College Football Playoff Director 'furious' over bracket leak

The College Football Playoff rankings were released for the final time on Sunday and going into ESPN's Selection Show fans were on the edge of their seats waiting to find out whether Alabama or SMU would be the final team in this year's playoff. However, one minute before the selection show began, Action Network's Brett McMurphy posted who the final team would be to his X account, scooping his former employer.

"Breaking: SMU is in the @CFBPlayoff and Alabama is out, sources tell @ActionNetworkHQ," he wrote, surprising everyone on the internet. His scoop was confirmed a few minutes later when SMU was revealed as the final at-large team to make the playoff.

Breaking: SMU is in @CFBPlayoff and Alabama is out, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 8, 2024

Rich Clark, the College Football Playoff's executive director, couldn't believe there was a leak of the bracket and was reportedly furious that someone would leak information as secret and important as the final team to make the playoff.

"I was furious," Clark told USA Today's Matt Hayes on Tuesday. "I told all involved, you've betrayed the process. There are only a certain number of people who know. I know one thing, it wasn't me. There's the selection committee, ESPN and our staff. Someone in that group is the leak."

Clark added that he found out through his son, Milo, who texted him after seeing McMurphy's post on X. Clark said he had no idea about the leak until Milo texted him. Unfortunately for Clark, there was nothing he could do once McMurphy's post was out there. McMurphy's information proved to be correct when SMU was revealed as the 11-seed.

The College Football Playoff begins on December 20, when Indiana travels to Notre Dame in the opening game of the first-round. The next day is a triple-header of the remaining first-round matchups, with SMU-Penn State at noon, Clemson-Texas at 4 and Tennessee-Ohio State at 8.