Cover 3 College Football Podcast

"NEW 2025 College Football Playoff Rankings Reaction: Miami creeping up, Top 4 remains unchanged"

Published: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell

Overview

This episode of the Cover 3 Podcast delivers immediate reaction and analysis to the second set of the 2025 College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. The hosts break down movements at the top and bottom of the rankings, analyze Miami’s playoff hopes (and confusion around its placement), and discuss the broader implications for the ACC, Big 12, SEC, and playoff selection logic. The tone is lively, skeptical of systems, and peppered with humorous asides and college football inside jokes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Playoff Rankings Headlines and Top 10 Moves

Key Segment: [02:35–04:28]

• No Change at the Top:

  • Ohio State holds the #1 spot.
  • Indiana jumps to #2, Texas A&M sits at #3, Alabama at #4, Georgia at #5, with Texas Tech making a big move to #6.

• Notable Movement:

  • Texas Tech’s rise and Miami breaking into the top 15 get special attention.
  • Ole Miss, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Texas round out the top 10.

• Miami at #15:

  • Miami is now the highest-ranked ACC team but is unlikely to make the ACC title game, raising questions about playoff inclusion logic.

Chip Patterson [03:41]: “Hello, Miami number 15, which means ... you're going to get the number 11 seed. But Danny, Miami's on the outside looking in of the ACC title race. This is misleading!”

2. Miami's Tricky Path & ACC Playoff Picture

Key Segment: [04:28–10:00]

• Miami’s Paradoxical Placement:

  • Miami ranks highest among ACC teams but, due to tiebreakers and current standings, isn’t likely to play in the ACC Championship Game.
    • The committee’s approach creates confusion for fans and bracket builders.

• Pod Comparison and Resumé Debate:

  • Danny Kanell argues Miami could edge Notre Dame if their resumes are compared directly, especially given Miami's head-to-head win.
  • Tom Fornelli doubts the committee would leap Miami over Notre Dame given the current gap in rankings, referencing past committee behavior.

Danny Kanell [07:21]: “If it was up to Miami and Notre Dame, I would put Miami in. I don't care about the resumes. I would put them in strictly off of the fact that Miami beat Notre Dame and the results have to matter. But ... they don't consider Miami in the same neighborhood as Notre Dame.”

• Checklist for At-Large Hopefuls:
  • Chip lists a "wishlist" of results needed for Miami, BYU, or Utah to squeeze into the playoff, including at least a Notre Dame loss and several other dominoes falling.

Chip Patterson [10:00]: "I built a wish list for an ACC at large or a Big 12 at large... Notre Dame, any loss. Ohio State over Michigan, Oregon over USC ... Alabama blowout win over Oklahoma, Georgia over Texas ... It's not that hard. It's just like a 16 parlay."

• Skepticism & Realism:
  • The hosts acknowledge this path is extremely unlikely, and joke about the chances resembling a lottery ticket.

3. Broader ACC and Committee Logic Critique

Key Segment: [13:05–16:58]

• One-Bid ACC & Missed Opportunities:
  • The ACC is likely stuck as a “one-bid league” due to lackluster non-conference performance.
  • The hosts blame the ACC for not securing two automatic CFP bids when offered.

Danny Kanell [13:23]: "That's what I was shouting from the rooftop when it happened. You know you're going to get screwed ... Take the guaranteed two."

• Committee Confusion Highlighted:
  • The Miami bracket situation (appearing as a likely playoff seed despite low odds to win the league) is used to show deep flaws in the weekly ranking exercise.

Tom Fornelli [16:02]: "Is there anything that has ever made you realize how pointless these weekly rankings are than that graphic ... Miami is in there as the ACC champion even though they are the least likely of the five ACC teams ranked to win the ACC."

• Host Frustration with System:
  • Calls for logic and transparency in committee processes.

Tom Fornelli [17:08]: “I'm not asking for perfection. I'm asking for logic. I'm asking for clarity.”

Danny Kanell [17:13]: “That's too much to ask.”

4. Big Game Implications & Playoff Leverage

Key Segment: [21:13–26:16]

• Marquee Matchups:

  • Upcoming: #5 Georgia vs. #10 Texas, #4 Alabama vs. #11 Oklahoma.
  • The hosts debate which conference teams are “playing for their playoff lives,” especially Oklahoma.

• What’s at Stake for Oklahoma?

  • Must win to keep realistic playoff hopes alive, as likely future SEC matchups (Missouri, LSU) won’t boost their resume much if those teams aren’t ranked.
  • Comparison: A 3-loss Oklahoma or Texas probably doesn’t get in over Miami/BYU unless schedule strength is overwhelming.
  • Consensus: Oklahoma (and Texas) are in must-win scenarios.

5. Final Takeaways, Group of Five, and Ranking Oddities

Key Segment: [27:06–34:39]

• Group of 5 Recognition:

  • USF’s entry at #24 as best G5 team is acknowledged, albeit with little drama.

• Cincinnati's Surprising Appearance:

  • Hosts question why a two-loss Cincinnati team (coming off a 31-point loss) is included at #25 over comparably credentialed but unranked teams like Illinois.

Tom Fornelli [31:59]: “Just take that chip on the shoulder into Texas Tech tonight.”

• Committee’s Human Factor:
  • The rankings are assembled by a group with inherent subjectivity; hosts cite individual committee members and their possible biases in a lighthearted tangent.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the ACC’s fate:

  “You know you're going to get screwed. Just know how you're going to get screwed. Take the two [auto bids].”
  — Danny Kanell [13:23]

• On Miami’s playoff illusion:

  “Miami is in there as the ACC champion even though they are the least likely... to win the ACC.”
  — Tom Fornelli [16:02]

• On the CFP committee process:

  “I'm not asking for perfection. I'm asking for logic. I'm asking for clarity.”
  — Tom Fornelli [17:08]

• On absurd playoff scenarios:

  “It's not that hard. It's just like a 16 parlay. You know, you hit that 16 parlay and then Miami's in.”
  — Chip Patterson [10:00]

• On Playoff Week Drama:

  “This whole exercise is a sham.”
  — Danny Kanell [28:05]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:35] — Hosts react to initial playoff ranking headlines
• [04:28] — Miami's ranking and playoff bracket confusion
• [06:07] — The one-bid ACC and Miami’s slim hopes
• [10:00] — Parlay wishlist for at-large playoff entries
• [13:23] — ACC’s missed bid for auto-qualifiers
• [16:02] — Weekly rankings’ pointlessness illustrated
• [21:13] — Big games coming up (Georgia-Texas, Alabama-Oklahoma)
• [24:18] — Oklahoma's playoff odds and scenarios
• [27:17] — Group of 5 and Cincinnati’s surprise inclusion
• [31:59] — Illinois left out; subjectivity in ranking selections

Overall Tone & Final Thoughts

• The hosts oscillate between insightful and exasperated, mixing hard data with speculative "what ifs" and good-natured ribbing of the committee’s quirks.
• There’s a recurring skepticism about the process and utility of weekly rankings, especially when graphics and tiebreakers conflict with actual team positioning and opportunity.
• As ever, the pod closes with a reminder to join for the next round of previews and picks.

For die-hard fans or casual observers, the episode is required listening for understanding not just what happened in the latest CFP release, but why it’s confusing, controversial, and still the best argument-fodder in college football.