College Football Playoff Rankings: Top 4 Hold Steady Amid Chaos, Indiana Slips to No. 10
For the third consecutive week, the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings have kept the top four teams locked in place. But don’t let that fool you—this week’s rankings are anything but boring. A wild Saturday of upsets and shake-ups has left the playoff picture looking more unpredictable than ever.
At the top, it’s business as usual. No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas, and No. 4 Penn State continue to dominate the rankings as we head into the final week of the regular season. But the real drama lies just outside the top four, where teams are jockeying for position in the 12-team playoff format.
Indiana’s Fall and Notre Dame’s Rise
Indiana (10-1) took a significant hit this week, dropping five spots to No. 10 after a humbling 38-15 loss to Ohio State. Despite the setback, the Hoosiers still have a shot at a CFP bid if they can secure a win over Purdue (1-10) this weekend. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti didn’t mince words when asked if his team still deserves a playoff spot. “Is that a serious question? I’m not even gonna answer that one. The answer’s so obvious,” he said with a smile and a wink.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame capitalized on Indiana’s stumble, climbing to No. 5 after a dominant 49-14 victory over previously undefeated Army. Army, unfortunately, fell out of the top 25 entirely. Joining Notre Dame in the top 10 are No. 6 Miami, No. 7 Georgia, No. 8 Tennessee, and No. 9 SMU.
How the Playoff Bracket Shapes Up
Under the current CFP rankings, the top four conference champions would earn first-round byes in the 12-team playoff. That means Oregon (Big Ten), Texas (SEC), Miami (ACC), and No. 11 Boise State (Mountain West) would skip the first round. No. 16 Arizona State (Big 12) would sneak in as the fifth-highest-rated conference champion but would be seeded No. 12 and face a first-round matchup.
Here’s how the first-round matchups would look:
- No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Ohio State
- No. 11 Indiana at No. 6 Penn State
- No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Notre Dame
- No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Georgia
SEC Shake-Ups and Big 12 Drama
The SEC saw its playoff hopes take a hit after a trio of road upsets. No. 13 Alabama fell six spots after a shocking 24-3 loss to Oklahoma. No. 14 Ole Miss and No. 20 Texas A&M also dropped five spots each after losses to Florida and Auburn, respectively. On the flip side, Georgia and Tennessee each climbed three spots, benefiting from the chaos.
In the Big 12, the race for the conference championship is heating up. Arizona State’s 28-23 win over BYU propelled them to No. 16, while Iowa State moved up to No. 18 after a 31-28 victory at Utah. However, the committee’s decision to rank Boise State ahead of the Big 12 frontrunners raises questions about whether the eventual Big 12 champion will earn a top-four seed and a first-round bye.
Other Notable Movers
Tulane continues to climb, reaching No. 17 after winning eight straight games. They’ll face Memphis on Thursday before taking on Army in the AAC championship game. Meanwhile, No. 20 Texas A&M will renew its rivalry with No. 3 Texas on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the SEC championship game.
The rankings also feature eight SEC teams, five Big Ten teams, five Big 12 teams, three ACC teams, two Mountain West teams, and one AAC team. The first-round playoff games are scheduled for Dec. 20-21, with quarterfinals on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The semifinals will take place on Jan. 9-10, and the CFP National Championship is set for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
Originally Written by: N/A
