James Madison Playoff Ranking Stirs ACC Controversy

The initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2023 season have been released, introducing a notable development from a non-autonomy conference. The rankings set the competitive landscape for the final month of the regular season as teams vie for a spot in the national semifinals.

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James Madison University, an undefeated team from the Sun Belt Conference, debuted at No. 18 in the first CFP rankings. The Dukes hold an 8-0 record but are ineligible for the postseason due to NCAA transition rules.

For the first time since the playoff system began in 2014, no team from the Atlantic Coast Conference was ranked in the committee’s initial top 10. Florida State, the ACC’s highest-ranked team, was placed at No. 4.

The committee’s chair, Boo Corrigan, stated that James Madison’s ineligibility was not a factor in its ranking. He explained the ranking was based solely on the team’s performance to date.

This placement creates a scenario where an eligible ACC champion could be compared directly to James Madison for a New Year’s Six bowl slot, rather than competing for a playoff position against other Power Five conference champions.

Summary

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2023 featured a historic absence of ACC teams from the top 10, with Florida State starting at No. 4. This marks a significant shift from previous years where the conference typically had a representative in the initial top tier.

Simultaneously, undefeated James Madison entered the rankings at No. 18. The committee confirmed it ranked the Dukes based on their on-field results, despite their known ineligibility for the postseason due to NCAA rules.

The combination of these two facts presents a competitive challenge for the ACC. The conference’s path to placing a team in a premier New Year’s Six bowl game may now be complicated by the high ranking of a team from outside the autonomy conferences.

The rankings set the stage for the final weeks of the season, where conference championship races will ultimately determine the final playoff field and major bowl assignments.

FAQs

**Why is James Madison ineligible for the postseason?**
James Madison is in the second year of a transition from the FCS to the FBS level. NCAA rules mandate a two-year postseason ban during this transition period, which applies to conference championships and bowl games.

What does this mean for the ACC’s playoff chances?
While Florida State at No. 4 controls its own playoff destiny, the lack of an ACC team in the initial top 10 indicates the committee currently views the conference’s overall strength as lower than the SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-12. An ACC team will likely need to win its conference championship convincingly to secure a playoff spot.

What criteria did the committee use to rank James Madison?
Committee chair Boo Corrigan stated the group evaluated James Madison solely on its 8-0 record and on-field performance this season. The known postseason ineligibility was explicitly stated not to be a consideration in determining its ranking position.