Miami Starts Atop Playoff Rankings While SEC Dominates Field

Miami opened at No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, Nov. 3. The unbeaten Hurricanes hold the top spot over Georgia, with Utah at No. 3 and defending champion Indiana at No. 4. Alabama sits fifth, giving the SEC 10 of the 25 ranked teams and five of the top 10.

The Hurricanes are 8-0 overall and 6-0 in ACC play. They have beaten ranked Wake Forest and face Notre Dame on Nov. 7, their last regular-season game against a top-25 team. Georgia is 7-1 with wins over two ranked opponents and three more ranked teams remaining on its schedule.

Holding the No. 1 spot in the first rankings has usually led to a playoff bid. Nine of the previous 12 teams in that position made the field. Under the current 12-team format, Miami, Georgia, Utah, and Indiana would receive first-round byes. Boise State, ranked 25th, would take the final spot as the highest-ranked conference champion not otherwise guaranteed in.

Notre Dame is 11th at 7-1 despite lacking a win over a ranked team. Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said the panel valued the Irish's balanced play but noted the absence of a standout victory. Their neutral-site win over Wisconsin is their next-best result after a loss at BYU. The upcoming game against Miami offers a chance to improve that record.

Alabama is the highest-ranked team with two losses. Tennessee is 13th even though it beat Alabama 26-10 last month. Yurachek explained that the two teams were not in the same comparison group, so the head-to-head result did not factor into the current rankings. He cited Alabama's wins over Kentucky and South Carolina, along with a notable victory over Mississippi State, as key factors.

The Big 12 has two teams in the top 10, with unbeaten Utah at No. 3 and BYU at No. 9. Texas Tech is 15th. Utah's only top-25 win came against Houston on Oct. 24. BYU visits Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Other Saturday games with playoff implications include Texas at Missouri, Kentucky at Tennessee, Georgia against Ole Miss, and Alabama at LSU.

Ohio State, ranked 12th after a loss at USC, plays Oregon this week. The Buckeyes have wins at Indiana and Iowa. The next rankings will follow these results as the committee adjusts the standings.