•Well, Oregon is hosting James Madison in a playoff game. Indiana is the one seed, after beating Ohio State for the first time in my lifetime, and Vanderbilt has a legitimate gripe about being left out of the CFP. All things we predicted eh?

•Okay, we have two rematches in round one, and a potential rematch most of my OBD friends would relish. Ole Miss trounced Tulane in September, and is hosting them again. Oklahoma handled Alabama for the second straight year, and is now hosting them again. If Oregon and Indiana keep winning, we'll get a rematch that I know most Duck fans crave.

• SEC fan bases, and coaches, most notably Kirby Smart last night, have criticized Greg Sankey for going to a nine game conference slate. Causing most to think a sixteen team format is going to be pressed this off-season.

• Notre Dame got passed up by Miami for the last CFP at large slate. Most aren't mad about the Hurricanes passing them up, considering the week one game result, in which Miami beat Notre Dame. But there is confusion as to how the teams swapped positions without either playing. Some say the committee didn't want the ACC to have zero teams after five loss Duke beat Virginia in the ACC title game. But that shouldn't happen, if Miami was better than Notre Dame, they should've been ahead of them. Their ranking shouldn't be dependent on a game that their merit has no effect on. It's dumb. Notre Dame would've been better if Virginia won, but Miami is better because Duke won? After all, past the required five conference champions. The field should be filled with the best seven at large teams.

• There is going to be an expansion imo. BYU, and Notre Dame are going to demand it. They both have a lot of money. We all know what matters to college football. Texas and Vanderbilt are going to cry to Sankey. Sankey is going to cry to the committee, and despite getting five teams in, the SEC is going to yell about James Madison getting in over Texas, and Vanderbilt. Especially with all the crying about a nine game conference slate. I think Greg should go with the Petiti play in model.

The G6 conference champs are fine for inclusion the way I see it. They played their schedules and came out the other side conference champs and based on the system they get in.

The ACC champs failed to take care of business along the way and should be grateful they have Miami representing them at all.

Bama probably shouldn't be in but the committee positioned them as such that they were going to be in no matter what.

Notre Dame probably deserves to be in but not over Miami. If they were in the ACC they probably would have won the conference and we wouldn't have this conversation. Notre Dame just needs to join a conference already. But the 16 team playoff probably will enable them to stay independent.

The B1G should probably have another team in the field too much cannibalism for that to happen. Truly competitive conferences are not rewarded for being competitive as we all know from the Pac-12.

I think it is likely to go to 16.

1. number 17 is so low on the totem pole, that nobody will care if they don't get in (But they will still cry)

2. Tech will get a bye and then most likely have to play Oregon, so they will be playing a better team after getting a bye, just like Oregon did last year vs Ohio St. That feels like more of a punishment than a reward.

3. Too much crying from the SEC

4. some of the automatic bids are not as good of teams as some of the at larges that don't get in

5. Crying from Notre Dame

6. Losers of conf champ games complicating who gets in

7. Any more than 16 is just too many - this isn't basketball, players get banged up and injured

8. Nobody cares about bowl games anymore, except maybe Beaver fans and Boise St fans

9. Going to 16 could let in some teams that could be having good seasons for them, like an Iowa, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vanderbuilt etc. that otherwise would have a hard if not impossible task of making it in - its good for football to let some new kids come to the party. (not saying those teams would be in this year, but those are kind of teams that could squeak in with a 16 team playoff and never have much of a real chance with 12)

And the reason NOT to do it is because nbr 1 vs 16 would be a blood bath.

I don't know which way would make me happier: if Notre Dame did not get in or if Miami did not get in.

2 minutes ago, oregon123 said:

I don't know which way would make me happier: if Notre Dame did not get in or if Miami did not get in.

I was hoping BYU would've gotten in. Their best win was against Utah. They lost twice, both to Tech. If it wasn't by blowout on Saturday, I think they would've gotten more consideration. I'm still confused as to if the committee punished BYU for something they said they wouldn't punish them for. Alabama kept thirteen guys out for rest, so they must've had an inkling that they were safe regardless.

