The College Football Playoff Rankings get a big shuffle after two major wins in Week 13 in College Football.
The greatest weekend in College Football is upon us.
The Game, the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl, Texas versus Texas A&M, and so many more games will grace our televisions this Thanksgiving weekend.
Setting the scene for it all is the fourth rendition of the College Football Playoff rankings. This week, there is again no shift at the top of the charts as Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia fill out the first four spots.
While those programs are staring at a first-round bye, seeds No. 5 through No. 12 are in total chaos.
The two games this weekend that caused the most shakeup were the Oregon versus USC game and the Oklahoma versus Missouri game.
Oregon was on watch by almost everyone heading into that game against the Trojans, but they did what the Ducks tend to do in those high-leverage situations: they showed up and bullied their opponent. While the Ducks looked wobbly during the middle of the season, they have absolutely turned a corner and currently look like the Dan Lanning-coached team.
The hottest team in football might very well be the Oklahoma Sooners.
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They, too, found themselves in a playoff game against Missouri on Saturday. A loss would have put them on the outside looking in at a playoff spot, but a win put them squarely in the postseason discussion. They absolutely deserve to be there, as the Sooners have fought through a huge quarterback injury that directly led to a loss, but have shown up week after week with their backs against the wall.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the top 12, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish wanted and needed to make a statement last weekend. They took down the Syracuse Orange and beat the brakes off of head coach Fran Browns' squad. At one point in the first quarter, the Irish led 28-0 and ran just four offensive plays. Running back Jeremiyah Love is back in the Heisman conversation after tallying eight carries for 171 rushing yards, and the Irish are making it impossible to be left out of the playoff.
The last bit of intrigue left is at that No. 12 and final spot. The at-large programs are going to battle their hearts out to land the last spot, and the James Madison Dukes nearly gave their hopes away to Washington State. They needed a comeback to beat the Cougars, while Tulane managed to take down the Temple Owls.
- Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0)
- Indiana Hoosiers (11-0)
- Texas A&M Aggies (11-0)
- Georgia Bulldogs (10-1)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-1)
- Oregon Ducks (10-1)
- Ole Miss Rebels (10-1)
- Oklahoma Sooners (9-2)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-2)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (9-2)
- BYU Cougars (10-1)
- (#24) Tulane Green Wave (9-2)
The final playoff spot will be filled with intrigue, just to be four-score dogs to Texas Tech.
This fourth set of rankings looks good now, but Rivalry Week is just three days away, and I'm imagining that the list we see on Dec 2nd will look drastically different than this week's rankings. Every team in the top 15 has a massive game.
What if Michigan pulls off a win against Ohio State? How about if Texas beats A&M by three scores? Miami and Pitt are playing a legitimate playoff game in snowy Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Can I interest you in a 10-2 Vanderbilt Commodores team? What happens if Auburn upsets Alabama?
All of these scenarios are live and they are what make College Football the best.
The scene is set and Week 14 will be a movie script.