Fresno State ranked No. 23 in first CFP poll

FRESNO, Calif. – As announced live on ESPN on Tuesday afternoon, the College Football Playoff selection committee ranked the Fresno State football team No. 23 in its first poll of the 2018 season. The Bulldogs are the only Mountain West league member ranked in the top 25, and one of two teams from the Group of Five inside the top 25, joining UCF at No.12.

Fresno State (7-1, 4-0 MW) started receiving national attention on Sunday after its sixth-straight win as the Amway Coaches Poll came out with the 'Dogs ranked No. 23, and an hour later the AP Top 25 revealed Fresno State at No. 20. Both firsts for the 2018 season. It also marked the first time since the week 15 polls of the 2013 season that the Bulldogs were in the top 25 in both the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll the same week.

Despite it being the first time being in both the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll simultaneously since 2013, head coach Jeff Tedford and his Bulldogs broke into the week 14 College Football Playoff and AP Top 25 in the days following their 28-17 win versus Boise State at Bulldog Stadium on Nov. 25, 2017 - checking in at No. 25 in each respective poll that week. That would be their only appearance in any of the top 25 polls after falling in the MW Championship game a week later. Fresno State finished the 2017 season receiving votes in both the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll. The CFP does not name institutions outside its top 25.

The Bulldogs have four regular season games remaining on their 2018 schedule, starting with UNLV (2-6) on the road this Saturday. That is followed by a trip to Boise State (6-2) on Nov. 9 before back-to-back home games to close the season as they will face San Diego State (6-2) on Nov. 17 and San Jose State (1-7) on Nov. 24.

The Mountain West Championship game, which pits the two divisional winners against each other, will be played on Dec. 1 at 4:45 p.m. PT. The host site will be determined by the divisional champion with the highest winning percentage (conference games only). Host site tie-breaker scenarios can be found at the bottom of the page or by clicking the link.

How to Follow the CFP Rankings
The College Football Playoff selection committee will continue to reveal its weekly rankings, each Tuesday, with each episode beginning at 4 p.m. PT from the network's Bristol, Conn., studios, except the Nov. 6 episode which will be live from Bankers Life Fieldhouse, at approximately 6 p.m. PT, in between games of the State Farm Champions Classic. The third (Nov. 13) and fourth (Nov. 20) weekly reveals will be an hour, with the second (Nov. 6) and fifth (Nov. 27) shows being a half-hour. The College Football Playoff selection committee weekly rankings will build momentum toward Sunday, Dec. 2, when the committee will reveal its final rankings, College Football Playoff matchups and the New Year's Six participants. ESPN will have complete coverage of the sport's Selection Day, including the exclusive announcement beginning at 9 a.m. PT.

2018-19 Selection Committee: Rob Mullens (Chair), Frank Beamer, Paola Boivin, Jeff Bower, Joe Castiglione, Herb Deromedi, Ken Hatfield, Chris Howard, Bobby Johnson, Ronnie Lott, Gene Smith, Todd Stansbury and Scott Stricklin.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SELECTION COMMITTEE RANKINGS
Games Played through Saturday, October 27
Rk. Team: Record
1. Alabama: 8-0
2. Clemson: 8-0
3. LSU: 7-1
4. Notre Dame: 8-0
5. Michigan: 7-1
6. Georgia: 7-1
7. Oklahoma: 7-1
8. Washington State: 7-1
9. Kentucky: 7-1
10. Ohio State: 7-1
11. Florida: 6-2
12. UCF: 7-0
13. West Virginia: 6-1
14. Penn State: 6-2
15. Utah: 6-2
16. Iowa: 6-2
17. Texas: 6-2
18. Mississippi State: 5-3
19. Syracuse: 6-2
20. Texas A&M: 5-3
21. NC State: 5-2
22. Boston College: 6-2
23. Fresno State: 7-1
24. Iowa State: 4-3
25. Virginia: 6-2

By Conference: SEC 7, ACC 5, Big Ten 4, Big 12 4, Pac-12 2, American Athletic 1, Mountain West 1, Independents 1

Mountain West Football Championship Host Determination Procedure
Effective for the 2018 Season (FINAL - 7/17/18)

Host Determination. The Mountain West Football Championship Game shall be played at the site of the divisional champion with the highest winning percentage in Conference games only. The host site will be determined no later than the Sunday following the conclusion of the regular season.

Host Tie Breaker. In the event of a tie, the following procedure shall be used to determine the host location for the Championship Game:

1. Head-to-head result between the tied divisional champions.

2. If still tied:
A. If one team was ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking and wins in the final weekend of the regular season, they will be declared the host. If in that same scenario, the team that was the highest-ranked team in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking loses in the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings will be used;

OR

B. If both teams are ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking, the highest-ranked team that wins in the final weekend of the regular season;

OR

C. If neither of the ranked teams win in the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings after all games conclude the final weekend of the regular season will be used;

OR
D. If neither team is ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking going into the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings after all games conclude the final weekend of the regular season will be used.

3. If still tied, the best record against common Conference opponents.

4. If still tied, the team with the highest overall winning percentage (Conference and nonconference excluding exempt games).

5. If still tied, a coin toss will be conducted by the Commissioner.

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Fresno State ranked No. 23 in first CFP poll

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