• Loading stock data...
Saturday, April 26, 2025

SMU Awarded Final College Football Playoff Spot, Booting Alabama

The biggest debate of this year’s final College Football Playoff ranking came down to SMU and Alabama. Ultimately, the selection committee chose the ACC runner-up over the three-loss SEC squad.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

SMU has made the College Football Playoff, despite losing the ACC championship game, after the selection committee chose the Mustangs (11–2) over Alabama (9–3), which was the first team left out of the bracket.

The Mustangs were ranked 10th and the Crimson Tide 11th.

Clemson (10–3), which beat SMU Saturday night to earn an automatic Playoff berth, is ranked No. 16, but received the No. 12 seed, which pits them against Texas in the first round. SMU earns the No. 11 seed, and will play at Penn State.

SMU’s athletic department raised a school record $159 million ahead of its move to the ACC this season. Influential SMU donor David Miller also said he was able to get $200 million in long-term donation commitments from the school’s richest boosters last summer.

Despite the cash influx, however, SMU fell just short of winning the ACC, and put the CFP committee in a tough position, forced to choose between an Alabama team that played a strong SEC schedule against a team in SMU that went undefeated in the ACC’s regular season, only losing to BYU before Saturday night. 

A major talking point this weekend was whether teams like SMU would be penalized for playing in a conference championship game and not coming out on top. “It was quite a debate,” CFP selection committee chairman Warde Manuel said of how to rank SMU and Alabama on ESPN after Sunday’s reveal. 

While former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who now works as an analyst for ESPN, said no coach whose team was left out of the Playoff should be complaining, he hopes the CFP’s decision makers can learn from this initial year with 12 teams.

“If we don’t take strength of schedule into consideration, is there any benefit to scheduling really good teams in the future? … That’s what I think we should be doing in college football, is creating more good inventory for great games that people are interested in,” Saban said.

Alabama’s three losses this year came against SEC opponents—Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide’s nonconference games were against Wisconsin, USF, and Western Kentucky.

“There’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule,” Manuel said. “It’s merely looking at the entire body of work for both teams.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NFL Draft Round 1 Draws 13.6M Viewers, Second-Highest Ever

With stars staying on the board, viewers tuned in.

Five QBs Drafted As Shedeur Sanders Slips to Fourth Round

Shedeur Sanders is still waiting after slipping out of the first round.

Ohio State’s $20M Roster Sends 7 Players to NFL in First Two..

The NIL-fueled title team had more draftees than all of the Big 12.

Trump Defends Sanders After Snub: ‘What Is Wrong With NFL Owners?’

He said Shedeur Sanders has “phenomenal genes” and asked if owners are “stupid.”

Featured Today

The Former NBA Agent Who Became a Pickleball Deputy Commissioner

Chris Patrick went from representing Jimmy Butler to pickleball deputy commissioner.
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.
April 21, 2025

Cooper Flagg’s Timing Is Perfect for the NBA and USA Basketball

The projected No. 1 pick just declared for the draft.
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards
April 21, 2025

ESPN’s WNBA Coverage Mirrors the League’s Stunning Growth

“I don’t think we stand still in our coverage of women’s sports,” says Rowe.
Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates with guard Isaiah Joe (11) after score in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
April 20, 2025

Unorthodox OKC: The Thunder Redefined Tanking to Become NBA’s Best

A rebuild years in the making has OKC in the driver’s seat.
Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Lamont Butler (1) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.

College Sports Has Become a Billion-Dollar Business. Kentucky Is Embracing It

Kentucky said its LLC would operate similarly to two hospitals run by the university.
Jan 21, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark speaks during the CFP National Championship Host Committee handoff press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.
April 24, 2025

CFP Meetings End With No Major Changes to 12-Team Playoff—for Now

For now, the complicated seeding process will remain in place.
Ole Miss
April 24, 2025

Coach Yo: Women’s College Hoops Are ‘Pay for Play’

Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin built a top transfer class this offseason.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

This week, Two-time Super Bowl Champion and CBS NFL analyst Logan Ryan joins us to talk the business of sports on our third installment of Portfolio Players.
April 24, 2025

The House Settlement Is in Jeopardy. Here’s What It Will Take to..

The parties will try to salvage the settlement over the next two weeks.
NC State women's cross country
April 23, 2025

Judge Threatens to Reject $2.8 Billion House v. NCAA Settlement

The NCAA and power conferences could end up at trial.
Dec 27, 2024; Memphis, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Miguel Mitchell (16) returns an interception during the forth quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
April 23, 2025

NIL Contract Buyouts Are More Common, but Can They Be Enforced?

The Arkansas collective has issued two demand letters to players to pay buyouts.
Flau'jae Johnson
exclusive
April 23, 2025

Flau’jae Johnson Says She Will Return to LSU

The transfer portal closed Wednesday.