College Football Playoff Rankings After Rivalry Week Chaos

College Football Rivalry Week Delivers Drama, Upsets, and Playoff Chaos

Rivalry Week in college football never fails to bring the heat, and this year was no exception. From jaw-dropping upsets to playoff-shaking performances, the weekend was packed with action that left fans buzzing and the College Football Playoff picture in disarray. Let’s dive into the madness that unfolded and what it means for the road ahead.

Oregon Ducks Dominate, But Chaos Reigns Elsewhere

The No. 1 Oregon Ducks did what top teams are supposed to do: handle their business. They cruised past the Washington Huskies, solidifying their spot as the team to beat heading into the postseason. But while Oregon soared, other top-10 teams weren’t so lucky.

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes were stunned by the unranked Michigan Wolverines, marking their fourth consecutive loss to their bitter rivals. This defeat didn’t just sting—it cost Ohio State a trip to the Big Ten title game and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Instead, the Penn State Nittany Lions will face Oregon for the Big Ten crown and potentially the top overall seed in the CFP.

Miami Hurricanes Collapse in Stunning Fashion

Meanwhile, the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes suffered a meltdown for the ages. They blew a 21-point lead to the unranked Syracuse Orange, a loss that not only knocked them out of contention for the ACC championship but also likely ended their playoff hopes. Now, the Clemson Tigers will meet the SMU Mustangs in Charlotte for the ACC title. Miami’s collapse could have ripple effects, potentially opening the door for two- or three-loss teams from the SEC or Big Ten to sneak into the playoff conversation.

Notre Dame’s Defense Steals the Spotlight

One of the weekend’s most electrifying moments came courtesy of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Their defense delivered not one, but two massive pick-sixes in the fourth quarter—a 99-yard return and a 100-yard return. Plays like these are why Notre Dame remains a dangerous team heading into bowl season, and they’ve certainly caught the attention of playoff experts.

Experts’ Top 12 College Football Playoff Picks

With all the chaos, the playoff picture is murkier than ever. Here’s how ESPN’s experts rank their top 12 teams heading into the final stretch:

• Andrea Adelson: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Penn State 6. Notre Dame 7. Indiana 8. South Carolina 9. Georgia 10. Tennessee 11. Arizona State 12. Ohio State
• Kyle Bonagura: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Notre Dame 6. Ohio State 7. Penn State 8. Georgia 9. Tennessee 10. Indiana 11. Alabama 12. Arizona State
• Bill Connelly: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Arizona State 5. Notre Dame 6. Penn State 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Indiana 10. Ohio State 11. Boise State 12. Miami
• David Hale: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Notre Dame 6. Penn State 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Ohio State 10. Indiana 11. Arizona State 12. Miami
• Eli Lederman: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Notre Dame 6. Penn State 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Ohio State 10. Indiana 11. South Carolina 12. Arizona State
• Chris Low: 1. Oregon 2. Georgia 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Texas 6. Notre Dame 7. Ohio State 8. Tennessee 9. Penn State 10. Indiana 11. South Carolina 12. Arizona State
• Harry Lyles Jr.: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Arizona State 5. Notre Dame 6. Penn State 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Indiana 10. Ohio State 11. Boise State 12. Miami
• Max Olson: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Arizona State 5. Penn State 6. Notre Dame 7. Georgia 8. Ohio State 9. Indiana 10. Tennessee 11. Boise State 12. Miami
• Adam Rittenberg: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Notre Dame 6. Penn State 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Ohio State 10. Indiana 11. Arizona State 12. South Carolina
• Mark Schlabach: 1. Oregon 2. Georgia 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Texas 6. Penn State 7. Notre Dame 8. Ohio State 9. Tennessee 10. Indiana 11. Arizona State 12. South Carolina
• Jake Trotter: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Penn State 6. Notre Dame 7. Georgia 8. Ohio State 9. Tennessee 10. Indiana 11. South Carolina 12. Arizona State
• Paolo Uggetti: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Penn State 6. Notre Dame 7. Georgia 8. Tennessee 9. Ohio State 10. Indiana 11. Arizona State 12. South Carolina
• Dave Wilson: 1. Oregon 2. Texas 3. SMU 4. Boise State 5. Penn State 6. Notre Dame 7. Georgia 8. Ohio State 9. Tennessee 10. Indiana 11. South Carolina 12. Arizona State

With just a few weeks left in the season, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will Oregon continue to dominate? Can Texas or SMU make a run? And what about the teams on the bubble, like Notre Dame and Penn State? One thing’s for sure: the drama is far from over.