The second set of CFP rankings were released on Tuesday night, and there is a new number one. LSU jumped Ohio State after their impressive win in Tuscaloosa last weekend. There is no denying that the Bayou Bengals have the nations best resume with wins over Texas, Florida, and Auburn on top of the win over Bama.
The Buckeyes are at number two after spending just a week in the top spot. They haven’t played the toughest schedule but they have been impressive in every game so far. They have big games looming though, as Penn State and Michigan are coming up, as well as a likely matchup with Minnesota in the B1G Title game.
Clemson moves up two spots to third after coming in at five last week. How do you leave the defending national champs, who have won 25 straight, out of the top four? By trying to manufacture the kind of regular season matchups that will attract the most viewers, that’s how. The committee paid dearly for that decision as Penn State went out and got a thorough beating from Minnesota after being at #4 last week. Regardless, if the Tigers keep winning they’ll be just fine.
Georgia at number four is the real travesty. The Dawgs lost at home to UofSC, which was already a bad loss. Then the Gamecocks go out and drop a home game to App State, which makes it an even worse loss. This committee is forgiving that loss because they beat Florida, while Clemson is being punished for a one point win over a team that beat that UofSC team that Georgia lost too. Makes perfect sense. Not that Georgia is winning out, and that is the only way they get in.
At number five is Alabama, who drops down two spots from number three after their loss to LSU The Tide are in serious danger of missing the playoff. With one loss Pac 12 teams Oregon and Utah at numbers six and seven respectively, Alabama won’t be able to sit at home on the weekend of conference championship games this year knowing they have a clear path. If both Oregon and Utah face off as one loss teams in the Pac 12 Title game, Bama’s streak of CFP appearances will die.
CFP Rankings
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Utah
- Minnesota
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
