College Football Playoff rankings barricade BYU behind several 1-loss teams.

The College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday, with the likes of BYU and Indiana holding their collective breath in anticipation of a boost from where they stand in the AP vote.

With significantly less bias at play and a complete lack of poll inertia--as this is the first ranking of the year--the selection committee had the chance to look at these teams for who they've proved to be, rather than being hindered by the anchor of preseason speculation.

Unfortunately, bias is as big a factor as ever in the new College Football Playoff rankings.

BYU remains in the 9th spot, with Indiana just ahead at 8. The four programs ahead of the Cougars hold a collective one win over current top 25 teams, compared to the two that BYU can boast on their own. In the age of NIL deal supremacy, however, the names, images, and likenesses of SEC and Big 10 teams seem to impress voters over the perceived weakness of an undefeated BYU..

Even Miami, the now 4th-ranked ACC squad that remains unbeaten despite a questionable 1-point victory over Cal and no win on their resume stronger than against 6-3 Louisville, remains miles ahead of the Cougars in the first edition of the polls.

BYU should feel slighted to a high degree, as the statement this year's committee makes with a 12-team bracket is the same as last year's with a 4-team system, "if we don't think you're good enough, it doesn't matter what your resume says."

Unbeaten ACC Champion Florida State was shafted last season when the selection committee made the executive decision to leave the Seminoles out due to no fault of their own. This year, BYU could suffer the same fate if they don't win the Big 12 championship, regardless of an undefeated regular season.

Yes, you read that correctly, the Cougars likely won't earn a bid unless they're 13-0 by the end of the season.

Wasn't this what the 12-team format was supposed to fix? Isn't a 1-loss BYU a more deserving selection than a 3-loss Alabama, LSU, or Ole Miss?

BYU should be highly upset at this ranking, even though they still have four (and hopefully five) more games to prove the committee wrong. With one of the strongest resumes in football to fall behind teams with losses to the likes of Arkansas, and no room to breathe ahead of a Notre Dame team that lost to NIU, and a 2-loss Bama squad, BYU still hasn't proven a thing with 2 top-25 wins and an undefeated record.

It's unfortunate to see teams remain relevant thanks to name recognition, rather than ranking these teams on their merit.

Until that day, BYU will likely need to finish unbeaten for a chance at the playoff. That starts this week against Utah.

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