Editor’s Note: This is a column and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Barometer.
This year’s College Football Playoff picture delivered confusion, frustration, and heated arguments.
This was most notably seen with Notre Dame, who chose to sit out of a bowl game entirely when they didn’t make the CFP.
The middle of the rankings were especially tough, as the 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Committee had to balance resume strength, statistical value, and the chaos produced by Championship Weekend.
Final CFP Top 12:
- Indiana (13-0, Big 10 Champions)
- Ohio State (12-1, Big 10 runner-ups)
- Georgia (12-1, Southeastern Conference Champions)
- Texas Tech (12-1, Big 12 Champions)
- Oregon (11-1, Did not make conference title game)
- Ole Miss (11-1, Did not make conference title game)
- Texas A&M (11-1, Did not make conference title game)
- Oklahoma (10-2, Did not make conference title game)
- Alabama (10-3, SEC runner-ups)
- Miami (10-2, Did not make conference title game)
- Tulane (11-2, American Athletic Conference Champions)
- James Madison (12-1, Sun Belt Champions)
Before getting into the most debated decisions, the movement near the top helps explain the foundation of the final order.
Indiana rose to the first position after a close Big Ten championship win, while Ohio State fell to the second position following its loss in that same title game.
Georgia moved to third after capturing the SEC championship. They held their opponent, Alabama, to zero points at halftime, and later went on to win 28-7.
Texas Tech entered the fourth position by winning the Big 12 Conference championship in the most lopsided championship game of the weekend, beating BYU 34-7.
Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma remained safely positioned because their resumes were supported by strong efficiency data, reliable numbers, and consistent results.
Once the conversation shifts past the eighth position, the committee’s choices become much harder to make.
The issue with Notre Dame and why they did not belong above Alabama or Miami
Notre Dame’s final placement accurately matches what they accomplished this season.
The Irish earned only one AP Top 25 victory over their season, which came against Southern California.
They faced two other ranked opponents and lost both, finishing with a 1-2 record against Top 25 competition.
Miami, who shared the same record, 10-2, outperformed Notre Dame in several matchups against common opponents.
Miami also defeated Notre Dame directly, 27-24, which carried more weight in the evaluation.
Why Alabama needed a spot in the top twelve
Alabama at ninth comes with imperfections, but their inclusion was the correct decision.
The Crimson Tide secured a top-five win over Georgia early in the season, one of the strongest victories achieved by any team in the field. Their loss in the SEC title game does not erase the significance of that achievement.
Leaving Alabama out would have signaled that reaching and losing a conference championship game is more damaging than failing to reach the game at all.
That message would undermine the meaning of conference competition.
Alabama played a complete schedule, faced winning opponents almost every week, and avoided any damaging losses. Their placement keeps the playoff structure fair and consistent.
Why Miami belonged in the tenth position
Miami produced a resume that outperformed Notre Dame and closely matched Alabama.
They finished 10-2, recorded a direct win over Notre Dame, posted better results against shared opponents and carried a higher strength of record than both Notre Dame and Alabama.
Why BYU was hurt by conference branding
BYU delivered a season deserving of more recognition.
Their schedule ranked inside the top 20, they earned seven wins over teams with winning records and their game control numbers compared favorably to Texas A&M.
The issue was perception.
The Big 12 does not carry the national prestige of the SEC or the Big Ten, and BYU did not receive the benefit of the doubt that those leagues often receive.
With a different conference label, they would have been firmly in the top 12 conversation.
Why Tulane and James Madison earned their spots
Tulane and James Madison secured automatic bids as two of the highest ranked conference champions. Their entry was not based on politics or branding.
Tulane brought a top tier defense and strong efficiency numbers. James Madison finished 12-1 with a highly effective rushing attack and no harmful losses.
Both programs met the standard expected of automatic qualifiers.
Who truly belonged in the ninth and tenth positions
Once all of the data is compared, the conclusion becomes straightforward. Alabama belongs in ninth, Miami in tenth.
Notre Dame did not own the resume or the statistical profile to remain above either team.
BYU also held a strong case and should have been placed in the eleven or twelve range ahead of Notre Dame.
Final Word
There’s clearly a real bias toward SEC teams in the playoff.
Miami deserved to be in the college football playoffs, and BYU was pushed aside because of conference reputation rather than on field results.
Alabama needed inclusion to preserve the meaning of conference championships. Notre Dame benefited more from name value than performance.
