Undefeated Miami took the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the season Tuesday, followed by Georgia and undefeated Utah, in a debut list that raised eyebrows with wide gaps between teams that have already played each other.
Defending champion Indiana (8-1) was ranked fourth, eight spots ahead of Ohio State (6-2), which beat the Hoosiers 19-15 last month but has since lost quarterback Julian Sayin. Alabama (6-2) came in fifth, eight spots ahead of Tennessee (6-2), even though the Volunteers beat the Crimson Tide by 16 points a few weeks ago. Kentucky (7-1) was sixth, Texas (6-2) seventh and UCLA, the nation's only other undefeated team, eighth.
The committee's four highest-ranked teams will be seeded Nos. 1-4 and receive first-round byes, while seeds 5-12 will play each other in the first round.
Notre Dame (7-1) was ranked 11th, seven spots below its AP Top 25 position, making the Irish the last team that would make the bracket if the playoffs started today. "A very, very good football team," committee chair Hunter Yurachek said of Notre Dame. "But when you look at Notre Dame's schedule and the wins they have versus the teams ahead of them, they don't have that signature win right now." The Irish's only loss came two weeks ago, 28-24 at BYU, and they face Miami on Saturday.
Ohio State was 12th and would miss the field because Boise State, ranked 25th, would take the Group of Six automatic bid. Yurachek said the committee was more concerned with the Buckeyes' defense in a 30-18 loss to a USC team ranked 20th. Ohio State's offense is now in the hands of freshman quarterback Luke Fahey.
Yurachek explained that head-to-head comparisons come into play only when teams sit in the same four-team "pod" (1-4, 5-8 or 9-12). "Yes, they had that loss to Tennessee," he said of the Tide. "But Tennessee doesn't have that same level of quality wins. Yes, they beat Alabama, but you have to go deeper" to find its next-best win. Alabama also drew support in the selection room for a September win over Mississippi State, which is 2-4 after quarterback Kamario Taylor's injury.
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Losses of top 8 teams in first CFP rankings
losses
Losses as of the ranking date. UCLA is undefeated (0 losses). Source: College Football Playoff selection committee
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Analysis
Why This Matters
The first rankings set the committee's reference points for the season, beginning with the rule that head-to-head results matter only among teams in the same four-team pod, a logic that produced an eight-spot gap between Indiana and Ohio State and another between Alabama and Tennessee.
Notre Dame enters Saturday's meeting with Miami as the projected last team in the 12-team field, and the committee says the Irish lack a signature win, making the game a direct chance to change that assessment.
Ohio State, ranked 12th, sits on the wrong side of the cut because Boise State holds the Group of Six automatic bid, putting the Buckeyes' resume and the guaranteed bid in focus.
Background
The College Football Playoff selection committee issues rankings during the season, and under the 12-team format the four highest-ranked teams receive first-round byes while seeds 5-12 play in the opening round. A Group of Six conference champion is guaranteed a place in the field.
Key Perspectives
Hunter Yurachek, committee chair: called Notre Dame "a very, very good football team" but said its schedule lacks the "signature win" the teams above it have, with the Irish's only loss coming at BYU.
Hunter Yurachek, committee chair: defended Alabama's spot eight places above Tennessee, saying the Volunteers' quality wins beyond beating the Tide do not go as deep, including Alabama's September win over Mississippi State.
Hunter Yurachek, committee chair: said Ohio State's ranking reflected concern about the Buckeyes' defense in their loss to USC, not the move to freshman quarterback Luke Fahey.
What to Watch
Notre Dame at Miami on Saturday: a win would give the Irish the signature result the committee says is missing, while a loss would risk slipping further on a schedule the committee did not rate.
Whether the pod-based head-to-head rule keeps producing gaps between teams that have already met, as with Indiana at No. 4 and Ohio State at No. 12.
Whether Ohio State climbs back across the cut line and whether Boise State holds the Group of Six bid that currently keeps the Buckeyes out.
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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SupportedMiami topped the committee’s first CFP rankings.Chicago Sun-Times: “Undefeated Miami received top billing in the committee's first crack at the CFP rankings Tuesday, followed by Georgia and undefeated Utah.”
SupportedIndiana was ranked ahead of Ohio State.Chicago Sun-Times: “Defending champion Indiana (8-1) was ranked fourth — eight spots ahead of Ohio State (6-2)”
SupportedNotre Dame was No. 11 and the last team that would make the bracket if the playoffs started that day.Chicago Sun-Times: “The Irish (7-1) were ranked 11th — seven spots lower than their spot in the AP Top 25 — and that ranking brought with it a simple message: As the last team that would make the bracket if the playoffs started today”
SupportedThe quote about Notre Dame being “A very, very good football team” and not having a “signature win right now” matches the source.Chicago Sun-Times: “"A very, very good football team," committee chair Hunter Yurachek said of Notre Dame. "But when you look at Notre Dame's schedule and the wins they have versus the teams ahead of them, they don't have that signature win right now."”
SupportedHunter Yurachek said the quoted assessment of Notre Dame.Chicago Sun-Times: “"A very, very good football team," committee chair Hunter Yurachek said of Notre Dame.”
SupportedThe quote about Tennessee’s quality wins and going deeper matches the source.Chicago Sun-Times: “"Yes, they had that loss to Tennessee," Yurachek said of the Tide. "But Tennessee doesn't have that same level of quality wins. Yes, they beat Alabama, but you have to go deeper"”
SupportedThe source attributes the Tennessee quote to Hunter Yurachek, speaking about Alabama.Chicago Sun-Times: “"Yes, they had that loss to Tennessee," Yurachek said of the Tide.”
SupportedTennessee beat Alabama by 16 points a few weeks earlier.Chicago Sun-Times: “At No. 5 was Alabama (6-2) — eight spots ahead of Tennessee (6-2), even though the Tide is only a few weeks removed from a 16-point loss to the Vols.”
SupportedOhio State was ranked 12th, and Boise State’s No. 25 ranking meant Ohio State would miss the field because Boise State would get the Group of Six automatic bid.Chicago Sun-Times: “Ohio State was ranked 12th, but would be on the outside looking in because Boise State, ranked 25th, would get the Group of Six automatic bid.”
SupportedYurachek said the committee was more concerned about Ohio State’s defense in its 30-18 loss to No. 20 USC.Chicago Sun-Times: “But Yurachek said the committee was more concerned with Ohio State's defense in its 30-18 loss to a 20th-ranked USC team”
SupportedThe committee’s four highest-ranked teams would receive first-round byes, while seeds 5–12 would play in the first round.Chicago Sun-Times: “The four highest-ranked teams determined by the selection committee will be seeded Nos. 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. Seeds 5-12 will play each other in the first round.”
SupportedMississippi State was 2-4 after quarterback Kamario Taylor’s injury, and Alabama received support in the selection room for its September win over the team.Chicago Sun-Times: “the Tide got lots of love in the selection room for a win against Mississippi State in September before the Bulldogs disintegrated with the injury to QB Kamario Taylor. Mississippi State is currently 2-4.”