CFP ranking release: Three things we learned and one question — SkimNews
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- SEC placed five teams in the CFP top 10, led by No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Alabama, as the conference reasserted itself at the top of the sport.
- Indiana sits at No. 4 despite a No. 31 strength of schedule and overtime wins over unranked Michigan and Minnesota; Curt Cignetti also benched starting quarterback Josh Hoover against Minnesota as Hoover had not been at full strength.
- Ohio State is No. 12 but would be bumped from the playoff under the current bracket because No. 25 Boise State would occupy the Group of 6 slot; its multiple losses before November are the Buckeyes' first since 2011.
- Notre Dame sits No. 11 with a 79.2% playoff chance but has to beat Miami on Saturday; a loss would leave it with a No. 55 strength of schedule and no win over a ranked opponent.
- Miami leads the CFP at No. 1 with a 98.3% playoff chance and an 18.7% national-title chance; the Hurricanes, No. 3 Utah and No. 8 UCLA are the only three undefeated teams entering November, the fewest since 2014.
- Big 12 has No. 3 Utah and No. 9 BYU in safe playoff positions, while No. 15 Texas Tech sits on the bubble with a 45.2% chance to reach the conference title game after its win over Arizona.
- Boise State is the highest-ranked Group of 6 team at No. 25 and has the group's best playoff chance at 61.9%, far above UTSA's 16.3%; the Broncos rallied from 28-3 at halftime to win by one point.
Why it matters: Boise State has the strongest Group of 6 case at a 61.9% playoff chance, while the SEC holds five projected bids and five teams in the top 10. The immediate consequence is a direct seat fight: No. 12 Ohio State is outside the current bracket because No. 25 Boise State occupies the Group of 6 slot.
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