College Football Playoff Leak of SMU Selection Over Alabama Prompts Outrage and Investigation

CFP director Rich Clark condemns the leak, which revealed SMU's controversial inclusion over Alabama before the official bracket announcement.

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process faced its first-ever leak, revealing SMU's selection over Alabama before ESPN's official broadcast.
CFP director Rich Clark expressed anger over the breach, calling it a betrayal of the process and announcing an investigation to identify the source.
The decision to include SMU over Alabama sparked widespread debate, with critics questioning the committee's adherence to its stated criteria.
SMU was chosen despite losing the ACC Championship Game, while Alabama, with a stronger schedule but three losses, was left out of the 12-team playoff field.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt accused the committee of manipulating its process to prioritize SMU, raising concerns about the playoff's integrity and transparency.