SEC Leads CFP Ranking; Notre Dame Must Beat Miami — SkimNews
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- SEC placed five teams in the CFP top 10 in the committee's first ranking, led by No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Alabama; its projected playoff group also included Kentucky, Texas and Ole Miss.
- Miami ranks No. 1 with a 98.3% chance to reach the playoff and an 18.7% chance to win the national title; it would remain the heavy favorite for an ACC guaranteed bid even after losing at Notre Dame.
- Notre Dame sits at No. 11 with a 79.2% playoff chance, but a Saturday loss to Miami would leave its top-12 finish unguaranteed; its strength of schedule is No. 55 and it has no ranked-opponent win.
- Ohio State is the Big Ten's first team out in the current bracket despite ranking No. 12, having allowed a season-high 30 points to USC while committing 11 penalties and losing a fumble.
- Boise State entered at No. 25 after overcoming a 39-28 deficit to win by one point, giving the Group of 6 leader a 61.9% playoff chance compared with UTSA's 16.3%.
- Indiana sits at No. 4 despite ranking No. 31 in strength of schedule, needing overtime to beat unranked Michigan and Minnesota, and benching starting quarterback Josh Hoover against Minnesota because he had not been at full strength.
- Utah is one of just three undefeated teams remaining with No. 1 Miami and No. 8 UCLA, the fewest entering November since the CFP's first year in 2014.
Why it matters: Notre Dame's 79.2% playoff chance makes Saturday's matchup with Miami consequential: a loss would leave the Irish without a guarantee of a top-12 finish, while Miami's 98.3% chance means even defeat would leave it the heavy favorite for an ACC guaranteed bid.
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