How the old BCS formula would order top 25 as initial College Football Playoff rankings loom — SkimNews
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- College Football Playoff Selection Committee will debut its first top-25 rankings on Nov. 3; the 12-team bracket began in 2024, following the four-team playoff launched in 2014 and the end of the BCS era in 2013.
- Miami tops the simulated BCS standings at 0.9837, ahead of Ohio State at 0.9576, Indiana at 0.8408 and Georgia at 0.8364; Miami is projected No. 1 in the first CFP rankings, with Wake Forest providing its best win.
- Ohio State ranks second in the simulation and first in both Massey and Sagarin this week; the BCS formula does not downgrade the Buckeyes over Julian Sayin’s injury before another game, while Luke Fahey faces pressure at quarterback.
- Indiana places third at 0.8408 despite three of its four wins coming by one possession; the Hoosiers beat Michigan in overtime after completing one pass after halftime, with the CFP committee set to scrutinize their metrics following Minnesota.
- Georgia ranks fourth at 0.8364 with a ranked win over Alabama and a three-touchdown-favorite loss to Auburn; Georgia is one of eight SEC teams in the simulated top 17, and the SEC holds all five of the nation’s toughest schedules.
- UCLA is sixth at 0.7944 and one of three unbeaten teams, but quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out for the season; after wins over Oregon and Wisconsin, USC is the only nationally ranked opponent remaining, and a winning finish can lock a top-4 CFP seed without a Big Ten title.
- Utah received a first-place AP vote despite the worst strength of schedule among the simulated top 10; Miami collected 59 votes and Ohio State 10, all three teams had one top-25 win, and Utah’s Nov. 7 game against BYU is the Big 12’s most important remaining contest.
Why it matters: Miami and Ohio State enter the Nov. 3 CFP rankings debut with the two highest simulated BCS scores, while eight SEC teams occupy the top 17. The contrast makes schedule strength a material benchmark for the committee, which is weighing unbeaten records alongside quality wins and tougher slates.
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