CFP Projections: Alabama’s Fate In Question After Loss, BYU Collapses, Duke Wins ACC And How About Indiana

ATLANTA - The SEC is going to have a big problem in the future if Alabama is left out of the college football playoff today. I guess the same type of feeling is currently reverberating through the ACC offices as well, thanks to Duke winning the conference title on Saturday night. 

We are just hours away from the CFP rankings being released, and there are plenty of folks across the country wondering whether Notre Dame or Miami will take Alabama and BYU's spot in the playoff. 

And, the Tide' have nobody to blame but themselves. Yes, I believe Alabama should be in the playoff, just off the fact they were the #1 seed in the SEC heading into the conference title game. But, if we're being honest, this Alabama team hasn't looked like a playoff-caliber squad in over a month. 

This Alabama Team Isn’t CFP Worthy, And The Last Month Proved It. This Isn’t Just About The SEC Championship

Please, save me the talking points about having to go on the road and win in a tough environment at Auburn, which is exactly what CFP chair Hunter Yurachek decided to say during last week's rankings teleconference. 

They are nervous tonight in Tuscaloosa because of how they lost on Saturday to Georgia, not that they just took an L during the SEC Championship. Look, I get it. I don’t think it's in the best interest of the committee to leave Alabama out, while folks in Birmingham will continue discussing how the title game will be worthless moving forward. 

The best solution would be swapping Alabama and Notre Dame in the rankings, if the committee really wants to stay away from pure chaos. 

Oh, and how about those Hoosiers?

Fernando Mendoza Delivers For Indiana, Defeating Ohio State

The best story in college football comes out of Bloomington, Indiana. 

After leading his team to the Big Ten championship, Fernando Mendoza helped deliver the Hoosiers their first win over Ohio State since 1986, with a conference title to show for it. 

Now, Ohio State will drop to most likely fourth in the CFP rankings, still getting a first round bye. But, Indiana will be given the best possible route to the national championship, thanks to the historic win on Saturday night. 

I dare you to find a better story. You can't, as Curt Cignetti has turned the Hoosiers into a monster in just two years. 

BYU Losing Opens Door To Madness. Miami Or Notre Dame?

Thanks to BYU once again being demoralized by Texas Tech, this time in the Big 12 title game, the final argument revolving around this at-large spot will most likely come down to either Notre Dame or Miami. 

Obviously, the glaring problem is that loss Notre Dame suffered at the hands of Miami on September 1st.

Sure, this seems like the obvious tiebreaker, but with the CFP committee not paying much attention to that game up until last week, it's pretty clear the folks arguing in a conference room in Grapevine, Texas would rather not have to make that choice. 

Inside The SEC Championship: Kiffin Backs Out, CFP Panic, And A Push For Play-In Games

Does it matter that the committee kept the Hurricanes out of Notre Dame's area in the rankings for four weeks? Yes, but since the group did not have to argue over a loss or win from either team this weekend, I don't see why they would somehow change their viewpoint. 

I guess we'll find out in a few hours. 

Thanks For The Pandemonium, Duke. ACC Getting Left Out?

Well, we all knew what it would take for the Group of Five (Or 6) to receive two invitations to the college football playoff. All it took was Duke defeating No. 17 Virginia on Saturday night in the ACC championship, which would open the door for both Tulane and James Madison to get in. 

Yes, it happened, with Duke winning 27-20 in overtime, claiming the conference title with five losses on the season. 

Don't forget, the CFP is only obligated to put the highest ranked conference champion in the postseason. So, with James Madsion and Tulane both winning on Friday night, and being ranked WAY ahead of Duke, this allowed the CFP committee to award the Group of Five two spots. 

Obviously, the ACC is going to lose their minds if this transpires. But, I guess not having a 5-loss conference champion would've helped the entire ordeal. Sure, we could argue all year about whether this should happen, but unfortunately for the ACC, this is how the cookie crumbled. 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 06: Head coach Kirby Smart and Oscar Delp #4 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate with teammates after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 28-7 in the 2025 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Final College Football Playoff Projections

Ok, here we go. Thanks to Clay Travis for joining the fun. So, our final CFP predictions

Trey Wallace Top-12

• No. 1 Indiana
• No. 2 Georgia
• No. 3 Ohio State
• No. 4 Texas Tech
• No. 5 Oregon
• No. 6 Ole Miss
• No. 7 Texas A&M
• No. 8 Oklahoma
• No. 9 Notre Dame
• No. 10 Miami
• No. 11 Tulane
• No. 12. James Madison

Clay Travis Top-12

• No. 1 Indiana
• No. 2 Georgia
• No. 3 Ohio State
• No. 4 Texas Tech
• No. 5 Oregon
• No. 6 Ole Miss
• No. 7 Texas A&M
• No. 8 Oklahoma
• No. 9 Alabama
• No. 10 Miami
• No. 11 Tulane
• No. 12 James Madison

There ya go, let's see what the CFP committee decides to do. Right now, there are a lot of nervous folks in Tuscaloosa, Miami and South Bend.