What to expect ahead of first CFP Rankings release in 2026: Metrics, selection committee and more
CBS Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will release its first top 25 rankings on Tuesday night, providing an early look at national championship contenders and their standings ahead of the season's final weeks.
- The 13-member committee evaluates teams based on on-field performance, resume strength, game control, schedule toughness, head-to-head results, and player/coach availability, ignoring popular polls and recruiting rankings.
- The playoff bracket includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven at-large teams, with the top four seeds receiving first-round byes; Notre Dame has a playoff assurance if ranked in the top 12 due to its independent status.
- A new conference strength metric has been introduced this season to better assess the difficulty of schedules, especially benefiting the SEC, which has multiple at-large hopefuls amid scheduling changes.
- Historical data suggests teams ranked in the top six of the initial CFP Rankings are very likely (92%) to make the final playoff field, while teams outside the top 20 face long odds of qualifying.
