As with most seasons, the Associated Press Top 25 Poll has been a disaster, with no consistent ranking philosophy, certain conferences enjoying an unearned boost among voters based on Nick Saban's coaching in the 2010s and an overreliance on preseason polls that mean nothing and are hopelessly inaccurate.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.
This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.But this week's College Football Playoff poll is so bad it made the Associated Press look competent.Or at least somewhere near competence.
There's just one problem: This poll is what actually matters.And it's worse!CFP RANKINGS: NOTRE DAME FACES SUDDEN DEATH, SEC FEELING GOOD, AND BIG TEN CLOSE TO HITTING THE PANIC BUTTONAlabama tight end Kaleb Edwards (81) celebrates after his touchdown catch against Texas A&M during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct.
24, 2026, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)That's just the start of the issues.The other is using school athletic directors, who are subject to their own biases, to be the public face of the committee.
Then do televised interviews trying to explain their "thinking" and the resulting rankings, while repeatedly contradicting themselves, giving half-hearted illogical comparisons and talking about ludicrous, made-up "pods."But we'll get back to that.By now, many around the sport are familiar with the most egregious mistakes in this week's poll. The Alabama Crimson Tide have no case to be No.5 in anything, let alone the College Football Playoff poll.
UCLA is No.8 despite being the only undefeated team in the Big Ten or SEC.
Why on earth is Kentucky No.6? Ohio State is No.
12, while the team they just lost to is No.20.
Indiana is No.4 for some reason, and Texas has been given a complete free pass after two horrific losses, including to an awful, legitimately te...