USF Makes College Football Playoff Rankings as Bulls’ Breakout Season Continues

For USF, it's really simple now. If the Bulls win their final three games and go on to capture the American Conference championship, they will qualify for the College Football Playoffs for the first time in program history.

That became clear Tuesday night when the latest playoff rankings were released. The Bulls were placed at No. 24 and were the only non-power conference team in the Top 25. Since the Group of Five is guaranteed one spot in the 12-team playoffs, it is clear how the selection committee feels about what USF has accomplished this season.

The Bulls are 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the American. They have a huge game Saturday at Navy, which also has just one conference loss. If USF wins that game, their final two regular-season games are with sub-.500 teams UAB and Rice. South Florida, even last

"South Florida even last week when we certainly had conversation about the Group of Five, they've always been part of it," selection committee chairman Mark Rhoades said.

"Really, the committee felt like of the Group of Five, they're the most consistent. The win versus Boise State, the committee felt like the win at Florida, really good win, beating an 8-1 North Texas team, their most recent win versus UTSA, a UTSA team that beat Tulane, I believe the week before. Obviously Tulane beating Memphis was a part of this conversation as well."

If the Bulls qualify for the conference championship game, they likely would host either Tulane or North Texas. The American currently has five teams with one conference loss. If teams end the regular season with tied conference records, the CFP ranking is a key factor for the American in deciding which team gets to host the title game.

There was some conjecture on Sunday when the AP Top 25 ranked James Madison of the Sun Belt Conference at No. 24, one spot ahead of USF. However, Rhoades said the Dukes' schedule was a key factor in their exclusion from the Top 25 CFP rankings.

"It was Tulane, it was South Florida, it was Memphis, it was James Madison. San Diego State had the
bad loss at Hawai'i. Boise State is certainly part of the conversation, as well," he said.

"I think with James Madison, the part that was really hard to overcome for the committee
was their schedule strength. Just quite frankly, that was a big part of that conversation."

The current bracket projection has the Bulls seeded 12th and playing at 5th-seeded Georgia. All of that, of course, is subject to change.