Miami alum and Fox Sports stat guru, Chris Fallica, passed along an X post from the account CFB Kings that illustrated how ranked teams who beat ranked opponents finished with the same record wound up in the College Football Playoff rankings.
CFB Kings said, "Last season, there were 7 head-to-head results among Top 25 teams who finished with the same record." Per CFB Kings, "This season, as of right now, there are 6 head-to-head results between Top 25 teams with a same record."
In every instance with the exception of the 27-24 Miami win over Notre Dame to open the season, the team that defeated another ranked team and finished with the same record with higher in the College Football Playoff Rankings.
Georgia, Alabama twice, Mississippi, South Carolina twice and Arizona State all defeated teams during the 2024 season that they finished with the same record as and were higher in the CFP rankings.
This is wild. Great research by whomever looked this up. https://t.co/30pf7lEOjN
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) November 26, 2025
In 2025, Georgia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma twice and Alabama all have wins against opponents that they have the same record as and are higher in the CFP rankings entering the final weekend of the regular season. The only exception over the last two seasons was Miami beating Notre Dame and both are currently 9-2.
CFP Kings closed out their post by starting "If Miami beats Pitt and doesn’t jump Notre Dame, there’s simply an agenda to deliberately keep the Canes out." There has been a movement by multiple media outlets stating the problem of keeping Miami out of the CFP, thus reducing the importance of games.
CFP Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said after the rankings reveal on Tuesday night, Miami's win over Notre Dame was only one data point. Yuracheck also brought up Alabama and BYU being ranked between Notre Dame and Miami.
Alabama and BYU are three of the six games between CFP-ranked teams in 2025 that place them higher. Fifth-ranked Texas Tech (10-1) is ahead of number 11 BYU (10-1) after a 29-7 win over the Cougars in Lubbock on November 8.
Eighth-ranked Oklahoma won 23-21 at number 10 Alabama on November 15 and beat 15th-ranked Michigan 24-13 on September 6. Alabama won 30-13 over number 14 Vanderbilt on October 4. Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt are all 9-2 entering the final weekend of the regular season.