The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2023 debuted Tuesday, and the top-4 teams if the playoff committee decided in Week 10 are: Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Florida State.
All four teams are undefeated and have strong arguments for being among the top four at this point.
However, the NCAA is investigating elaborate sign-stealing allegations, which have plagued Michigan this season while raising an abundance of questions — along with some wild conspiracy theories — about what happened, when and who knew about it. The NCAA’s investigation is ongoing, but it’s valid to wonder if it could or should impact the playoff rankings.
After the top-25 teams dropped, ESPN’s Rece Davis interviewed College Football Playoff committee chairman and N.C. State athletics director Boo Corrigan and asked about the allegations against Michigan playing any role.
Rece Davis asks CFP chair Boo Corrigan how Michigan's sign-stealing scandal factors into the rankings.
"Our job as we look at it is to rank the teams, and follow our protocols… that really wasn't part of any of the discussions…"
"It's an NCAA issue. It's not a CFP issue." pic.twitter.com/TSxewySbT7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 31, 2023
Davis asked: “What is the committee’s position on that aspect as it pertains to evaluating Michigan’s place in the College Football Playoff ring?” And Corrigan responded:
“You know, our job — as we look at — is to rank the teams, to follow our protocols. And as we went through it, that really wasn’t part of any of the discussions that occurred during our time together.”
Davis followed up, asking if there were any directives for committee members in terms of their personal evaluation of Michigan — whose athletics director, Warde Manuel, is on the committee — amid the sign-stealing scandal. Corrigan said:
“Yeah, we really view it, Rece — it’s an NCAA issue. It’s not a CFP issue. At this point in time, you know, as we’re looking at this, we want to make sure that we get not only the top-4 teams, but the top-25 teams right.”
