On Tuesday, the undefeated Oregon Ducks received the top spot in the initial rankings for college football’s new 12-team playoff system. With a perfect 9-0 record, Oregon has certainly made a strong case for their position, highlighted by impressive victories, including five wins in the Big Ten by at least three touchdowns and a significant win against Ohio State.
The 13-member selection committee released the first top-25 list, revealing what many fans already knew: Oregon, led by coach Dan Lanning, is currently the best team in the nation. Following closely behind, Ohio State, Georgia, and Miami secured the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spots respectively. This inaugural ranking is the first of six weekly updates, with the final ratings set to determine playoff positions announced on December 8. Alabama, despite being a two-loss team, made it to the 11th spot, joining the top 12 list that generally echoed the latest Associated Press (AP) poll, with only a swap between Ohio State and Georgia’s ranks.
The selection committee chair, Warde Manuel, who is also the athletic director at Michigan, noted, “We’re splitting hairs when assessing two great teams,” while comparing Ohio State’s narrow loss to Oregon against Georgia’s seven-point defeat by Alabama.
The playoff matches will kick off on December 20-21, featuring the lower seeds playing at the home field of the higher seeds. The playoffs will culminate with the national championship game in Atlanta on January 20.
It’s important to note that the rankings don’t directly determine bracket placements. The four highest-ranked conference champions will receive first-round byes, which under the current rankings would go to Oregon (ranked 1), Georgia (3), Miami (4), and BYU (9).
Interestingly, Boise State was ranked 12th, aligning with its position as the Mountain West Conference champion. Alabama’s high ranking can be attributed to its challenging schedule, allowing it to rank above several one-loss teams, including No. 13 SMU, No. 17 Iowa State, and No. 18 Pitt, all of whom compete in less competitive conferences.
The other teams making it into the fictional first-week bracket include No. 5 Texas, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 8 Indiana, and No. 10 Notre Dame. The first team out was SMU, while Army, boasting an 8-0 record and leading the American Athletic Conference, just made it into the rankings at No. 25.
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