AP Spotlight Is the CFP bracket fair? Here are some tweaks that would have changed things EDDIE PELLS Associated Press Dec 9, 2024 Dec 9, 2024 Updated Jun 14, 2025 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The committee that chose the 12 contenders for college football's national title was only worried about one thing — ranking the teams.kAm(96C6 E9@D6 E62>D =2?565 :? E96 r@==686 u@@E32== !=2J@77 3C24<6E H2D 32D65 @? 2 7@C>F=2 4C62E65 3J 4@?76C6?46 4@>>:DD:@?6CD] %92E ;F>3=65 FA E96 A2:C:?8D — E96C6 2C6 D@>6 3:8 82AD[ 7@C :?DE2?46[ 36EH66? H96C6 2 E62> :D D66565 2?5 H96C6 :EVD C2?<65 — 2?5 >256 2 DEC@?8 42D6 7@C E:?<6C:?8 :? E96 7FEFC6]k^AmkAm“x E9:?< E96 AC@46DD E@ C2?< E96 36DE ad E62>D :D 2 8C62E AC@46DD[” D2:5 D6=64E:@? 4@>>:EE66 492:C>2? (2C56 |2?F6=] “x’G6 962C5 5632E6D 2?5 5:D4FDD:@?D 23@FE 9@H E96 D665:?8 @7 E96 E@FC?2>6?E D9@F=5 8@] x H:== =62G6 E92E FA E@ E96 4@>>:DD:@?6CD]”k^Am People are also reading… Transgender woman sues for sexual discrimination against Salem DEQ office Smith Mountain Lake group has success in curbing destructive wakes Brandon Clarke death mourned by NBA world: 'Heartbreaking' Drought forces Appalachian Power to release less water from Smith Mountain Project 3 degrees in 4 years: Ferrum grad makes the most of her time in college Spanberger vetoed a bill to legalize skill games, yet thousands remain in operation Ferrum softball coach Josh Freeman resigns after three losing seasons Ferrum volleyball coach out after just 6 conference wins in 4 years State bar suspends Rocky Mount mayor Holland Perdue's law license Cut by school board, Franklin County family liaisons defend 'critical' jobs Smith Mt. Lake triathlete with multiple sclerosis takes on toughest challenge yet Virginia Tech, UVa, VMI, Radford teams meet APR standard FCHS, Staunton River seniors earn SML Women's Club scholarships US trade court rules Trump tariffs illegal, but issues narrow block 2026 NBA mock draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson No. 1? Experts weigh in kAmp>@?8 E96 49@:46D E96 4@>>:DD:@?6CD >256 >@?E9D 28@ E92E D6E E96 E6>A=2E6 7@C E96 3C24<6E C6=62D65 $F?52Jik^AmkAm• u2G@C:?8 4@?76C6?46 492>A:@?D 3J 8:G:?8 7@FC @7 E96> 3J6D 2?5 @?6 >@C6 2? 2FE@>2E:4 DA@E :? E96 7:6=5[ ?@ >2EE6C H96C6 E96J H6C6 C2?<65 :? E96 ru!VD E@A ad]k^AmkAm• }@E C6D665:?8 E96 3C24<6E 27E6C E96 7:CDE C@F?5[ 2 >@G6 E92E 4@F=5 92G6 8:G6? E96 36DE E62>D >@C6 72G@C23=6 62C=J >2E49FAD]k^AmkAm• |2<:?8 ?@ 2EE6>AE E@ 2G@:5 C68F=2C\D62D@? C6>2E496D 62C=J :? E96 A=2J@77D]k^Am kAm%96C6 H2D 2=D@ E96 :DDF6 @7 E96 `a\E62> 3C24<6E[ H9:49 4@F=5 G6CJ H6== 36 6IA2?565 :? E96 ?6IE J62C @C EH@]k^Am kAmp== E9@D6 49@:46D =65 E@ 2 7:6=5 7F== @7 A@DD:3:=:E:6D[ 3FE 2=D@ @?6 4@?E2:?:?8 9625\D4C2E49:?8 >2E49FAD] %96 49@:46D 4@F=5[ :? D@>6 6J6D[ F?56C>:?6 E96 r@==686 u@@E32== !=2J@77VD >2:? >:DD:@?[ H9:49 :D W >2<:?8 >@C6 >@?6J H9:=6X AC@G:5:?8 >@C6 “2446DD” — :? @E96C H@C5D[ 2 72:C D92<6 E@ >@C6 E92? 7@FC 56D6CG:?8 E62>D]k^AmkAmu@C :?DE2?46[ E@A\D66565 2?5 F?56762E65 ~C68@? 