The College Football Playoff committee released its penultimate set of rankings on Tuesday and fans aren't having it.
As we prepare for the first 12-team College Football Playoff field to be set on Sunday, these rankings gave us an idea of where teams stand — in terms of both seeding and standing of still be in the race — and what we can expect with a few conference championship games remaining.
Once conference champions are set, we will know the five automatic qualifiers. From there, we'll see seven at-large bids — most of which we already know — selected. The four highest-ranked conference champions will earn first-round byes, while the fifth highest-ranked champion will get an automatic spot.
Perhaps to no one's suprrise, the Alabama Crimson Tide were resurrected from the dead and, possibly, even gifted a berth in the playoff with the committee's latest rankings. While many Crimson Tide and SEC fans were happy to see that be the case, the rest of the college football world weren't having it.
The result? Some vicious and savage tweets.
Getting blown out by a 6-6 Oklahoma team with the 94th ranked offense wasn’t a dealbreaker for Alabama, but Miami losing by 4 points to 9-3 Syracuse did them in.
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) December 4, 2024
Absolutely absurd special treatment. pic.twitter.com/04hULZgez0
Find someone who loves you the way the College Football Playoff Committee loves Alabama.
— Russ Latino (@RussLatino) December 4, 2024
The college football playoff committee in 2031 trying to justify putting 5-7 Alabama in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/B3IZBA8D1Z
— College Football Live (@CollegeFBonX) December 4, 2024
It wasn't just the inclusion of Alabama, but also the rankings of teams like Miami and South Carolina behind the Crimson Tide that caused many fans to call for the end of the College Football Playoff committee. One fan even called for the ACC, Big 12, and Group of 5 to break off and form their own playoff.
The committee needs to be disbanded, but the SEC and Big 10 will not agree to it because they want brand names over deserving teams. #CFBPlayoff @CFBPlayoff
— Winnin’ Willie (The Voice of Houston) (@htownsportsnow) December 4, 2024
Abolish the Playoff Committee. Inconsistency and hypocrisy is off the charts.
— Ryan Faust™ (@faust_r) December 4, 2024
Why does the @CFBPlayoff committee have the current AD of Michigan on it and acting as it’s spokesperson? G5, Big 12 and ACC need to break off and make their own division / playoff.
— Eric Tatum 🏴☠️ (@EricTatum22) December 4, 2024
With a 12 team playoff, we no longer need a selection committee. Bring back the BCS formula. Eliminate even the perception of Bias.
— BringShaneHome (@Foster4Prez) December 4, 2024
The College Football Playoff Committee is a farce.
— Sean Dillon 🎙 Hosts Beyond the Mic (@SeanADillon) December 4, 2024
Period. End of subject.
I hope the following teams win their championship game
Penn State, Iowa State, Georgia by 100, Army, UNLV, SMU just so people will finally realize, the committee will put in whatever teams ESPN wants.
The truth of the matter is that the committee will always have a bias towards brands. The SEC and Big Ten will always have an upperhand because of their brands, regardless of if they actually have teams that deserve to be in the playoff or not.
It will be interesting to see what changes are made to the playoff system after this season. We anticipate that those changes will likely benefit the SEC and Big Ten, while hurting the ACC, Big 12, and Group of 5 even further.
For now, though, we'll have to wait and see how this field plays out.