New CFP rankings are as ridiculous as ever, but that shouldn't surprise BYU fans

It took no time at all for the College Football Playoff Rankings to become ridiculous, illogical, and predictably SEC-biased. But what's new, right? For BYU football, a team ranked 7th in the AP Poll, to be bumped down the order in favor of multiple two-loss teams has been the CFP committee's mode of operation for all three seasons of the 12-team playoff format.

BYU football sits at 9 in the official College Football Playoff rankings, making this weekend's game at third-ranked Utah a do-or-die for the Cougars at-large bid chances.

After all, when has BYU's hopes of a playoff berth not been dependent on taking down a team that the committee deems worthy of a first-round bye?

I feel the need to mention some noteworthy developments in this initial release.

SEC bias is rampant

Alabama being ranked at number 5 is preposterous. It's bonkers, bananas, insane.

The Crimson Tide have already lost two games -- over one quarter of the games they've played -- and are ranked ahead of undefeated UCLA (bafflingly ranked 8th despite boasting one of the best defenses in the nation), and one-loss BYU, Notre Dame, and Kentucky.

Most shocking of all, the SEC currently has five teams in the field despite the conference cannibalizing itself. Both Bama and the two-loss Longhorns are ahead of UCLA and BYU, spitting in the face of all logic and reason.

Ohio State was raked through the coals for losing to USC this weekend and picking up their second loss. Alabama was rewarded for obtaining their second loss to Tennessee, a team currently ranked 8 spots behind the very team they beat head-to-head.

Every single SEC team is ranked higher than they were in the latest AP Poll, with the lone exception, Florida, remaining even.

The committee is sending a clear message to the college football world: nothing has changed. They're going to jam as many SEC teams into the final bracket no matter how many mental gymnastics they'll have to perform. They're not the most deserving teams, nor are they the most qualified teams, but just like last season, they're the teams that will make ESPN and the College Football Playoff the most money and satiate their partners in power in the SEC.

It's ridiculous, it's unfair, and it's just further evidence that the committee cannot be trusted with a 12-team field. I understand the concerns over a 24-team bracket, but you can't bump deserving teams from the ACC or Big 12 from the playoff entirely at that scope -- they can and will bump said teams while they still have the power to do so.

Pedigree over Resume

The CFP committee ultimately values a team's pedigree over their resume. No one understands the truth of this statement better than BYU, or do I need to unearth the following graphics that ESPN broadcast to belittle the Cougars' bid in 2025?

This year, that same methodology is negatively impacting BYU, who sits at 9 despite an objectively stronger resume than the following teams: (4) Indiana, (5) Alabama, and (7) Texas.

BYU's loss to UCF was inexcusable, but they have quality wins far superior to that of the teams ahead in (11) Notre Dame and (22) Arizona.

Again, unsurprising, but also inexcusable.

BYU's path to the College Football Playoff just became clear

So that's the bad news. The good news is that BYU is not out of the running just yet in terms of gaining an at-large bid.

Ranked at 9 with a road test against the 3rd-ranked Utes gives BYU what is essentially a "win-and-you're-in" opportunity. Take down one of the most dominant and exciting teams in the country and BYU likely vaults into the top 5 or even the top 3. Lose to the Utes, however, and BYU's path becomes a little more perilous.

They'd topple out of the top-12 without a doubt -- the selection committee has never been sympathetic to those who struggle in the Big 12, and their finger is hovering over the button that makes the Big 12 a one-bid league once again.

But if Notre Dame beats the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes this weekend, BYU's case becomes much stronger, having beaten a playoff team and losing to one of the best teams in the nation (again, assuming a loss to Utah in RES).

BYU trapped themselves by losing to UCF. That's their fault. Had they handled business against a bad UCF team as they should have, a loss to third-ranked Utah would have little to no effect on the Cougars' playoff hopes. Instead, they stumbled, and could face a similar situation to 2024, where they lost a baffling game against Kansas and then fell to the Big 12's playoff representative, Arizona State.

Beat the Utes on Saturday, and this becomes a moot point.

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