Overview
- BYU debuted at No. 7 with Texas Tech at No. 8, Oregon at No. 9 and Notre Dame at No. 10, while two-loss Notre Dame landed eight spots ahead of No. 18 Miami despite Miami’s head‑to‑head win.
- No Group‑of‑Five team made the initial Top 25, yet Memphis was designated the top G5 champion and slotted as the projected No. 12 seed.
- Virginia led the ACC at No. 14, positioning the Cavaliers as the projected No. 11 seed in the early 12‑team bracket.
- Based on the reveal, projected first‑round matchups would be No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Georgia, No. 11 Virginia at No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 BYU and No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Texas Tech.
- Reaction was mixed across analysts, with ESPN’s Greg McElroy largely endorsing the placements and Paul Finebaum casting Miami’s playoff path as unlikely after its SMU loss.