Miami tops 1st CFP rankings as date with No. 11 Notre Dame looms — SkimNews
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- Miami topped the College Football Playoff’s initial top 25, followed by Georgia, Utah, Indiana and Alabama; Miami, Georgia, Utah and Indiana would receive first-round byes if the rankings were used for the 12-team bracket.
- Notre Dame sits at No. 11 and hosts Miami on Saturday; Hunter Yurachek said the committee was impressed on both sides of the ball but that Notre Dame lacked a signature win, and a top-12 finish in the Dec. 6 final rankings guarantees a playoff berth.
- Alabama reached No. 5 despite consecutive October losses to Georgia and Tennessee, with Yurachek citing its 56-23 win at then-undefeated Mississippi State and head-to-head victory over Kentucky; the Tide ranked eight spots above Tennessee despite a 26-10 loss to the Volunteers.
- Indiana was placed in the top four at No. 4 despite not beating a ranked team and losing 19-15 to Ohio State on Oct. 17; its previous three wins came by seven points or fewer, including overtime victories over Michigan and Minnesota.
- Boise State ranked No. 25 as the only Group of 6 team in the top 25; with five conference champions guaranteed, it would replace Ohio State as the 12th seed under the initial bracket and face No. 5 Alabama in the first round.
- Miami needed two overtimes to beat Florida State 43-35 on Oct. 17 and recovered an onside kick late against North Carolina in a 38-35 win; the Hurricanes allowed 850 yards across those games and rank 122nd in FBS pass defense at 252 yards per game.
- SEC teams held five of the top 12 positions, ahead of the Big Ten’s three, with the Big 12 and ACC placing two each.
Why it matters: Notre Dame’s No. 11 rank leaves a direct route to the playoff through the Dec. 6 final rankings, while Miami’s No. 1 seed and first-round bye make Saturday consequential for both teams as the Fighting Irish seek to avoid a second straight postseason absence.
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