The College Football Playoff committee made a few questionable decisions Sunday after slotting both Ohio State and Alabama higher than many expected following conference championship losses.
While the field of 12 is now set, highlighted by first-round matchups such as No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison, the placement of two powerhouse brands sparked immediate debate.
Ohio State remained at No. 2 despite a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, the Buckeyes’ first defeat of the season and their first to the Hoosiers since 1988.
The committee cited Ohio State’s overall resume, including an undefeated regular season and elite defensive metrics, but the timing and stakes of the loss left many wondering if the Buckeyes were graded more on reputation than performance. Red-zone failures doomed OSU, which came up empty twice in four trips.
Alabama proved even more controversial. The Crimson Tide stayed at No. 9 after a 28-7 setback to Georgia in the SEC Championship, which was their third loss of 2025. Despite offensive inconsistency and lingering quarterback questions, the Tide were not penalized, with selectors leaning heavily on strength of schedule.
The decision positions Alabama to potentially become the CFP’s first three-loss semifinalist, a prospect that is fueling criticism that bias may still be running the system.
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