College Football Playoff rankings How much does fi

The 11-person College Football Playoff committee, after meeting at the Gaylord Texan Report in Grapevine, Tex., will release its initial Top 25 rankings via ESPN on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.How much do these rankings mean? Technically, not much, since nothing is guaranteed until Selection Sunday on Dec. 5, when the four invitations to college footballs eighth playoff tournament will be handed out.But not only does the initial ranking give the college football world a window into how this specific committee is evaluating teams, we can also look at some history to see how the initial ranking can reflect the actual four playoff teams that emerge.BENDER: | In the last four Tommy Hunter Jersey years, an average of three eventual playoff teams have found themselves in the top four spots of the initial ranking. Last season, all four teams -- Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame -- were inside the coveted top four both in the initial and final Hector Neris Jersey rankings.That was a far cry from the first playoff selection in 2014, when just one team inside the top four of the initial ranking reached the playoff. Three SEC West teams -- Mi si sippi State, Auburn and Ole Mi s -- were ranked No. 1, 3 and 4 respectively in the first poll. But it was a fourth SEC West team -- Alabama -- that landed in the playoff as the No. 1 seed, while the others were on the outside looking in.MORE: No team ranked lower than No. 9 in the initial release has reached the playoff since 2015, Pete Rose Jersey and only two teams outside the top 10 have ever reached the playoff. In 2014, Ohio State came from No. 16 in the initial ranking all the way to No. 4, and then won the national championship. The next year, Oklahoma was ranked No. 15, but then rose to No. 4 on Selection Sunday.In the last five years, every No. 1 and 2 in the initial rankings has reached the playoffs.The No. 1 team in the initial poll has reached the playoff in each of the last six years. Only Mi si sippi State in 2014, coached by Dan Mullen, did not get a bid.MORE: The most precarious position in the initial poll has been No. 3, where only once in seven years has that team reached the playoff.Here is a look at the history of the CFP rankings, with the teams in the playoff field listed with their ranking from the initial release in parentheses.2020RankingTeamsInitial rankingAlabama*, JT Realmuto Jersey Notre Dame*, Clemson*, Ohio State*Playoff fieldAlabama (1), Clemson (3), Ohio State (4), Notre Dame (2)* - made playoff2019RankingTeamsInitial rankingOhio State*, LSU*, Alabama, Penn StatePlayoff fieldLSU (2), Ohio State (1), Clemson (5), Oklahoma (9)* - made playoff2018RankingTeamsInitial rankingAlabama*, Clemson*, LSU, Notre Dame*Playoff fieldAlabama (1) Clay Buchholz Jersey , Clemson (2), Notre Dame (4), Oklahoma (7)* - made playoff2017RankingTeamsInitial rankingGeorgia*, Alabama*, Notre Dame, Clemson*Playoff fieldClemson (4), Oklahoma (5), Georgia (1), Alabama (2)* - made playoff2016RankingTeamsInitial rankingAlabama*, Clemson*, Michigan, Texas AMPlayoff fieldAlabama (1), Ohio State (6), Clemson (2), Washington (5)* - made playoff2015RankingTeamsInitial rankingClemson*, LSU, Ohio State, Alabama*Playoff fieldClemson (1), Alabama (4), Michigan State (7), Oklahoma (15)* - made playoff2014RankingTeamsInitial rankingMi s. State, Florida State*, Auburn, Ole Mi sPlayoff fieldAlabama (6), Oregon (5), Florida State (2), Ohio State (16)* - made playoff