The only thing I can think of is that Alabama beat Georgia on the road already. BYU never beat Tech, and their Utah win wasn't as good as Alabama beating Georgia, and Vanderbilt.

It's not about who you lost to. It's about who you beat. As long as you don't have three losses heading in CCG Saturday.

ND is refusing to play in a bowl game.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/12/07/notre-dame-football-declines-bowl-game-cfp-college-football-playoff/87659994007/

12 minutes ago, oregon123 said:

I don't know which way would make me happier: if Notre Dame did not get in or if Miami did not get in.

Miami getting beat in first round!

3 minutes ago, Ktmguy2018 said:

ND is refusing to play in a bowl game.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/12/07/notre-dame-football-declines-bowl-game-cfp-college-football-playoff/87659994007/

Florida State , and Ohio State thought about doing that two years ago. They might as well, most of the starters opted out, and they were playing in the Orange and Cotton Bowl respectively .Michigan had several opt outs last year against Alabama, and eventual number one pick Cam Ward sat out the second half of a bowl game, right after he set a personal record. The team blew the lead, and the game in the second half.

Bowl games are meaningless to brand names, even as they are sponsored by brand names. Dukes Mayo, Cheezit, and Pop Tart ,are now actual bowl games. It isn't the Rose Bowl presented by____, it's just____ Bowl.

The committee finally put Miami ahead of Notre Dame because the media pundits started to really call them out for their BS. They had no choice. They would’ve looked like biased idiots if they hadn’t switched them.

I’ve always been of the opinion that championship game competitors shouldn’t be punished for losing if they would’ve gotten in without playing. However, Bama has been the beneficiary of getting into the old four team format with even winning their division, so I think they should’ve been left out. OU or Indiana will keep them from playing us which is kind of unfortunate.

1 hour ago, Ktmguy2018 said:

ND is refusing to play in a bowl game.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/12/07/notre-dame-football-declines-bowl-game-cfp-college-football-playoff/87659994007/

I guess they're taking their ball and going home crying🤣. They only hurt themselves, they will be totally off the radar and lose a months worth of practices (assuming this is still not allowed for non-bowl teams).

I do agree however, that this system is a bit stupid. G5 teams do not play at the same level as P4 teams, period. Sure they get a win every now and then against P4 teams, but having two G5 teams as part of "the 12 best" defies logic. The committee did what they had to including JMU, but this just isn't an accurate seeding. The G5 needs their own playoff, there's plenty of interest and of course $ to be made.

We know changes are coming, home games in the second round would be a great first step. This is now officially a playoff and the bowl system is going the way of the 8-track tape.

2 hours ago, Lonnie said:

Miami getting beat in first round!

Miami getting Mari-0-no'ed in the first round!

G6 should be a different division between FBS and FCS.

No more conference championships.

Playoff field should be top 16 with no byes and no AQs.

Natty should be played in a Bowl on New Year's day.

4 minutes ago, woundedknees said:

Miami getting Mari-0-no'ed in the first round!

Just because Mario plays with his food doesn't mean he can't get his stuff together and win big games. He did that many times for Oregon. Miami will be dangerous in the playoffs.

It would have been great to host ND at Autzen what a game!! As we knocked off their shinny lil helmets.

Think about it--Notre Dame at Autzen. Say what you want but ND is BIG TIME ratings. JMU--not so much.

27 minutes ago, 1Ducker1 said:

It would have been great to host ND at Autzen what a game!! As we knocked off their shinny lil helmets.

Think about it--Notre Dame at Autzen. Say what you want but ND is BIG TIME ratings. JMU--not so much.

While it would have been cool to host Notre Dame, I don’t personally care about TV ratings. I want Oregon to win a national championship and having a cupcake “tune-up” is probably the best we all could have hoped for (even over the bye given the current playoff format). Even Coach Lanning indicated as much on the playoff selection show.

If it was 2026 already, Notre Dame would be in. Starting in 2026, according to an agreement they have signed weeks ago, any N.D. team ranked in the top 12 is automatically in. If it applied in 2025, N.D. would be in and Miami would be out.

