The only set of talking points that matter this season make their debut Tuesday night. Let the banter commence when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee reveals its first top 25 rankings spectacularly, giving us an early look at teams in the national championship conversation and where they're slotted ahead of a captivating regular season's final weeks. Which metrics carry the most weight?
Does strength of schedule and quality wins trump overall record? Committee chair Hunter Yurachek will do what he can to provide the best explanation on why teams are ranked where they are and what goes inside the CFP war room in Grapevine, Texas. This season's 13-member selection committee includes Yurachek (Arkansas AD), Nebraska AD Troy Dannen, AD Doug Gillin from Appalachian State, Utah AD Mark Harlan, Middle Tennessee AD Chris Massaro and Virginia AD Carla Williams.
Mark Dantonio, Gus Malzahn, Mike Riley and Jeff Tedford are the former head coaches on the committee, while Randall McDaniel, Wesley Walls and Ivan Maisel round out the members. AP and Coaches polls, recruiting rankings, college football's most-talented rosters, NFL Draft buzz — all those popular factors when grading teams are ignored by the selection committee, who each privately submit a list of 30 teams they consider the best in the country, and then a "master pool" of sorts is created among the ballots for teams mentioned on three or more of the lists. Evaluation criteria from there center on on-field performance, data points and further metrics such as resume and record strength, game control, schedule toughness and head-to-head results along with common opponents.
Also, related player or coach availability are considered. There are two teams inside the top 10 right now with starting quarterbacks out for the season — Ohio State and UCLA. As a result, the selection committee could downgrade the Buckeyes and Bruins if they deem the absence of Julian Sayin and Nico Iamaleava, for instance, has altered the overall value of both teams.
The playoff bracket consists of the five highest-ranked conference champions along with the next seven highest-ranked at-large teams. The top-four seeds earn a first-round bye, while seeds 5-8 play at home in the opening round. As an independent, Notre Dame has a playoff "assurance" of sorts this season as long as the Fighting Irish are ranked inside the final top 12.
Tuesday night's reveal offers an initial look at who the selection committee believes are the 25 best teams in college football, but it will not be reflective of what's left this season and the next few polls leading up to Selection Sunday. Entering the home stretch, several perceived national championship contenders still have nationally ranked opponents on the schedule, and the ACC is the only clear conference title race within the Power Four. There are only 10 teams that have made it to No. 1 in the CFP Rankings, the first being Mississippi State in 2014's debut top 25.
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