LSU Has Plenty of Reasons to Question the First College Football Playoff Rankings

The countdown to the Selection Show begins.

The first of many College Football Playoff shows has begun, with LSU as a possible competitor for a postseason run, with the upcoming month turning these dreams into realities.

While the LSU fan base might initially react to the team's seeding, there's more to the ranking: the committee's internal thoughts on placing these 25 teams based on how the season has gone.

The Ranking Results

LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris — Oct 24, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Jackson Harris (4) runs the ball during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With a 6-2 record, ranked at the No. 15 seed in the Top 25 AP Poll, the LSU Tigers sit at the No. 14 seed in the first CFP rankings.

This means that if the Selection Show aired tonight, the Tigers are slated to be outside of the initial playoff picture. As the five power conference champions get automatic entry, the next seven ranked teams are next, with No. 12 or higher as the ideal cutoff.

As the rest of the bracket was released, the committee ranked six conference teams over LSU: Tennessee at No. 13, Ole Miss at No. 10, Texas at No. 7, Kentucky at No. 6, Alabama at No. 5, and Georgia at No. 2.

Two of LSU's losses so far sit in front of the Tigers in the rankings, while three of its next opponents also receive a higher ranking. If LSU wants to squeeze into that ideal spot, it must prove to the committee it's postseason-worthy over these top-ranked teams.

As Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas all join LSU in the two-loss boat, it raises key questions about how the committee is comparing these teams so far this season.

The Committee Question

The College Football Playoff logo is painted in the endzone prior to the Cotton Bowl between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 31, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As the committee strategically placed these teams in the first rankings from their records, the strength of schedules and marquee wins/losses, there is a common standard within the rankings.

But the question is, are all teams receiving this same standard?

LSU has not only remained in the top 25 all ten weeks of the season, but has also been able to set the tone against opponents that other teams haven't. When the Tigers win, they win big. While the losses come up more narrow, losing two road games by a combined total of nine points.

If the rankings are putting top-ranked teams in for marquee wins, the standard of what translates to a marquee win should be treated fairly towards every team in order to see fair seeding.

LSU has shown this aggression from the first game, with a 51-10 blowout win over Clemson. In SEC play, the team dominated ranked Texas A&M 35-6 and shut out Mississippi State 31-0.

This resumé has painted a clear picture for the committee: that they are able to win big over big-name programs, and rarely let a loss define the team.

So when taking these marquee wins into account, the committee can't move the goalpost to shift to strength of schedule, putting another team's gritty win over a team that's proven its dominance in the conference week after week.

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