Big Ten coaches express frustration over early CFP rankings
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Nov 9, 2026, 10:30 AM
Last updated Nov 9, 2026
The initial College Football Playoff rankings, released on election night, upset many Big Ten coaches due to perceived SEC bias. Five of the top ten teams are from the SEC, while only Indiana and UCLA represent the Big Ten. Illinois coach Bret Bielema criticized the rankings after his team's recent victory over Nebraska, suggesting that if they were in the SEC, they would be ranked higher. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Indiana's Curt Cignetti also voiced concerns about the influence of ESPN in promoting SEC teams. With three weeks left in the regular season, significant changes to the rankings could still occur before the final selections.
- •Initial CFP rankings released, igniting frustration among Big Ten coaches.
- •SEC dominates top ten with five teams; Indiana and UCLA only Big Ten representatives.
- •Bielema argues Illinois would rank higher if in SEC after Nebraska win.
- •Ferentz and Cignetti express skepticism about ESPN's ranking influence.
- •Three weeks remain for teams to improve their standings before final rankings.
- 10:30 AMYahoo Sports — Paul Sullivan: Early CFP rankings getting under the skin of Big Ten coaches, exposing an SEC complex
"CHICAGO — It goes without saying the College Football Playoff rankings are irrelevant until the final teams are selected after conference championship games. Three weeks remain in the regular season, which is plenty of time to sew chaos. But since ESPN has airtime to fill, ads to sell and pundits to pontificate, the show must go on. The first CFP rankings spilled out on election night while ...
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