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CFP chair Warde Manuel explains ranking of inactive teams for Selection Sunday
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College Football Playoff selection committee chair Warde Manuel joined College GameDay on Saturday. The chairman and athletic director at Michigan discussed the committee’s thought process and how inactive teams will be treated on Selection Sunday.
With this weekend being conference championship week, several teams that are in the CFP rankings aren’t playing. Of the top 12 teams in the latest CFP rankings, 6 are inactive this weekend. Manuel again insisted that inactive teams will not move up or down.
“For example, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Ohio State will not move above Notre Dame and Notre Dame will not move below Ohio State but they can fluctuate and move in terms of where they’re set in the rankings,” Manuel said.
So the inactive teams will not move ahead or behind each other, but they won’t necessarily be in the same spot they are now. In the latest CFP rankings, Notre Dame was at No. 4, Ohio State was No. 6, Tennessee No. 7, Indiana No. 9, Alabama No. 11, and Miami No. 12.
Both Georgia and Texas appear to safely be in the CFP regardless of the outcome of the SEC Championship Game. Other conferences aren’t as fortunate, however. In the Big 12, neither Arizona State nor Iowa State will get in unless they win the conference.
One wrinkle could come in the ACC Championship Game. If SMU wins, then Alabama appears set to claim the final at-large spot. If Clemson wins, however, a 2-loss SMU team could get in even with a loss in the championship game, which would leave Alabama out.
Selection Sunday will start on Sunday at noon ET.
CFP Selection Committee Chair Warde Manuel on how teams not playing this week will be evaluated: pic.twitter.com/FBhd2bXOd7
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 7, 2024
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