4@F=5 A=2J :ED 7:CDE 82>6 282:?DE q:8 %6? 7@6 ~9:@ $E2E6[ H9:49 H2D C2?<65 }@] a 7@C >F49 @7 E96 D62D@? 2?5 =@DE E@ E96 sF4<D 3J 2 A@:?E 62C=:6C E9:D J62C]k^Am kAmp?5 q@:D6 $E2E6[ 7C@> E96 ?@?\A@H6C |@F?E2:? (6DE r@?76C6?46[ :D E96 E9:C5 D665[ 6G6? E9@F89 E96 4@>>:EE66 C2?<65 E96 qC@?4@D ?:?E9]k^Am kAmw6C6 :D 9@H E9:?8D >:89E 92G6 =@@<65 :7 46CE2:? CF=6D E92E 4@F=5 4@>6 :?E@ A=2J :? E96 7FEFC6 H6C6 2=C625J :? A=246ik^Amk9amr@?76C6?46 492>A:@?Dk^9amkAmu:CDE E9:?8D 7:CDE — E96C6VD ?@E 2 D:?8=6 EH62< E92E H@F=5VG6 A=2465 ~C68@? 2E 2?JE9:?8 @E96C E92? E96 }@] ` D665] %96 sF4<D 2C6 E96 @?=J F?56762E65 E62> :? >2;@C 4@==686 7@@E32== 2?5 H:??:?8 2 E:E=6 E9:D J62C H@F=5 =62G6 E96> 2 ;2H\5C@AA:?8 `e\_]k^Am kAmw25 E96 CF=6D 42==65 7@C D:>A=J D=@EE:?8 :? E96 E@A `a E62>D[ E9@F89[ p=232>2 H@F=5 36 :? E96 3C24<6E 2?5 ~C68@?VD A2E9 H@F=5 36 H:=5=J 5:776C6?E] p =@@< 2E E96 4@F=52\366? >2E49FADik^Am kAm— }@] `a pC:K@?2 $E2E6 2E }@] d }@EC6 s2>6i q:8 `a 492>AD H@F=5VG6 >256 :E 3642FD6 E96J C@D6 E9C66 DA@ED 27E6C E92E 3:8 H:? @G6C x@H2 $E2E6]k^AmkAm— }@] `` p=232>2 2E }@] e ~9:@ $E2E6i (:E9@FE 2FE@>2E:4 36CE9D 7@C 4@?76C6?46 492>A:@?D[ %:56 H@F=5 92G6 366? :?[ ?@E 2E E96 #6=:2"F6DE q@H= 282:?DE 2 f\d |:49:82? E62>]k^Am kAm— }@] `_ $|& 2E }@] f %6??6DD66i |FDE2?8D 4@F=5VG6 D=6AE D@F?5=J 56DA:E6 E92E 962CE3C62<:?8 =@DD E@ r=6>D@?] p?5 E96 '@=D H@F=5 92G6 925 2 9@>6 82>6 :?DE625 @7 2 EC:A E@ ~9:@ $E2E6]k^AmkAm— }@] h q@:D6 $E2E6 2E }@] g x?5:2?2i w@@D:6CD H@F=5VG6 8@EE6? E96 9@>6 82>6 E96:C 4@249 E9@F89E E96J 56D6CG65[ H:E9 E96 H:??6C 724:?8 E96 sF4<D]k^Am kAm%96 E9:C5 2?5 7@FCE9 3J6D H@F=5 92G6 8@?6 E@ %6I2D 2?5 !6?? $E2E6[ 3@E9 =@D6CD :? E96:C 4@?76C6?46 E:E=6 82>6D — 2 EFC? E92E H@F=5 92G6 7FCE96C65 BF6DE:@?D 2D E@ H96E96C E9@D6 82>6D 92G6 @FE=:G65 E96:C FD67F=?6DD]k^Am k9am#6D665:?8[ C6>2E496Dk^9amkAmpD E9:?8D DE2?5[ ~C68@? H:== 7246 6:E96C ~9:@ $E2E6 @C %6??6DD66 2E E96 #@D6 q@H= :? E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D] #6D665:?8 @C 2G@:5:?8 C68F=2C\D62D@? >2E49FAD :? E96 62C=J C@F?5D H@F=5 =:<6=J 92G6 8:G6? E96 sF4<D 2? 62D:6C 82>6 E@ DE2CE]k^Am kAm&?56C 2 C6D665:?8 D46?2C:@[ E96 ~9:@ $E2E6 >2E49FA 4@F=5 @?=J 92AA6? :7 6G6CJ 9@>6 E62> — %6I2D[ !6?? $E2E6[ }@EC6 s2>6 2?5 E96 qF4<6J6D — H6C6 E@ H:? :ED 7:CDE\C@F?5 82>6]k^Am kAm%9:D EH62< 2=D@ H@F=5 AC6G6?E E9:D J62CVD A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 r=6>D@? GD] pC:K@?2 $E2E6 :? E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D — EH@ E62>D E92E H6C6?VE :? E96 E@A `a 2 H66< 28@] ~C E96 AC@DA64E @7 EH@ 3J6 E62>D — p$& 2?5 q@:D6 $E2E6 — 36:?8 3:8 F?56C5@8D 282:?DE E62>D[ E9:?< %6I2D @C !6?? $E2E6[ E92E 92G6 E@ H:? 2 82>6 E@ A=2J E96>]k^Amk9am|@C6 E62>Dk^9amkAm%9:D @?6 :D 2 =@2565 BF6DE:@?[ 3642FD6 H96? E96 A=2J@77D 6IA2?5 E96J H:== 5@ D@ H:E9 5:776C6?E CF=6D]k^Am kAm~?6 7@C>F=2 <:4<:?8 2C@F?5 :?G@=G6D 8:G:?8 E9C66 2FE@>2E:4 DA@ED E@ E96 q:8 %6? 2?5 $tr[ EH@ E@ E96 prr 2?5 q:8 `a[ @?6 E@ E96 36DE\C2?