot, followed by Texas at No. 7. UCLA, the only other undefeated team in the nation, is ranked eighth.

Notre Dame, which has one loss, is ranked 11th. That position is seven spots lower than the Irish stand in the Associated Press Top 25. The committee indicated that Notre Dame must beat Miami on Saturday to secure a spot in the current bracket. Committee chair Hunter Yurachek noted that while the Irish are a very good team, they lack a signature win against the teams ranked above them. Their only loss came on Oct. 17, a 28-24 defeat at BYU.

The committee explained that head-to-head results only influence rankings when teams are in the same four-team pod. Yurachek stated that Tennessee’s win over Alabama matters less because Tennessee has fewer quality wins compared to Alabama. The selection room also gave Alabama credit for its September win over Mississippi State, a team that is now 2-4 after losing its starting quarterback to injury.

Ohio State’s drop to No. 12 was attributed to its defense, not just its offense. Yurachek pointed to the Buckeyes’ 30-18 loss to 20th-ranked USC. Boise State, ranked 25th, currently holds the Group of Six automatic bid, which would place it ahead of Ohio State in the bracket.

Ten SEC teams made the top 25 list, the highest number for any conference. The committee credited the SEC with having 13 of the nation’s 20 toughest schedules. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Wake Forest is ranked 16th behind Miami. The Demon Deacons have one loss to Miami and can control their fate by winning a conference title.

If the playoffs started today, the projected first-round matchups would be Boise State at Alabama, Notre Dame at Kentucky, Ole Miss at Texas, and BYU at UCLA. The next rankings are scheduled for release next Tuesday. The final game will be played on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.