Startling claim: the College Football Playoff field is now locked in, with Miami stealing the final wild-card spot from Notre Dame.
Democracy Dies in Darkness
College Football
Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech earned first-round byes, while James Madison secured the last automatic bid in the 12-team playoff that kicks off on December 19.
Updated
December 7, 2025 at 1:16 p.m. EST — just minutes ago
Faced with an intricate, weeks-long puzzle, the College Football Playoff selection committee weighed Notre Dame, Miami, and Alabama on Sunday, ultimately placing Alabama and Miami into the final at-large positions in the 12-team playoff and leaving Notre Dame as the top commander among the excluded programs. Notably, Notre Dame had been ranked two spots higher than Miami the previous week, and neither the teams nor their opponents had played in the interim to alter the strength of their résumés.
In short: despite Notre Dame’s higher standing last week, the committee adjusted the field to include Alabama and Miami while ranking Notre Dame just outside the final cut. The result underscores how subjective analyses of schedules, quality wins, and trajectory can shape outcomes in ways that spark debate among fans and analysts alike.
