The first edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings was released Tuesday night with undefeated Miami (FL) opening at No. 1 ahead of Georgia. Just over a month remains until the final College Football Playoff bracket is selected, so the Hurricanes will need to hold off not only the Bulldogs but the rest of the top 25 if they aim to retain the top seed in the postseason for the best-possible chance at advancing to a second straight CFP National Championship appearance.
Off to a dominant start this season, Miami has been forced to play some closer games of late as its schedule has toughened. To maintain the No. 1 spot, UM may need to go undefeated through the regular season, but even if it suffers a loss, a second straight playoff appearance is likely after the Canes missed the postseason bracket across the first 11 years of its existence.
Nine of the 12 teams ranked No. 1 in a season's initial CFP Rankings ultimately reached the playoff, an effort now made easier with the expanded 12-team field, which is being contested for a third and likely final season.
Miami is in a strong position to go wire to wire, standing 8-0 (6-0 ACC) with one ranked win (Wake Forest) and only one game remaining against a top 25 team (Nov. 7 at Notre Dame). No. 2 Georgia, meanwhile, is already 2-0 against ranked opponents this season with three more ahead on its schedule.
Utah, reigning champion Indiana and Alabama round out the rest of the top five with SEC teams holding 10 of the top 25 positions in the rankings.
With the 12-team playoff model granting automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions, Boise State would take the last spot if the field were chosen today, as it is the only team in the CFP Rankings at No. 25.
College Football Playoff Rankings, Nov. 3
~ First-round bye
- Miami (FL) (8-0) ~
- Georgia (7-1) ~
- Utah (8-0) ~
- Indiana (7-1) ~
- Alabama (6-2)
- Kentucky (7-1)
- Texas (6-2)
- UCLA (8-0)
- BYU (7-1)
- Ole Miss (6-2)
- Notre Dame (7-1)
- Ohio State (6-2)
- Tennessee (6-2)
- LSU (6-2)
- Texas Tech (7-1)
- Wake Forest (7-1)
- Houston (6-2)
- Missouri (6-2)
- Iowa (6-2)
- USC (7-2)
- South Carolina (5-3)
- Arizona (6-2)
- Oregon (5-3)
- Florida (5-3)
- Boise State (7-1)