Alabama should not be in. No team which lost their conference championship by double digits has ever kept their same CFP ranking that they had prior to the game. Alabama should have dropped below Miami and N.D. and been displaced by either Tulane or James Madison.

the 12 weekly No. 1 rankings since the CFP expanded to 12 teams

B1G dominance?

2025: Indiana (1x) & Ohio State (5x) 

2024: Oregon (6x)

The playoff structure is like a pyramid, the more teams included the more teams "almost" made it and will be complaining about being slighted.

1 hour ago, woundedknees said:

Miami getting Mari-0-no'ed in the first round!

I actually think they will boat race the Aggies. Texas exposed them.

1 hour ago, Solar said:

Just because Mario plays with his food doesn't mean he can't get his stuff together and win big games. He did that many times for Oregon. Miami will be dangerous in the playoffs.

Carson Beck against UGA’s defense is a matchup I want to see. Something tells me there will be a few late hits.

5 hours ago, Ktmguy2018 said:

ND is refusing to play in a bowl game.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/12/07/notre-dame-football-declines-bowl-game-cfp-college-football-playoff/87659994007/

I guess it's time to Force ND into the ACC by shutting them out of the playoffs each year.

I wonder how much they'll lighten their schedule now.

5 hours ago, GatOrlando said:

•Well, Oregon is hosting James Madison in a playoff game. Indiana is the one seed, after beating Ohio State for the first time in my lifetime, and Vanderbilt has a legitimate gripe about being left out of the CFP. All things we predicted eh?

•Okay, we have two rematches in round one, and a potential rematch most of my OBD friends would relish. Ole Miss trounced Tulane in September, and is hosting them again. Oklahoma handled Alabama for the second straight year, and is now hosting them again. If Oregon and Indiana keep winning, we'll get a rematch that I know most Duck fans crave.

• SEC fan bases, and coaches, most notably Kirby Smart last night, have criticized Greg Sankey for going to a nine game conference slate. Causing most to think a sixteen team format is going to be pressed this off-season.

• Notre Dame got passed up by Miami for the last CFP at large slate. Most aren't mad about the Hurricanes passing them up, considering the week one game result, in which Miami beat Notre Dame. But there is confusion as to how the teams swapped positions without either playing. Some say the committee didn't want the ACC to have zero teams after five loss Duke beat Virginia in the ACC title game. But that shouldn't happen, if Miami was better than Notre Dame, they should've been ahead of them. Their ranking shouldn't be dependent on a game that their merit has no effect on. It's dumb. Notre Dame would've been better if Virginia won, but Miami is better because Duke won? After all, past the required five conference champions. The field should be filled with the best seven at large teams.

• There is going to be an expansion imo. BYU, and Notre Dame are going to demand it. They both have a lot of money. We all know what matters to college football. Texas and Vanderbilt are going to cry to Sankey. Sankey is going to cry to the committee, and despite getting five teams in, the SEC is going to yell about James Madison getting in over Texas, and Vanderbilt. Especially with all the crying about a nine game conference slate. I think Greg should go with the Petiti play in model.

Terrific post. Thanks.

Oklahoma won at Alabama. A rematch in a different venue with both O's being beaten down over time.

ACC and B12 have one team in the PO. Vandy, Texas, and Notre Dame are left out. Alabama's bad showing against Georgia doesn't count. So why does BYU's bad performance count? A crescendo of complaints that can be dampened by backing the Big Ten's AQ PO plan.

No matter the metrics used or abused, there are not enough games between teams with equal rosters to make a CFB PO anything other than a guessing game.

The Notre Dame/Miami controversy is only a controversy because of five nothing-burger committee rankings before the PO field, and the seeding of the field was finalized.

During GameDay on Saturday, Herbie said these interim rankings need to end. Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, and Desmond Howard, via body language, agreed. Rece Davis, who made his bones as a host, did not react.

Five SEC teams are in the field, and SEC coaches are whining about playing nine conference games. Oregon is the only team outside of the SEC hosting a 1st round game. Three of the four 1st round games played in SEC stadiums are not enough.

"In a conference so great from top to bottom, why should we play more than eight?" Fine, play seven and have an SEC intramural playoff.

