What will CFP committee do with Ohio State, Notre Dame and two-loss SEC teams?
The first CFP rankings will shape November. From the No. 1 debate to Ohio State and Notre Dame, several contenders could get a rude awakening.
The debut College Football Playoff rankings set to be released on Tuesday night will have a significant impact on the remainder of the regular season. The rankings will provide a snapshot of the postseason race and suggest how the playoff picture could be affected by various scenarios that may unfold in November.
The rankings are expected to highlight the depth of the SEC, projecting that four teams will be among the top nine. Additionally, the rankings should showcase the top-heavy strength of the Big Ten.
When it comes to the No. 1 spot, Miami is the favorite, thanks to their unbeaten record, a strong victory against Wake Forest, and solid wins against Clemson and Pittsburgh. However, Miami's recent losses to Florida State and North Carolina have weakened their claim to the top spot.
Georgia's Bulldogs, despite their loss to Auburn, are the other primary contender for the No. 1 ranking. They have wins against Alabama and Florida, and have posted four of five SEC wins by at least 18 points.
Utah and UCLA's rankings are uncertain, with Utah potentially ranking as high as No. 3 behind Miami and Georgia, but possibly falling to No. 5 or No. 6 due to the lack of marquee wins. UCLA, on the other hand, won't be higher than Utah and might drop to No. 9 due to just two wins against opponents with a winning record and none against a team with fewer than three losses.
When it comes to the two-loss SEC teams, it is possible for one or more of these teams to rank ahead of a one-loss Power Four contender, such as Texas. Texas's wins against Ohio State, Tennessee, and Mississippi make them the highest-ranked two-loss team, which may also be enough to surpass one-loss Kentucky. Other teams that could factor into the top half of the rankings include Alabama, Mississippi, LSU, and Tennessee.
Notre Dame is unlikely to come in ahead of BYU, given BYU's recent win over Notre Dame, which is considered one of the best regular-season wins in program history. Notre Dame's flimsy run of wins, with only one against an opponent currently with a winning record, puts them behind BYU, even though BYU's win against the Irish was overshadowed by their loss to Central Florida and narrow wins against other teams.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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