Another week is in the books and the good games kept coming. With all of the upsets, this year’s College Football Playoff selection committee will have their work cut out for them. Their rankings will come out on Sunday at 12:30 EST. Here is how they should rank the teams if the season ended today in College Football Playoff Bracketology: Selection Day.
Note: These rankings are a projection of how the CFP Committee will rank the teams.
Jalen Hurts (Photo by nypost.com)
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0)
The Crimson Tide have secured their spot in the CFP with their win over Georgia in the SEC Championship. This time when Tua Tagovailoa went down with an injury, Jalen Hurts was able to come in and lead the team to victory. They were losing and Hurts saved them. It is amazing how things have changed since the start of the year, but Alabama making the CFP should surprise no one.
2. Clemson Tigers (13-0)
Clemson got an easy conference championship game with Pitt and they were also able to lock up a spot in the CFP. They’ll be a firm number two, as Alabama’s resume got a lot better and Notre Dame didn’t play this week.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0)
While they didn’t play this week, Notre Dame already locked in their spot in the CFP with their perfect regular season. They too should be locked in at number three, as the other teams likely won’t be able to jump an undefeated team, even with a win in their conference championships.
4. Oklahoma Sooners (12-1)
It looked like Georgia could’ve stolen Oklahoma’s spot in the CFP, but Alabama came back to win. Oklahoma avenged their only loss of the season with their win over Texas. Their defense will give the committee some pause, but their strength of schedule is better than Ohio State’s and they lost to a better team in their only defeat. Last season, the committee really scrutinized the teams’ losses and losing to Texas is not too bad for their CFP case.
Dwayne Haskins (Photo by cleveland.com)
5. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1)
Ohio State was able to handle Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, but it was too little, too late. The Buckeyes’ loss to Purdue, a 6-6 team, will hold them back, much like their loss to Iowa did last season. They do have better wins than Oklahoma with their wins over Michigan and Penn State, but their overall strength of schedule is worse than the Sooners.
6. Georgia Bulldogs (11-2)
Georgia had Alabama on the ropes, but couldn’t finish the game off. The Bulldogs still look like one of the four best teams in the country, but the committee has never put a two-loss team in. Since Georgia is a two-loss team and they don’t have a conference championship, it will be hard for the committee to put them in with the regulations they are supposed to follow.
7. Michigan Wolverines (10-2)
Michigan was idle and has no shot at the CFP, but staying in the top 12 will secure them a spot in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.
8. UCF Knights (12-0)
Although their chances looked bleak at halftime, UCF came back to win and complete their second straight undefeated season. They will likely not be selected to play in the CFP, especially since they will be without starting quarterback McKenzie Milton, but will get a shot at another New Year’s Six Bowl Game. They’ll be trying to schedule all the good teams in the future to try and make the CFP.
9. Washington Huskies (10-3)
Washington won the Pac-12 on Friday night in a defensive slugfest against Utah. They will move up a few spots for their win and will now head to the Rose Bowl.
10. Florida Gators (9-3)
The Gators will be jumped because they were idle, but should still be in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.
11. LSU Tigers (9-3)
LSU will stay right behind Florida, as they were idle this week too. The Tigers should be in a New Year’s Six Bowl Game as well.
12. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3)
Penn State stays in the top 12, with Texas being the only team with a realistic shot of jumping them this week.
Make sure to check out our college football page for more updates and rankings.
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