3 overreactions to the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season are officially here, and, as always, there is plenty to argue about.
The committee has given us its first glimpse into how it views the Playoff picture. There are some decisions that make plenty of sense, some that will undoubtedly spark debate and a few that are going to have fan bases reaching for the pitchforks.
Of course, these are only the first rankings. There are still several weeks of football left, and a lot can change between now and Selection Sunday. Heck, this Week 10 slate alone is absolutely loaded with games that will impact next week’s CFP rankings. But that doesn’t mean we can’t overreact a little bit to the committee’s initial decisions.
Here are 3 overreactions to the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026.
1. Mizzou is being disrespected as the lowest-ranked 2-loss SEC team
Yeah, I’m going to start with a homer rant, so bear with me.
I understand that Mizzou hasn’t exactly made an overwhelming case for itself as a College Football Playoff contender. The Tigers have 2 losses, and there are certainly some questions about how they stack up against the best teams in the country.
But being the lowest-rated 2-loss team in the SEC by multiple spots? That’s a pretty harsh assessment from the committee.
The SEC is loaded with teams that have 2 losses, and Missouri is apparently being viewed as the least-deserving of that group. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a program that has put together another respectable season and remains very much in the hunt for a strong finish.
The good news for Mizzou? There’s still time to change that perception. The last 4 games on the Tigers’ schedule include matchups against No. 7 Texas, No. 2 Georgia and No. 6 Kentucky.
But while a team we’ll discuss in the final overreaction seemingly has some room for error, the committee has basically said Mizzou doesn’t. Mizzou constantly gets disrespected in polls and rankings and I’m frankly sick of it.
2. Notre Dame at No. 11 is shocking
Speaking of disrespect, Notre Dame at No. 11 is one of the more surprising decisions in the committee’s initial rankings.
The Fighting Irish have a 7-1 record, and there’s a pretty strong argument that they belong inside the top 10. Instead, the committee has placed them right on the fringe of the projected Playoff field.
This isn’t necessarily an indictment of Notre Dame’s overall season. The Irish have been good, but the committee clearly has some reservations about their résumé.
Still, No. 11 feels a little too low.
Notre Dame has the kind of program profile and talent level that makes it difficult to dismiss, but this shouldn’t be about reputation. The Irish have to be evaluated on what they’ve actually accomplished. And a 7-1 team with a single loss shouldn’t be sitting behind this many teams without a pretty compelling explanation.
There’s also an enormous opportunity coming up: Miami.
Notre Dame gets the Hurricanes this weekend in what could be one of the most consequential games of the entire regular season. A victory would give the Irish a signature win and likely send them rocketing up the next set of rankings.
That’s why this initial placement is frustrating, but not necessarily devastating.
But when the Irish popped up in the No. 11 spot on Tuesday night, I had a similar reaction to Rece Davis:
3. Alabama is getting the benefit of the doubt at No. 5 despite having two losses
Alabama at No. 5 is perhaps the most fascinating placement in the entire top 10. Let’s just say it made me fall out of my chair when I saw the Tide pop up in the top 5. (I’m officially listed as “probable” on the injury report.)
That’s a significant vote of confidence in Alabama’s overall body of work, but it also raises an obvious question: How much should the committee be rewarding a team’s perceived ceiling vs. what it has actually accomplished?
There’s no denying that Alabama has the talent to beat just about anybody. The Crimson Tide also play in the SEC, where the weekly competition is unforgiving. A couple of losses in this league don’t necessarily mean a team isn’t capable of making a deep Playoff run.
But…
Having the Tide at No. 5 with 2 losses while Tennessee (also with 2 losses) is down at No. 13 is a bit bizarre.
If Alabama can be ranked fifth with 2 losses, why is Missouri being treated so differently? Why are other 2-loss SEC teams being evaluated through a different lens? The committee needs to be consistent in how it applies those standards.
Alabama has plenty of opportunities left to justify this ranking, starting with a massive showdown against LSU looming large this weekend. But for now, the Crimson Tide have been given a level of respect that other 2-loss teams clearly haven’t received.
And that’s going to be one of the biggest talking points coming out of the first rankings.
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Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