The 18-team Big Ten and 16-team B12 played nine conference games this season, and each has six teams that are not bowl eligible. (5-7 Rutgers, along with Notre Dame, turned down bowl invites.)

The 17-team ACC and the 16-team SEC played eight conference games this season, and each has six teams that are not bowl eligible.

If the SEC gauntlet is so brutal, why are there so many one and two-loss teams? Why aren't there more teams in Dixie missing out on bowl games? Why did so many SEC coaches get canned?

In 2025, Florida's schedule was brutal. A&M's schedule was not. Mega-conference SOS will vary significantly year to year. But I cannot foresee a season where a 4th-place B1G or SEC team would be an embarrassment to a 16-team PO field.

If you use preseason polls, human or otherwise, that have over half of the conference ranked in the top 25, you are ipso facto going to have the most difficult SOS and SOR rankings. DUH!

I want the ACC and the B12 to survive. I don't want to see a G8. I don't want to see millions of ACC/B12 fans 'disenfranchised.'

So, wake up, commissioners, and back the Big Ten PO format, tweaked as needed and agreed upon over the next six weeks. Do not allow the foolish pride of, 'You have to earn the right to be in the PO!', to lead to millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Put this ESPN subjective nonsense to bed. I posted what a 16-team playoff field would be after the committee's fifth rankings tease, there would still be complaints, but nothing as we see with this current format and selection process.

Fans in South Beach and in South Bend would be happy.

Let's do what Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy did: Destroy the Dukes!

4 minutes ago, Mike West said:

I guess it's time to Force ND into the ACC by shutting them out of the playoffs each year.

I wonder how much they'll lighten their schedule now.

I think SC will be more than happy to help ND with its schedule. 😁

6 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

Terrific post. Thanks.

Oklahoma won at Alabama. A rematch in a different venue with both O's being beaten down over time.

ACC and B12 have one team in the PO. Vandy, Texas, and Notre Dame are left out. Alabama's bad showing against Georgia doesn't count. So why does BYU's bad performance count? A crescendo of complaints that can be dampened by baking the Big Ten's AQ PO plan.

No matter the metrics used or abused, there are not enough games between teams with equal rosters to make a CFB PO anything other than a guessing game.

The Notre Dame/Miami controversy is only a controversy because of five nothing-burger committee rankings before the PO field, and the seeding of the field was finalized.

During GameDay on Saturday, Herbie said these interim rankings need to end. Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, and Desmond Howard, via body language, agreed. Rece Davis, who made his bones as a host, did not react.

Five SEC teams are in the field, and SEC coaches are whining about playing nine conference games. Oregon is the only team outside of the SEC hosting a 1st round game. Three of the four 1st round games played in SEC stadiums are not enough.

"In a conference so great from top to bottom, why should we play more than eight!" Fine, play seven and have an SEC intramural playoff.

The 18-team Big Ten and 16-team B12 played nine conference games this season, and each has six teams that are not bowl eligible. (5-7 Rutgers, along with Notre Dame, turned down bowl invites.)

The 17-team ACC and the 16-team SEC played eight conference games this season, and each has six teams that are not bowl eligible.

If the SEC gauntlet is so brutal, why are there so many one and two-loss teams? Why aren't there more teams in Dixie missing out on bowl games? Why did so many SEC coaches get canned?

In 2025, Florida's schedule was brutal. A&M's schedule was not. Mega-conference SOS will vary significantly year to year. But I cannot foresee a season where a 4th-place B1G or SEC team would be an embarrassment to a 16-team PO field.

If you use preseason polls, human or otherwise, that have over half of the conference ranked in the top 25, you are ipso facto going to have the most difficult SOS and SOR rankings. DUH!

I want the ACC and the B12 to survive. I don't want to see a G8. I don't want to see millions of ACC/B12 fans 'disenfranchised.'

So, wake up, commissioners, and back the Big Ten PO format, tweaked as needed and agreed upon over the next six weeks. Do not allow the foolish pride of, 'You have to earn the right to be in the PO!', to lead to millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Put this ESPN subjective nonsense to bed. I posted what a 16-team playoff field would be after the committee's fifth rankings tease, there would still be complaints, but nothing as we see with this current format and selection process.

