With just one week remaining in the regular season, the race for the College Football Playoff is reaching a fevered pitch. Tuesday night’s reveal of the fourth set of CFP rankings provided some stability at the very top, but also plenty of intrigue and shakeups throughout the rest of the top 25.
Top 4 Hold Serve
For the third consecutive week, Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, and Penn State occupy the top 4 slots. The undefeated Ducks and Buckeyes seem to have a firm grip on the top 2 spots. Meanwhile, one-loss Texas and Penn State continue to fend off challengers for those coveted 3rd and 4th positions.
“To still be in the top 4 at this point says a lot about the seasons these teams are having,”
CFP selection committee chairman John Smith noted.
Under the expanded 12-team playoff model being used for the first time this season, the top 4 ranked conference champions will receive byes to the quarterfinals. Oregon (Big Ten), Texas (SEC), Miami (ACC), and Boise State (Mountain West) are currently in line for those byes.
Indiana Slips, Notre Dame Rises
The biggest change in the top 10 this week was Indiana tumbling 5 spots from No. 5 to No. 10 after getting routed 38-15 at Ohio State. The loss likely eliminates the Hoosiers from contention for a top 4 seed, but a win over Purdue this week would still secure a first-round home game in the playoffs.
Benefitting from Indiana’s fall was Notre Dame, who ascended to the 5th spot after walloping Army 49-14. The independent Fighting Irish have bounced back strong since an early loss to Penn State.
SEC Shakeup
Upsets rocked several SEC contenders last week, causing significant shifts in their rankings:
- Alabama plummeted 6 spots to No. 13 after a stunning 24-3 loss at Oklahoma.
- Ole Miss fell 5 notches to No. 14 following a 24-17 setback at Florida.
- Texas A&M dropped from No. 10 to No. 15 after succumbing to Auburn in 4 overtimes.
Those stumbles allowed Georgia and Tennessee to each climb 3 places to No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. With the Dawgs and Vols squaring off this week, the winner will be in prime position to possibly snag a first-round bye.
Big 12 Logjam
With No. 11 Boise State sitting ahead of all the Big 12 contenders, it’s possible the conference could get left out of the top 4 seeds. Four teams are currently tied atop the standings heading into the final week:
- No. 16 Arizona State – Moved up 5 spots after outlasting BYU
- No. 18 Iowa State – Rose 4 slots with a win at Utah
- No. 19 BYU – Fell 3 notches after the ASU loss
- No. 25 Colorado – Clinging to final spot in rankings
Those four will be fighting for the 2 spots in next week’s Big 12 title game, with the champion needing some help to crash the top 4 seeds. But in this unpredictable season, anything still seems possible.
The Road Ahead
Several games this weekend will have a huge impact on the final CFP rankings and seedings:
- Ohio State at Oregon
- Georgia at Tennessee
- Texas at Texas A&M
- Penn State at Boise State
- Multiple Big 12 matchups
With so much still up in the air, the committee will certainly have their hands full sorting out the final 12-team field. But first, a riveting slate of games awaits as teams make their closing arguments on championship weekend. Buckle up for what promises to be a wild ride to the finish.
