Who made the final College Football Playoff bracket?

James Madison, Alabama, and Miami secured spots, while Notre Dame and Duke were surprisingly excluded from the 12-team field.

Why was Notre Dame left out of the College Football Playoff?

The selection committee ranked Miami ahead of Notre Dame, likely due to Miami's earlier head-to-head victory, despite Notre Dame's 10-2 record.

Which conference champions received guaranteed bids?

Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, James Madison, and Tulane received guaranteed bids as top-ranked conference champions.

Home / Sports / CFP Shockwave: JMU, Miami In; Irish & Blue Devils Out

CFP Shockwave: JMU, Miami In; Irish & Blue Devils Out

7 Dec, 2025

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Summary

James Madison, Alabama, and Miami secured College Football Playoff spots.
Notre Dame and Duke were surprisingly excluded from the top 12.
An earlier Miami win over Notre Dame heavily influenced the rankings.

CFP Shockwave: JMU, Miami In; Irish & Blue Devils Out

College Football Playoff selection saw unprecedented chaos as Duke's ACC Championship win created a 'doomsday scenario' for the committee. James Madison, Alabama, and Miami ultimately secured their places in the 12-team field, while Notre Dame and Duke were surprisingly excluded.

The committee's final decision to rank Miami ahead of Notre Dame, despite the latter's better season record, has drawn significant attention. This flip is largely attributed to Miami's earlier August victory over the Fighting Irish, a result that appears to have been a critical factor.

Guaranteed bids went to conference champions Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, James Madison, and Tulane. The top four seeds, receiving first-round byes, were Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech, setting the stage for the playoff bracket.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.