Georgia follows at No. 2 while Alabama lands a surprise top-five spot ahead of a loaded Week 10 slate.
The College Football Playoff committee released its first rankings Tuesday night, putting the undefeated Miami Hurricanes (8-0) at No. 1 despite the team owning just one win over a ranked opponent, a 33-20 result at then-No. 16 Wake Forest on Sept. 18. Miami's strength of schedule sat 49th nationally going into the reveal, but the unbeaten record carried the day.
Committee chair Hunter Yurachek, the Arkansas athletic director, called the choice of Miami at No. 1 "really unanimous," even as other parts of the rankings drew confusion. Georgia came in at No. 2 with a better marquee win, at No. 5 Alabama, though the Bulldogs also carry a home loss to 4-4 Auburn on their resume.
Notre Dame landed at No. 11, setting up a looming matchup with Miami that could reshape the Hurricanes' playoff picture. The rankings also set the stage for a busy Week 10, with four matchups between Top 15 teams on the schedule. Alabama's surprise top-five placement and Notre Dame's spot outside the top ten were among the choices that left observers picking apart the committee's logic.