While the top five teams in last week’s college football playoff standings all retained their serve after earning the win last week, the third edition of the CFP’s top 25 released Tuesday night was uneventful. Defending national champion Georgia held on to the top spot along with fellow undefeated Ohio State, Michigan and TCU, completing what would be the four-team group if the playoffs were decided today. today.
Tennessee, with its only blemish arriving in Georgia two weeks ago, remains the first team to exit at No. 5. The Volunteers will have a chance of making the playoffs given the strength of their wins at this point and the best defeat of the country. Reminder: All but one of the teams ranked No. 1 in the first CFP rankings of a season eventually reached the playoffs (Mississippi State, 2014).
A debut in the CFP for the Vols isn’t a sure thing, however, as they won’t have the opportunity to earn extra credit in the eyes of the CFP selection committee by winning a conference championship game. That possibility still exists for No. 6 LSU, which is looking to become the first two-game losing streak to win a CFP bid in event history. No. 7 USC is aiming to become the first Pac-12 team to make the playoffs since 2016-17, while No. 9 Clemson is looking to go through the rest of the season unscathed; this will force him to be beaten by his fellow ACC No. 13 in North Carolina, who themselves have a chance to qualify for the CFP.
Perhaps most notable was a change in the ranking order of the best Group of Five programs aiming for a spot in the New Year’s Six. of the weekend, UCF (now No. 20) skipped Tulane (now No. 21) to take pole position for this opportunity.
The biggest rise in the standings was Washington, which jumped eight places to No. 17 after beating Oregon, which fell six places to No. 12.
Let’s take a look at the entire top 25 of the CFP rankings. Analysis by bowl expert Jerry Palm below.
College football playoff standings, Nov. 15
- Georgia (10-0)
- Ohio State (10-0)
- Michigan (10-0)
- UCT (10-0)
- Tennessee (9-1)
- USL (8-2)
- USC (9-1)
- Alabama (8-2)
- Clemson (9-1)
- Utah (8-2)
- Penn State (8-2)
- Oregon (8-2)
- North Carolina (9-1)
- Ole Miss (8-2)
- Kansas State (7-3)
- UCLA (8-2)
- Washington (8-2)
- Our Lady (7-3)
- Florida State (7-3)
- UCF (8-2)
- Tulane (8-2)
- Oklahoma State (7-3)
- Oregon State (7-3)
- NC status (7-3)
- Cincinnati (8-2)
Analysis by boules expert Jerry Palm
The only change in the top 10 this week was the abandonment of former Oregon, allowing LSU, USC, Alabama and Clemson to move up. Utah also moves into the top 10 ahead of a showdown with the Ducks for a head start in the race for the Pac-12 championship game.
There are only five teams left who control their own destiny in the race for a place in the four-team field, but they are not the top five teams in the standings. The first four all control their own destinies, but not Tennessee. Indeed, if LSU beat Georgia, the Tigers would enter the top four and the Vols would be out of luck.
It’s also possible that Tennessee will be passed by a 12-1 champion from another conference, likely USC if the Trojans can pull it off. Their remaining schedule would include three ranked teams: at UCLA, against Notre Dame and the Pac-12 title game. The winner of Clemson-North Carolina in the ACC would also be in play, but is less likely to reach the top four.
Cincinnati makes its first appearance of the season in the standings, registering at No. 25. The Bearcats are the third-ranked AAC team. It’s extremely likely at this point that the Five-Eyes representative at the Cotton Bowl will come from Cincy, UCF and Tulane. The Bearcats host the Green Wave to end the regular season, with the winner likely traveling to Orlando to face the Knights for the AAC Championship.
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