What's happened
The college football landscape is in flux as the CFP selection committee debates inclusion of teams with multiple losses. Indiana is confirmed as No. 1, while Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami, Duke, and James Madison face uncertain futures. The final bracket will be announced today, amid intense debate over rankings and conference champions.
What's behind the headline?
The current chaos in college football rankings underscores the increasing complexity of playoff selection amid a 12-team format. The committee faces a balancing act: weighing conference championships against overall records and strength of schedule. The inclusion of teams with multiple losses, such as Duke with five, signals a shift towards valuing conference titles and recent performance over perfect records. The debate over Alabama, Notre Dame, and Miami highlights the subjective nature of rankings, especially when considering recent losses and schedule strength. The potential for Group of Five teams like James Madison to crash the playoff for the first time indicates a broader shift in the sport, challenging traditional power hierarchies. This turbulence is likely to continue as the committee navigates these competing priorities, with outcomes that could reshape perceptions of fairness and merit in college football.
What the papers say
The Independent provides a detailed overview of the playoff landscape, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding team selections and the debate over losses and conference titles. Eddie Pells highlights the committee's internal deliberations, including the impact of recent losses and the significance of conference championships. The NY Post offers insights into the recent performances of teams like Miami and Vanderbilt, and the surprising rise of James Madison, illustrating the shifting dynamics and the importance of conference champions in the new playoff format. The articles collectively reveal a sport in flux, with traditional powerhouses challenged by emerging contenders and the criteria for selection evolving rapidly.
How we got here
This story unfolds as the college football regular season concludes, with teams vying for playoff spots in a highly competitive and unpredictable environment. Recent results, conference championships, and ranking shifts have created a complex scenario for the CFP selection committee, which must decide on the inclusion of teams with varying records and conference titles. The debate is intensified by the possibility of non-traditional teams, like Duke and James Madison, entering the playoff for the first time, reflecting broader shifts in college football's competitive landscape.
Go deeper
Common question
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College Football Playoff 2025: Who's In and What to Expect?
The 2025 college football postseason is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. With teams like Indiana, Alabama, Notre Dame, and James Madison vying for a spot, fans are eager to know who will make the cut. As the selection committee weighs conference champions and recent performances, questions abound about the final bracket and what this year's playoff will look like. Below, we answer the most common questions about the College Football Playoff 2025 and what fans can expect in the coming weeks.
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