College Football Playoff Committee Clarifies Team Evaluation Criteria
The College Football Playoff (CFP) has issued a statement clarifying that its selection committee considers various factors beyond wins and losses when evaluating teams, in response to questions about game outcomes like the Michigan-Western Michigan result.
Rochester, NY, September 17, 2026 —
The College Football Playoff (CFP) has released a statement to address inquiries regarding the methodology used by its selection committee when ranking teams. The clarification emphasizes that the committee takes into account a range of factors that extend beyond simple win-loss records in its evaluations.
This statement comes in the wake of questions that have arisen concerning specific game outcomes and their potential influence on team rankings. One such instance mentioned involved the Michigan-Western Michigan game, prompting a need for the CFP to reiterate its comprehensive approach to team assessment.
The CFP selection committee is tasked with selecting the four teams that will compete in the playoff. Its deliberations involve a deep dive into each team’s performance throughout the season. While wins and losses are undeniably significant, the committee also examines other performance metrics and qualitative aspects of team play. The exact nature of these additional factors has not been detailed in this specific clarification, but the statement underscores their importance in the final decision-making process.
The CFP has historically maintained that its committee members engage in extensive discussion and analysis to arrive at their rankings. This process is designed to identify the most deserving teams for the national championship contention, acknowledging that a team’s strength of schedule, head-to-head results against common opponents, conference championships, and performance against ranked opponents are all part of the broader picture. The committee’s mandate is to select the four best teams, which can involve nuanced judgments beyond a straightforward tally of victories.
The clarification aims to provide transparency and understanding to fans and media regarding the complex task of selecting playoff participants. The committee’s deliberations are ongoing throughout the season, culminating in the final rankings that determine the playoff field.
Story summarized from the original created by The Associated Press on www.rochesterfirst.com, see more information here.
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