College Football Rankings: Who's Too High, Too Low in First Playoff Bracket?

There’s always a little controversy when the College Football Playoff reveals their weekly rankings in the back half of the regular season.

That was true as the selection committee unveiled their first bracket of 2026 this week, kicking off another round of debate. What did they get wrong in the initial poll?

Too High: Alabama

College Football Playoff Rankings: Overrated, Underrated Teams — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alabama’s ranking: No. 5

The one major negative reaction to the first College Football Playoff rankings surrounded the controversial placement of the Crimson Tide in the top five.

Off this past weekend, Alabama’s best win is against Kentucky on the road and is 2-2 against other CFP top 25 opponents with back-to-back losses to Georgia and Tennessee, the latter of which placed eight spots below the Tide.

Six schools ranked lower than Alabama have better records against the committee’s ranked teams. And for some reason, the selectors thought mentioning its win against Mississippi State was a major component in naming this a top-five team.

Too Low: Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s ranking: No. 11

The arguments against the Fighting Irish are easy enough to make. They did lose their one game against a ranked team, at BYU, they lack a signature win, and their strength of schedule doesn’t pop off the page.

Still, against that schedule the Irish have performed dominantly, leading college football with a 27 point margin of victory on average, and have played like one of the most consistent teams in the country.

This lower ranking, compared with the No. 4 placement in the AP poll, feels like the selectors are overly penalizing Notre Dame for the quality of their opponents, a factor they can’t control, while also propping up several multi-loss SEC teams.

Too High: Indiana

Indiana’s ranking: No. 4

College football’s reigning national champion has not beaten a single team currently ranked by the CFP selection committee.

That’s in addition to the Hoosiers playing a weak non-conference schedule, failing to play a single Power Four non-Big Ten opponent.

Their last three straight wins were all decided by seven points or fewer, including consecutive overtime scares against Michigan and Minnesota.

Moreover, they lost to Ohio State, their only matchup against a higher-tier opponent, for some reason sitting eight spots ahead of the team they lost to.

Too Low: Ohio State

Ohio State’s ranking: No. 12

Yes, the Buckeyes are technically inside the top dozen, but they wouldn’t be in the playoff if it started today to make way for the Group of Six rep with the No. 12 seed.

That’s the same Ohio State team that beat the champs on the road, the No. 2 strength of record, and has the No. 10 ranked strength of schedule in the country.

And the one that lost by a single point to current No. 7 Texas, the definition of a “quality loss,” two of which were good enough to put the Tide in the top five.

Playoff committee chairman Hunter Yurachek admitted on live television that his colleagues didn’t consider the Buckeyes’ head-to-head win over Indiana.

That’s a remarkable statement for anyone ranking college football teams to make.

Add us as a preferred source on Google