CFP Committee Drops Notre Dame to No. 11 as SEC-Favoritism Backlash Grows
Updated
Updated · One Foot Down · Nov 4
CFP Committee Drops Notre Dame to No. 11 as SEC-Favoritism Backlash Grows
3 articles · Updated · One Foot Down · Nov 4
Summary
Notre Dame landed at No. 11 in the CFP committee’s first 2026 rankings despite sitting No. 4 in the AP poll, triggering immediate accusations that the Irish were judged by a harsher standard.
The backlash centered on the committee’s emphasis on schedule strength and signature wins, a rationale critics said elevated SEC teams such as Alabama and Texas while penalizing Notre Dame.
That gap looked sharper because Alabama opened at No. 5 despite a 2-2 record against Top 25 opponents, while Ohio State also fell outside the top 10 at No. 12.
The ranking now puts extra weight on Notre Dame’s upcoming game against No. 1 Miami and renews broader doubts about how consistently the CFP committee applies its criteria.