Every year most College Football fanbases have the same complaint when the College Football Playoff rankings are released as Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC fans complain that the SEC gets over ranked due to SEC Bias. This season, the SEC will get a ton of the same complaints with 4 of the Top 6 teams, 6 of the Top 12, and 9 of the Top 25 teams.
While everyone can use the same tired narrative and complain that the SEC is overrated, there's a clear team that should be the target of everyone else in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
The Notre Dame bias is real in the College Football Playoff rankings
When the College Football Playoff committee unveiled their Top 25 rankings, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish came in ranked 10th with a 6-2 record on the season. Every conference has a strong argument that their league was the victim of the Notre Dame bias.
The ACC has the most fair complaint of every league with Notre Dame being 10th while Miami is ranked 18th. Both teams share identical 6-2 records, but Miami beat Notre Dame to open the season, yet they're ranked 8 spots below Notre Dame because of their resume as of late rather than their resume as a whole.
Virginia also has a strong case to be made in a debate against the Fighting Irish as they're ranked 14th. The Cavaliers have a better ranked win after beating 15th ranked Louisville, while they also have a better record at 7-1.
The SEC can argue that both Texas and Oklahoma at 11th and 12th should be ranked ahead of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame's only ranked win is against 19th ranked USC while Texas has beaten 12th ranked Oklahoma and 16th ranked Vanderbilt while Oklahoma has beaten 21st ranked Michigan and 25th ranked Tennessee.
The Fighting Irish are being ranked more as a projection of what they are rather than what they've put on film. In the end, this will all likely play itself out, but early on Notre Dame is getting the benefit of the doubt more than anyone else. The Irish are going to have plenty of chances down the stretch to prove they're the elite team that deserves the benefit, but for now it's clear they got a better draw.