The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast CFP Rankings Reaction: Is Notre Dame being protected? Do USC, Michigan & Texas have a path?
27 snips
Nov 19, 2025 The latest College Football Playoff Rankings spark intriguing discussions. Joel Klatt dives into the perplexing rankings of Notre Dame and Miami, questioning the committee's protective tactics. He explores the playoff paths for blue bloods USC, Texas, and Michigan, assessing their chances of climbing if they secure crucial wins. A victory for USC over Oregon could catapult them forward, while Michigan could bolster their case with a win against Ohio State. Meanwhile, Texas faces a murky path, raising questions about their playoff viability.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Committee Values Eye Test Over Resume
- The committee is an eye-test group that values how teams look now more than strict resume metrics.
- Former coaches in the room influence rankings heavily by privileging style and recent performance.
Bracket Visuals Mask The Real Bubble
- The published bracket can mislead because conference placeholders (like the ACC spot) distort perceived security for teams.
- Notre Dame sits near the bubble because Miami, who beat them, is kept distant by ranking buffers.
Committee Created A Buffer Around Notre Dame
- The committee created a buffer of teams (Utah, BYU, Alabama) between Notre Dame and Miami to avoid a direct Notre Dame-Miami comparison.
- That buffer protects Notre Dame's at-large chances until it disappears via losses or other teams leapfrogging them.