Miami Holds Top Spot in First CFP Rankings After Narrow Win

The University of Miami holds the number one position in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Hurricanes secured this top spot following a 38-35 victory over unranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Miami trailed 28-24 in the fourth quarter of that contest. The team outgained the Tar Heels 416-407 but required a final drive to close the gap. The win keeps Miami at the top despite a competitive performance from Bill Belichick's squad.

Georgia sits at number two in the field. The Bulldogs dropped to 7-1 after a loss but maintain their high standing due to their prior schedule strength. Utah follows at number three with an 8-0 record. UCLA occupies the fourth seed, also undefeated at 8-0.

Indiana holds the number five slot with a 8-1 record. Kentucky is ranked sixth at 7-1, while BYU takes the seventh position at 7-1. Notre Dame is eighth, sharing a 7-1 record. Alabama appears ninth at 6-2, and Texas is tenth at 6-2.

Ole Miss rounds out the top twelve at number eleven with a 6-2 record. Boise State holds the twelfth and final playoff spot at 7-1. The final field of twelve teams will be determined at noon on Dec. 6.

The bracket structure places Miami at home against the twelfth seed. Georgia will host the eleventh seed. Utah faces the tenth seed, and UCLA plays the ninth. Indiana hosts the fifth seed, Kentucky hosts the sixth, BYU hosts the seventh, and Notre Dame hosts the eighth.

In the AP Top 25 poll, Miami leads at number one. Georgia is second, Utah third, and UCLA fourth. Indiana is fifth, Kentucky sixth, and BYU seventh. Notre Dame is eighth, Alabama ninth, and Texas tenth.

Ole Miss is ranked eleventh in the AP poll. Boise State is twelfth. The AP list includes several teams not in the CFP bracket, such as South Carolina at 12th and Arizona at 22nd. The CFP committee prioritized quality wins and recent results in its selection process.

The selection committee considered transitive properties and recency bias in the rankings. Miami's victory over a ranked opponent, North Carolina, helped solidify their position. The committee also weighed the strength of schedules for teams like Georgia and Texas.