First CFP Rankings Released in Chaotic Season

**College Football Playoff Committee Faces Unprecedented Challenge as First Rankings Drop Tonight in “Chaos” Season**

**GRAPEVINE, Texas** — The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee is poised to unleash its inaugural rankings of the 2023 season tonight, Tuesday, October 31st, an announcement highly anticipated amidst what has been widely dubbed a “season of chaos.” Meeting behind closed doors in Grapevine, Texas, the 13-member committee faces one of its most intriguing tasks yet, tasked with identifying the nation’s top four teams from a landscape marked by upsets and a record number of undefeated contenders.

Football fans and analysts alike will be tuning in to ESPN around 7 p.m. ET as the first top 25 rankings are unveiled, setting the stage for the intense playoff race through November. This season has distinguished itself with an unusual degree of parity and unpredictability. More top-10 teams have fallen than in recent memory, and an unprecedented five major conference programs remain unblemished heading into November, creating a logjam at the top.

The elite group of undefeated teams currently vying for attention includes defending national champion **Georgia**, perennial Big Ten powerhouses **Michigan** and **Ohio State**, the resurgent **Florida State**, and the high-flying **Washington Huskies**. Each program presents a compelling case for a top spot, boasting impressive records and signature wins.

However, the committee’s job is further complicated by a strong contingent of one-loss teams who believe they are still firmly in contention for one of the four coveted playoff berths. These teams, often from formidable conferences, will argue for their strength of schedule, quality of their solitary loss, and overall dominance in wins, adding another layer of complexity to the selection process.

The College Football Playoff committee, comprised of athletic directors, former coaches, and administrators, employs a comprehensive evaluation process. Their criteria include strength of schedule, head-to-head results, common opponents, conference championships won, and the “eye test” – a subjective assessment of a team’s overall performance and quality. This season’s narrative of widespread upsets and unexpected contenders will undoubtedly test the application of these metrics.

Tonight’s rankings are just the first step in a six-week journey. The committee will update its rankings weekly, with the final and most crucial selections announced on Sunday, December 3rd, immediately following the conference championship games. That pivotal announcement will determine the four teams that will compete in two semifinal games, with the victors advancing to the CFP National Championship.

The ultimate prize, the College Football Playoff National Championship game, is scheduled for January 8, 2024, and will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

This season’s heightened unpredictability also serves as a potent backdrop for the impending expansion of the College Football Playoff. Beginning in 2024, the playoff will grow to a 12-team format, a change many believe will alleviate some of the pressure on the committee and allow more deserving teams a shot at the title. For now, however, the race for four spots in a chaotic season promises to be one of the most compelling in CFP history.