Committee ranks Miami first, Alabama fifth, and Notre Dame 11th in opening CFP poll
The College Football Playoff selection committee released its initial top 25, placing the undefeated Hurricanes atop the list while creating a gap between Alabama and Tennessee despite their recent head-to-head result.
By Ahmed Peterson ·
Miami claimed the number one seed in the College Football Playoff's first official ranking of the 2026 season, released on Tuesday. The Hurricanes, who have not lost a game this year, sit ahead of Georgia, which holds a 7-1 record, and undefeated Utah.
The committee, comprising 13 members, placed Indiana at number four. This position is eight spots above Ohio State, which defeated the Hoosiers 19-15 last month. Ohio State is currently 6-2 and has lost quarterback Julian Sayin.
Alabama, also 6-2, holds the number five seed. Tennessee, which beat Alabama by 16 points, is ranked eighth. Kentucky sits at number six, followed by Texas at number seven. UCLA, the only other undefeated team, is ranked eighth.
Notre Dame, with a 7-1 record, is ranked 11th. The Irish are seven spots lower than their position in the AP Top 25. If the playoffs began immediately, Notre Dame would need to win against Miami on Saturday to secure a spot in the bracket.
Hunter Yurachek, the committee chair, stated that Notre Dame is a very good football team but lacks a signature win. The Irish lost their biggest game of the season to BYU on October 17. The committee cited the team's schedule and the quality of its opponents relative to teams ranked higher.
The selection committee explained that head-to-head results only influence rankings when teams are within the same four-team pod. Alabama and Tennessee are in separate pods, which allowed the Tide to rank higher despite the loss. Yurachek noted that Tennessee’s other victories were against lower-ranked opponents compared to Alabama’s win against Mississippi State in September.
Ohio State is ranked 12th, just outside the top 11. Boise State, ranked 25th, holds the Group of Six automatic bid. The committee focused on Ohio State’s defensive performance in a 30-18 loss to 20th-ranked USC rather than the team's new freshman quarterback, Luke Fahey.
The next ranking will be released on Tuesday, November 10. This is the first of six weekly polls. The selection committee will finalize the bracket on Sunday, December 6. The four first-round games are scheduled for December 18 and 19 at the campuses of seeds five through eight. The national championship game will take place on January 25 in Las Vegas.
Source: Las Vegas Sun
