The College Football Playoff Committee’s second-to-last rankings have ignited backlash across the sport, and one Heisman Trophy contender is now calling for presidential intervention.
According to Fox News, Vanderbilt finds itself on the outside of the playoff picture with no games left to strengthen its résumé.
The Commodores have just two losses — to Alabama and Texas — both inside the conference, a fact that prevented them from reaching the SEC title game.
Frustration boiled over for quarterback Diego Pavia, who took to social media and appealed directly to President Donald Trump as the final playoff bracket approaches.
“@realDonaldTrump MAKE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PLEASE,” Pavia wrote on X.
His message came in response to a post advocating for a 16-team playoff instead of the current 12-team format. The proposal suggested four SEC teams, four Big Ten teams, two ACC teams, two Big 12 teams, and four at-large selections.
“Get rid of these stupid committees filled with justifications nobody seems to understand,” the post added.
The idea of Trump getting involved in College Football Playoff decisions was even the subject of a lighthearted remark from Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a CNN appearance, where he joked about the president taking over the committee entirely.
Among the teams feeling the sting of the latest rankings are the Miami Hurricanes. Miami holds a head-to-head win over Notre Dame, yet remains outside the projected playoff field heading into championship weekend.
Saturday’s slate of conference title games is expected to shape the final bracket. A BYU loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship could jeopardize the Cougars’ position.
Meanwhile, the possibility of Alabama remaining in contention despite a three-loss season — should the Crimson Tide fall to Georgia — is already sparking debate among fans.
The final rankings will be released Sunday after all conference championships conclude, and teams like Vanderbilt, Miami, and others will be watching closely to see whether chaos reshapes the field — or locks them out for good.