<65 492>A:@? @7 2 vC@FA @7 u:G6 4@?76C6?46 2?5 E9C66 2E\=2C86 DA@ED]k^Am kAm%9:D[ E@@[ H@F=5 42FD6 AC@3=6>D 2?5 D9F77=:?8 2?5 E62>D 86EE:?8 A2DD65 @G6C] qFE H96C6 :E C62==J 3C62<D 5@H? :D E92E `gE9\C2?<65 x@H2 $E2E6 @7 E96 q:8 `a H@F=5 =2?5 :? E9:D 3C24<6E 2D E96 `c D665 56DA:E6 =@D:?8 E@ pC:K@?2 $E2E6 3J ae]k^AmkAmw2C5 E@ D66 E92E 8@:?8 @G6C H6== 2E |:2>:[ @C ~=6 |:DD[ @C r@=@C25@]k^Am kAm%96? 282:?[ ?@3@5J 6G6C D2:5 E9:D H2D 8@:?8 E@ 36 72:C]k^Am 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Expand CFP, dump conference title games? Coaches outline vision for college football College football’s largest professional organization for coaches endorsed an expansion to the College Football Playoff, elimination of confere… Virginia Tech AD Babcock says it was his choice to retire Babcock said the job has taken "a tremendous toll" on him. In the portal era, Virginia football and Tony Elliott still believe it's possible to develop a QB In the transfer portal era of college football, Virginia hasn't given up on trying to develop a quarterback from high school recruit into coll… SEC coach raises alarm on CFP expansion: 'We cannot turn this into college basketball' Here’s what you must realize about NCAA Tournament expansion, which college sports leaders insist on cramming down our throats. How Virginia football's game vs. NC State in Brazil came to be Virginia and NC State will meet in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 29 for the first-ever college football game in Brazil. How did the game come to be a… Watch Now: Related Video JMU HC Billy Napier on dad's influence Hokies' Robertson on women's golf team heading into Simpsonville Regional Hokies' Robertson on women's golf team heading into Simpsonville Regional Brian Kelly thinks Lane Kiffin can win a national championship with LSU Brian Kelly thinks Lane Kiffin can win a national championship with LSU Josh Heupel on SEC depth compared to other football conferences Josh Heupel on SEC depth compared to other football conferences
Expand CFP, dump conference title games? Coaches outline vision for college football College football’s largest professional organization for coaches endorsed an expansion to the College Football Playoff, elimination of confere…
Virginia Tech AD Babcock says it was his choice to retire Babcock said the job has taken "a tremendous toll" on him.
In the portal era, Virginia football and Tony Elliott still believe it's possible to develop a QB In the transfer portal era of college football, Virginia hasn't given up on trying to develop a quarterback from high school recruit into coll…
SEC coach raises alarm on CFP expansion: 'We cannot turn this into college basketball' Here’s what you must realize about NCAA Tournament expansion, which college sports leaders insist on cramming down our throats.
How Virginia football's game vs. NC State in Brazil came to be Virginia and NC State will meet in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 29 for the first-ever college football game in Brazil. How did the game come to be a…
