The College Football Playoff committee just ensured that we'll never have a committee setting the Playoff rankings again. The biggest debate since the first set of rankings was revealed this year was the debate between Notre Dame and Miami. In every ranking reveal until Sunday, the Fighting Irish were ranked ahead of the Hurricanes.
Every week, we heard the same phrase uttered that if Miami could get next to Notre Dame in the rankings, they could overtake the Fighting Irish. On Sunday Afternoon, Miami found it's place next to the Irish, and the committee passed over Notre Dame leaving the Fighting Irish out of the field.
Notre Dame's exclusion will change the format forever
Leaving Notre Dame out of the College Football Playoff is going to lead to serious changes, whether it's by expanding the Playoff, ending the weekly show, or changing the way that the Playoff is currently set up.
All season long, the committee echoed the sentiment that the Hurricanes weren't better than Notre Dame until the final weekend. Notre Dame was punished for losing the first game of the season with a first-time starter at quarterback. Over the final 10 games of the season, Notre Dame found their form, and they're better than most of the teams that will be playing in the Playoff.
Take Miami out of the picture, and there's still a massive debate between Alabama and Notre Dame. The Crimson Tide has limped to the finish line, whether it's because of injuries or who this team truly is. We just watched Alabama get blown out by Georgia and that loss didn't affect the Crimson Tide at all.
The biggest adjustment that will likely be made is with the way that automatic bids are given out as there's clearly an issue. The ACC having a flawed champion has led to two Group of 5 teams making the Playoff, not because they're the best teams, but because the format allows them to make the field.
When the Playoff field was expanded, there were clearly some massive flaws, and they were always going to rear an ugly head. This year, we won't have the best teams in the Playoff, and it should lead to significant changes. The subjective nature of the committee's choices is going to lead to changes in the formula, whether it's by going back to the BCS computers or by having set criteria.