First College Football Playoff rankings set for reveal with host of unbeaten and 1-loss teams in mix

After 2 months of assemblage shot comes nan first chance to spot if committee members successful complaint of mounting nan new, 12-team bracket for nan playoff person been watching nan aforesaid play unfold arsenic everyone else.

If they have, then Oregon — undefeated and a unanimous No. 1 successful the latest AP Top 25 — will get apical billing erstwhile nan first of six sets of play rankings are revealed Tuesday evening.

If not, past who would they pick? Miami, BYU and Indiana are nan nation's apical undefeated teams alongside nan Ducks, but 1 point nan committee has made clear is that wins and losses are only 1 facet successful determining its apical 25. That database will yet beryllium utilized to slot teams into nan last bracket that will beryllium unveiled Dec. 8.

Strength of schedule will besides play a large facet and would relationship for teams pinch 1 loss, mounting nan array for nan likes of Ohio State and Georgia perchance being classed higher than nan unbeaten.

The playoff is expanding from 4 to 12 teams this year, assemblage football's latest effort to find a cleanable measurement to crown a champion. That nan expanded playoff adds 8 much games that were past sold to ESPN for $7.8 cardinal surely played a large domiciled successful these calculations.

A committee of 13 group will pore complete nan results from nan first 10 weeks of nan play and rank nan teams from 1 done 25. This is conscionable a starting point, because nary of these rankings are solidified until Dec. 8 — nan day of nan past poll, astatine which constituent nan teams will beryllium slotted into nan bracket based connected their ranking.

Well, not exactly. The 5 best-ranked convention champions are guaranteed spots successful nan playoff nary matter wherever they're slotted successful nan poll. And nan apical 4 are guaranteed first-round byes.

So, for instance, let's opportunity BYU wins nan Big 12 and was classed ninth by nan CFP (that is its ranking successful this week's AP poll). That intends BYU would automatically move up to No. 4 successful nan CFP bracket, since nan apical 4 convention champs get byes. And if, for instance, Boise State wins nan Mountain West, is classed little than 12 by nan CFP but nary different Group of Five schoolhouse is classed up of nan Broncos, they would make nan playoff anyway.

There are 7 at-large selections and nary limit to nan number of at-large bids a convention tin receive.

If Oregon isn't placed atop nan standings, past nan committee is watching a different athletics than nan remainder of us. The Ducks person beaten 5 Big Ten opponents by 3 touchdowns aliases much and besides person a one-point triumph complete Ohio State, classed 3rd by AP.

It will beryllium absorbing to spot what nan committee does pinch Notre Dame, an independent pinch nary measurement to triumph a convention (and a bye) that is 7-1 but besides has a location nonaccomplishment to Northern Illinois successful Week 2 connected its resume.

Also, Indiana is 9-0 and not uncovering overmuch guidance connected its less-than-brutal Big Ten schedule. Doubters will beryllium looking astatine that Nov. 23 matchup against Ohio State.

Once nan bracket is group Dec. 8, present is what comes next:

— Seeds 5 done 8 will big seeds 9 done 12 successful first-round games connected campus. Those games will beryllium played connected Dec. 20 (one game) and Dec. 21 (three).

— The quarterfinals will beryllium played successful accepted vessel games connected Dec. 31 (Fiesta Bowl) and Jan. 1 (Peach, Rose, Sugar). Where nan apical 4 seeds will beryllium aligned arsenic intimately arsenic imaginable pinch existent and accepted vessel tie-ins. For example, nan Big Ten champion would play successful nan Rose Bowl and nan SEC champion apt plays successful nan Sugar Bowl.

— The semifinals will besides beryllium played successful vessel games. This season, that’s Jan. 9 astatine nan Orange Bowl and Jan. 10 astatine nan Cotton Bowl.

— The title crippled will beryllium played astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta connected Jan. 20.

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