The College Football Playoff selection committee released its second rankings on Tuesday, placing Alabama at No. 3 despite two losses, while idle Indiana fell five spots to No. 9 — the largest drop for a team on a bye week in CFP history. Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek cited Alabama's strength of record and schedule, including a win over Mississippi State when the Bulldogs were 4-0, as justification for the Tide's high placement. Tennessee, which beat Alabama 26-10 head-to-head and shares a 7-2 record, sits at No. 8.
Overrated: Alabama
Alabama sits four spots higher than the AP poll, the widest gap among top-15 teams. The Tide are 3-2 against the committee's current top 25 with wins over Kentucky, South Carolina, and LSU. However, those wins have diminished: Kentucky has been beaten by 28 points twice, South Carolina has three losses, and LSU is 0-3 against top-25 opponents. Alabama also ranks ahead of unbeaten UCLA and one-loss Notre Dame, which just defeated No. 1 Miami.
Frustrated: Indiana
Indiana fell from No. 4 to No. 9 without playing, a five-spot drop that surpasses the previous record of three spots for idle teams (Nebraska 2014, Penn State 2022). Yurachek called the Hoosiers "probably a victim of having a bye week at the wrong time." Indiana's Big Ten opponents went a combined 0-8 last week, hurting their strength of schedule. The Hoosiers host No. 18 USC on Saturday.
Overrated: Missouri
Four SEC teams with three losses are ranked: South Carolina (No. 17), Ole Miss (No. 19), LSU (No. 21), and Missouri (No. 22). They are a combined 3-9 against the top 25, with LSU and Missouri a combined 0-5. Missouri lost to unranked Mississippi State, lost 31-3 at Ole Miss, and lost by 14 at home to Texas. The AP did not rank the Tigers.
Underrated: Tennessee
The Volunteers are 2-2 against the top 25 with wins over No. 3 Alabama and No. 11 Kentucky by a combined 44 points. Their two losses came by a combined six points to No. 6 Texas and No. 17 South Carolina. Committee protocol lists head-to-head results second among comparison principles, favoring Tennessee over Alabama, but the Tide hold an edge in common opponents (South Carolina). A first-round bye appears unlikely for Tennessee.
Underrated: Texas Tech
Texas Tech sits at No. 12, the first team out of the 12-team playoff, two spots below its AP ranking. The Red Raiders are 8-1 with two top-25 wins (Houston, Arizona) and can add a third at No. 25 Oklahoma State this week. Their only loss is to unranked Cincinnati.
Underrated: New Mexico and Boise State
New Mexico is 8-1, ranked No. 23 by the AP but unranked by the committee for a second straight week. The Lobos lead the nation in scoring defense; their only loss was 14-6 at Oklahoma. Boise State holds the Group of Six spot at No. 24, seven spots below its AP ranking — the largest gap between the polls. The Broncos' only loss came at full-strength Oregon in the opener.
Underrated: Notre Dame
Notre Dame made a historic six-spot jump to No. 5 after beating Miami, but remains one spot short of a first-round bye and two spots below its AP ranking. The Irish are 1-1 against the top 25 with a controversial loss at No. 10 BYU. Without a conference championship game, Notre Dame may need help from teams above them to secure a bye.
