Updated November 11, 2026, 3:21 p.m. ET
- Indiana fell five spots in the CFP rankings. It could have gone down further.
- There is one case where Miami is overrated. The Hurricanes need Malachi Toney back.
- The committee sleeps on the Group of Six, including Boise State and New Mexico.
The College Football Playoff committee has spoken out for the second time.
He likes Georgia and Alabama, is pretty hot on the SEC in general, warms up to the Big 12 and is ice cold towards the ACC.
Oregon and Notre Dame were among the biggest movers in this week’s CFP rankings. Mississippi, Ohio State and LSU emerged as the biggest losers, but Indiana notably fell five spots in an open date for the Hoosiers.
On this edition of “College Football Unfiltered,” a USA TODAY Sports podcast presented by Sports Seriously, host Blake Toppmeyer and CFB insider John Brice debate what the committee got right and what went wrong in these rankings.
This includes a discussion of the most overrated and underrated teams, as well as a debate over whether the committee is off base in the Alabama/Tennessee comparison. They also highlight an SEC team and a Big Ten team that would be in great shape to make the bracket at 9-3. No 9-3 team has ever qualified for the playoffs.
Which teams are the most overrated, underrated in the CFP rankings
The most overrated teams
No. 9 Indiana (Brice): The Hoosiers were the most overrated last week, and I’m not changing my stance, even after the committee lost five spots to Indiana. If the Hoosiers beat Southern Cal this weekend, I’ll start singing a different tune. Right now, the resume just isn’t there. Neither is the eye test when the Hoosiers are on offense. If Indiana could drop five spots without playing, how much would it fall after a home loss to USC? Enough that it won’t be in next week’s slot.
No. 12 Texas Tech (Toppmeyer): The Red Raiders’ strength of schedule is horrible, and their once-feared defense just gave up 48 points to West Virginia. This team looks sluggish. What justification is there for ranking Texas Tech this high? Texas Tech’s 28-26 win over Houston does a lot of work for his resume. Frankly, I don’t know why either of these teams are ranked in the top 15.
No. 7 Miami (Brice): The Hurricanes were in danger of being kicked out of Notre Dame Stadium. He hung around for most of the match. Malachi Toney’s injury is certainly affecting Miami. The Hurricanes badly need his return. The committee covers the entire ACC this side of Miami, and the “U”. I should feel lucky that it’s not ranked lower than it is.
The most underrated teams
No. 24 Boise State (Toppmeyer): The committee gives no love to the Group of Six. That includes disrespecting Boise State, an 8-1 team. The Broncos’ only loss was a 34-27 result to Oregon in the season opener. The committee now values the Ducks enough to rank them 16th. Note that Oregon also had Dante Moore for that game against Boise State, and now Moore is out. Boise State’s eight-game winning streak and head-to-head battle with Oregon merit a top-20 ranking. (Maybe the Group of Six needs its own playoffs, but that’s another debate.)
New Mexico unclassified (Brice): It’s a shame the 8-1 Lobos aren’t in the top 25. They’re giving up less than 11 points per game. In 36 quarters of football, they have only allowed 11 touchdowns. Doesn’t this deserve a place in this ranking? I’m not telling you I want New Mexico in the field of 12, but in next year’s field of 24, I would want them. And in the top 25, give New Mexico some love.
Where to listen to College Football unfiltered
Don’t forget to check out USA TODAY Sports’ “College Football Unfiltered Podcast, hosted by columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream episodes on YouTube or download them via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or iHeart. Co-hosts Matt Hayes, Paul Myerberg and John Brice cover college football for USA TODAY Sports.
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