Miami Surpasses Utah in College Football Playoff Rankings
As we head into the final full weekend of regular-season college football, the latest College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings are out. There’ve been some interesting shifts and a few steady spots among the top teams.
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia are holding down the top four. Meanwhile, teams like Texas Tech and Oregon are making some noise and climbing up. Let’s break down the rankings, look at possible playoff scenarios, and talk about the matchups that could shake things up for the playoff picture.
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Top Four Teams Hold Steady
The top four—Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia—haven’t budged heading into this last regular-season weekend. Every team in the top 14 that played last week won, so not much changed at the top.
Ohio State is still No. 1, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia. Not a huge surprise there, but it’s never a guarantee things stay calm this late in the season.
Ohio State and Indiana
Ohio State and Indiana have been pretty dominant all year. Their spots seem safe unless something wild happens.
Ohio State’s got a big rivalry game against Michigan coming up, and that’s always unpredictable. Indiana’s path looks a bit easier, but they can’t let their guard down.
Texas A&M and Georgia
Texas A&M and Georgia are in good spots too, but there’s no room for mistakes now. Texas A&M faces Texas in a game that’s been circled for weeks.
Georgia’s schedule looks a bit more forgiving. Both teams need to win if they want to avoid slipping into the chaos of teams fighting for an at-large bid.
Significant Movers and Shakers
Outside the top four, there’ve been some real shifts. Texas Tech is hanging onto No. 5, and Oregon just jumped Ole Miss after a big win over USC.
Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Alabama round out the top 10. It’s a crowded field, and nobody wants to be the team that stumbles now.
Oregon’s Rise
Oregon’s victory over USC gave them a nice bump in the rankings. Now, they’re in the mix for an at-large bid.
The Ducks need to keep winning. Otherwise, they could end up lost in a pile of 10-2 teams, like Miami or Notre Dame.
Ole Miss Uncertainty
Ole Miss is in a weird spot with all the speculation about Lane Kiffin’s future. He’s reportedly a candidate for the LSU and Florida jobs, and a decision could come right after the Egg Bowl.
The CFP committee says Kiffin’s situation won’t affect Ole Miss’s ranking. Still, it’s hard to ignore the distraction hanging over the program.
Key Matchups to Watch
This weekend’s games are going to be huge for the final CFP rankings. A few stand out as must-watch:
- Ohio State vs. Michigan: Rivalry games are always unpredictable. If Michigan pulls off an upset, the top of the rankings could get messy.
- Texas A&M vs. Texas: Texas A&M has a lot riding on this one. A win keeps them safe, but a loss? That could open the door for someone else.
- Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State: The Egg Bowl is always wild, and this year it’s got postseason implications for Ole Miss.
- Miami vs. Pitt: Miami needs a win to stay alive for an at-large bid and keep their spot as the top ACC team.
Conference Breakdown
Let’s zoom in on the conference races and who’s still got a shot at the CFP:
ACC
The ACC still has a handful of teams in the mix—Miami, Virginia, SMU, Pitt, Georgia Tech, and Duke. Miami’s the highest-ranked, but their road to the conference title game isn’t exactly smooth.
Georgia Tech could make things interesting if they beat Georgia. That would really shake up the conversation.
Big Ten
Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan are the Big Ten’s hopefuls. Ohio State and Indiana are probably safe, no matter what.
Michigan’s playoff hopes hinge on that game against Ohio State. Oregon needs to avoid falling into that messy group of 10-2 teams.
Big 12
Texas Tech, BYU, Utah, and Arizona State are all chasing playoff spots from the Big 12. Texas Tech and BYU look strong, but Utah needs a lot to go their way.
If Texas Tech and BYU meet in the Big 12 title game, the conference could sneak two teams into the playoff. That’s a big “if,” though.
SEC
The SEC is loaded with contenders—Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Texas. Texas A&M and Georgia are probably safe, but the rest need to keep winning or risk fading out.
American
North Texas, Tulane, Navy, South Florida, and East Carolina are all still alive in the American. Whoever wins the conference is likely to snag a playoff spot as the fifth-highest-ranked champion.
Mountain West and Sun Belt
San Diego State and UNLV from the Mountain West, and James Madison from the Sun Belt, are hanging around the playoff conversation. James Madison has already locked up the Sun Belt East.
If they finish 12-1, they’ll at least have a case to make. Not a guarantee, but you never know with the committee.
Independents
Notre Dame stands as the only independent team still in the playoff hunt. The Irish have to beat Stanford and then cross their fingers for some help from other teams.
The final weekend of regular-season games is here, and honestly, the playoff picture’s a bit of a mess. Key matchups could shuffle the rankings in ways nobody can quite predict.
If you want a deeper dive into the latest CFP rankings and all the possible scenarios, check out the full article on The New York Times.
