Miami tops first CFP rankings

The College Football Playoff selection committee placed the unbeaten Miami Hurricanes at No. 1 in its first rankings of the season, released Tuesday evening. Georgia, Utah, Indiana, and Alabama follow in the top five. Kentucky, Texas, UCLA, BYU, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, and Ohio State complete the initial 12-team field.

Miami’s position represents a sharp contrast to last season, when the team entered the final rankings as a late addition. The Hurricanes are currently the only team in the top four that has not lost a game this year. Indiana’s inclusion in the top four is also notable, as the defending champions have not beaten a ranked Power 4 opponent and rely on narrow victories over Michigan and Minnesota in overtime.

Notre Dame holds the No. 11 seed and faces a pivotal challenge on Saturday against Miami. The Fighting Irish have not defeated a currently ranked team and must win to secure their spot in the 12-team bracket. Hunter Yurachek, the CFP committee chair, noted that while the committee respects Notre Dame’s play, the team lacks a signature victory against a higher-ranked opponent.

Ohio State dropped to the No. 12 seed after a 30-18 loss to USC last week. The Buckeyes played their first game without injured quarterback Julian Sayin, with freshman Luke Fahey throwing for 260 yards in his first start. The committee cited the defensive performance in that game as a factor in the ranking.

The committee outlined the potential first-round matchups based on the current seeds. Boise State, ranked No. 25, would replace Ohio State as the 12th seed if the Group of 5 champion enters the bracket. The projected games are Boise State at Alabama, BYU at UCLA, Notre Dame at Kentucky, and Ole Miss at Texas. The top four seeds would receive first-round byes.

The schedule for the remainder of the season includes first-round games on Dec. 18 and 19 at the home campuses of the higher-seeded teams. Quarterfinals are set for Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 at designated bowl sites. Semifinals will occur on Jan. 14 and 15, with the national championship game scheduled for Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.