When the College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its Week 13 rankings on November 18, 2025, at 9:23 PM Eastern Time, fans in Tuscaloosa didn’t just sigh—they erupted. The Alabama Crimson Tide, with four wins over top-25 opponents, were ranked #10. Meanwhile, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, with just one top-25 victory, sat at #9. It wasn’t just a snub. It was a head-scratcher wrapped in a controversy and served with a side of outrage.
Why Alabama’s Resume Shouldn’t Be This Low
The RollBamaRoll.com analysis, published the same day, laid it out plainly: Alabama has beaten four ranked teams this season. Notre Dame? One. That’s not a typo. It’s not a misprint. It’s the raw data. And yet, the committee placed the Irish ahead. Why? The answer lies in what the committee values more than wins: perceived strength of schedule and recent performance. Alabama’s 31-28 home loss to Oklahoma—a team that finished the season 8-4—was treated like a death knell. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s narrow win over a 5-7 Syracuse team? Treated like a checkpoint cleared.The Numbers Don’t Lie—But the Committee Might
YouTube analysts digging into the stats painted a clearer picture. One breakdown showed Notre Dame ranked 17th in offensive efficiency, Alabama 23rd. Defensively, Notre Dame was 9th; Alabama was 12th. But here’s the kicker: in points per play, Notre Dame was 3rd nationally. Alabama? 34th. In yards per point, Alabama ranked 25th on defense. That’s not elite. That’s average at best. The committee didn’t just ignore Alabama’s wins—they leaned hard on its struggles. And while Alabama’s offense sputtered, especially in the red zone, Notre Dame’s consistency under quarterback Jack Coan (who threw for 21 touchdowns this season) gave them a veneer of polish.Even the defense numbers tell a story. Alabama allowed 28 points to Oklahoma at home. Notre Dame gave up 24 to Clemson in a road win. Both losses were close. But the committee saw Oklahoma as a bigger name. And that’s the problem.
What’s Left on Alabama’s Schedule?
Alabama’s final game is against Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Win that, and they finish 10-2. But here’s the catch: they’ve already lost. And in the CFP world, one loss is a liability. Two? A death sentence—unless you’re Ohio State. The Ohio State Buckeyes stayed at #1, even after their own shaky win over Purdue. Alabama’s path to the playoff? It’s not a path anymore. It’s a miracle. They need Oregon to lose to Southern California. They need Michigan to stumble against Ohio State. They need Notre Dame to drop a game—preferably to Stanford—and hope the committee forgets their own logic.“It’s going to take a lot of chaos,” said one analyst in a YouTube breakdown timestamped at 293 seconds. “And even then, it’s not guaranteed.”
The Committee’s Blind Spot
This isn’t the first time the CFP committee has favored style over substance. In 2021, Cincinnati—a Group of Five team—was left out despite going undefeated. In 2023, Ohio State was ranked ahead of Georgia after a close win over Penn State, even though Georgia had beaten them head-to-head. The pattern? Big names, big markets, and late-season momentum matter more than the full body of work. Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma was a stunner, sure. But so was Notre Dame’s win over Syracuse. Both were ugly. Yet one team gets rewarded. The other gets labeled “on the bubble.”And that’s what makes this so infuriating. Alabama didn’t lose to Eastern Illinois. They didn’t lose to FCS teams. They lost to a ranked Big 12 team—on their own field. They still have more top-25 wins than any team ranked above them except Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan. And yet, they’re behind Notre Dame. Who has a win over a 4-8 NC State team and a 3-9 Virginia Tech team.
What’s Next? Chaos, Not Control
The final week of the regular season is a minefield. If Oregon loses to USC, and Michigan loses to Ohio State, and Notre Dame beats Stanford by 30, the committee will have no choice but to keep them in. Alabama’s only hope? A top-4 team collapses. And even then, the committee might still say, “We’ve seen enough.”Meanwhile, the RollBamaRoll.com team is already drafting their “CFP Selection Committee: The 13 Worst Decisions of the Decade” list. David Hale of Owensboro Radio summed it up best: “Alabama and JMU have something in common—anger about the CFP rankings.”
What Does This Mean for College Football?
This isn’t just about Alabama. It’s about whether the CFP system is broken. If a team with four top-25 wins can be ranked behind a team with one, then the system is flawed. If a loss to a 7-5 team at home sinks you below a team that barely beat a 5-7 opponent, then the committee isn’t evaluating football. They’re evaluating narratives. And in 2025, that’s exactly what the fans are tired of.Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Notre Dame ranked higher than Alabama despite having fewer top-25 wins?
The CFP Selection Committee prioritizes recent performance and perceived strength of schedule over total quality wins. Notre Dame’s narrow wins over ranked teams like Clemson and their consistency on offense and defense gave them a narrative edge, even though Alabama beat four top-25 teams. The committee saw Alabama’s home loss to Oklahoma as a major red flag, while Notre Dame’s losses were to top-10 teams.
Can Alabama still make the playoff?
Technically, yes—but it’s nearly impossible. Alabama must win out, including beating Auburn, while at least two teams ranked above them (Oregon, Michigan, or Notre Dame) lose. Even then, the committee may still favor Notre Dame’s schedule strength and offensive efficiency. The odds are under 5%, according to FiveThirtyEight’s CFP model as of November 19.
What’s the biggest statistical advantage Notre Dame has over Alabama?
Notre Dame ranks 3rd nationally in points per play on offense, while Alabama is 34th. That’s a 31-spot gap. They also rank 9th in defensive yards per point, compared to Alabama’s 25th. In simple terms, Notre Dame scores more efficiently and stops opponents more efficiently per yard allowed. Those numbers matter more to the committee than win totals.
How did Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma affect their ranking?
The 31-28 home loss to Oklahoma, a team that finished 8-4, was treated as a catastrophic collapse by the committee. Even though Oklahoma was ranked at the time, the fact that it happened in Tuscaloosa—where Alabama had won 18 straight—made it feel like a system failure. The committee doesn’t just look at who you lost to; they look at where and how you lost. That loss dropped Alabama from a projected #6 to #10.
Is this ranking controversy unique, or has this happened before?
No. In 2021, undefeated Cincinnati was left out of the playoff despite beating two top-10 teams. In 2023, Ohio State was ranked above Georgia after a close win over Penn State, even though Georgia had beaten them head-to-head. The pattern is clear: the committee favors traditional powerhouses, late-season momentum, and media narratives over objective resume metrics.
What’s next for the CFP Selection Committee?
The committee faces mounting pressure to release more transparent metrics. Fans and analysts are demanding access to the full scoring breakdowns used to rank teams. With this ranking sparking national outrage, a public review or reform is likely before next season. But for now, the system remains opaque—and Alabama’s season hangs in the balance.