Fans in South Beach and in South Bend would be happy.

Let's do what Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy did: Destroy the Dukes!

That SEC game was non competitive. The B1G wasn't, it was hard hitting, and it went down to the wire. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't Ohio State play their tenth B1G game last night? How about Indiana?

Didn't Ohio State have to play "The Game" last week? Didn't they beat The Texas on opening week? Didn't both squads have injuries, yet didn't rest 13 of their players like Alabama did? I don't recall hearing Curt Cignetti complaining. Al I heard was celebrating. I didn't hear Ryan Day making excuses about playing Michigan, and Indiana back to back weeks.

Ole Miss is going to go a full month plus before their last competitive game. After playing Citadel, getting a bye, and beating the mighty five win Mississippi State, a team Billy Napier could beat while already knowing he was going to be canned the next day.

The SEC have been smelling it's own farts for too long, they've convinced themselves that whatever comes out of them isn't crap. It's unfiltered genius. It isn't.

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Oregon is the only team outside of the SEC hosting a 1st round game.

There is only ONE team from out west in the Playoff...guess who?

10 hours ago, GatOrlando said:

SEC fan bases, and coaches, most notably Kirby Smart last night, have criticized Greg Sankey for going to a nine game conference slate

9 games will help to clear up the current mess in SEC rankings there's just to many teams in the conference to only play 8.

9 hours ago, Dave23 said:

9 games will help to clear up the current mess in SEC rankings there's just to many teams in the conference to only play 8.

I'm just over the excuse making of what is meant to be the toughest league in football. Alabama didn't get punished for a third loss. We all know that there will be about ten SEC ranked teams to start the year. Losing one to them won't hurt, winning will help. You get praised for the wins, and excuses for losing to a now much higher ranked opponent.

The AP looks at how a loss in August tarnished the Domers.

Hey, AP, this just in! In the NFL, a loss in September does not go away because it was a 'good loss,' the team that lost improves during the season, and come October, according to a committee of unaccountable experts, the team looks so good when winning.

To Hades with the record, this team deserves to be in the PO! (Like Alabama and South Carolina last season, right?)

AP News

Why did Notre Dame's August loss cost the Irish a playoff...

The College Football Playoff selection committee's decision in 2025 has sparked controversy. Notre Dame was dropped from the playoff despite not playing last week.

48 minutes ago, GatOrlando said:

I'm just over the excuse making of what is meant to be the toughest league in football. Alabama didn't get punished for a third loss. We all know that there will be about ten SEC ranked teams to start the year. Losing one to them won't hurt, winning will help. You get praised for the wins, and excuses for losing to a now much higher ranked opponent.

Congrats, Brother Gat. You are now banned in Bristol and Birmingham! 🤬

According to posters in the post office, you are toast in Tuscaloosa. 😍

Since others have posted that G6 champions should get in, I don't feel so out of place suggesting this, if we go to 16 teams:

I don't think any conference should get 4 automatics. Go with 3 and 2. If the 4 spot in the SEC and the B1G are that good, they will get an at large bid anyway. Why should a 13th ranked BIG12 get pushed out by a 17th ranked team that is fourth in his conference. Granted, this will not happen very often, but it will.

G6 Champs have play-in games, matchups according to rankings (1 hosts 6, 2 hosts 5, 4 hosts 3) This way, the G6 gets 3 spots in the field of 16. (This would mean there would actually be 19 teams in the playoffs.) Any champion that didn't win its play-in game is not eligible for an at large bid -- they lost their chance.

Therefore, 16 teams in the final bracket: 4 P4 champs, 3 G6 champs, 2 each more from the SEC and the B1G, 1 each more from the ACC and BIG12, and 3 at large bids.

I think it would be even better to say 4 P4 champs, 3 G6 play-in champs, and 9 at large bids, but there are a couple of powerful leagues that are afraid of losing out. If they are so powerful, what are they afraid of??? They should get 5 or 6 in anyway. Right, SEC?

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Jon Sousa