Ole Miss made a leap in the standings despite losing its head coach recently.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame didn’t experience any losses but still slipped down the rankings.
The most recent College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday, presenting some surprising shifts and confounding decisions. There’s certainly a lot to unpack as we approach the conference title games before the final rankings and brackets for the upcoming 12-team playoffs are revealed.
Undefeated Ohio State and Indiana retained their positions at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, while Georgia State climbed to No. 3 and Texas Tech moved up to No. 4.
Rounding out the top 12 are Oregon, Mississippi, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Notre Dame, BYU, and Miami.
Even though Lane Kiffin departed as the coach of Mississippi State last weekend to join LSU, the committee surprisingly elevated the Rebels to No. 6. Hunter Yurachek, the committee chair, mentioned that they had conversations about the turmoil at Ole Miss but were uncertain about its implications.
“It’s really hard to assess how Ole Miss will perform without their head coach,” Yurachek stated. “We can only judge based on the facts we have, and right now, Ole Miss stands at 11-1.”
Notre Dame, with a record of 10-2 similar to Alabama’s, saw last week’s outcomes swap their rankings. Alabama now holds the No. 9 spot and is in a stronger position for at-large qualification, even if they lose to Georgia in the SEC title game. On the other hand, Notre Dame sits at No. 10, appearing closer to elimination though on a 10-game winning streak.
Yurachek characterized the discussions surrounding these two top-tier programs as “really divided” within the committee.
“We all respect both teams,” he shared. “Some members favor Alabama, while others support Notre Dame.”
Ultimately, Alabama’s victory in a competitive game against Auburn — finishing 27-20 — contrasted with Notre Dame’s 49-20 win over struggling Stanford, influencing the rankings.
In another notable decision, the committee placed James Madison at No. 25 in the Sun Belt Conference, surpassing unranked Duke, which faces No. 17 Virginia for the ACC title.
If both Duke and James Madison succeed, James Madison could potentially reject the ACC’s guaranteed spot. The top five conference winners usually claim these automatic bids, but those categories are less certain for Power 4 leagues. While the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 seem secure, the Group 5 leagues have at least one spot, with No. 20 Tulane and No. 24 North Texas slated for Friday’s title match.
This indicates the fifth and final playoff spot could go to either the ACC or the Sun Belt, with James Madison set to compete against Troy for the championship on Friday.
Final rankings are expected to be revealed on Sunday, post the title match, determining the five auto-qualifiers for the 12-team bracket. Playoffs kick off on December 19, culminating in the championship game scheduled for a month later in suburban Miami.
Conference Watch
ACC: The common assumption that the expanded playoffs would highlight the top 12 teams competing for the title doesn’t seem applicable here. No. 17 Virginia could qualify with a league win, yet No. 12 Miami, the conference’s top team, is not contesting for the title and will need some assistance. Yurachek provided a hint of hope, suggesting teams not playing this week will face reevaluation.
Could it be that if No. 11 BYU stumbles, Miami might surge in the rankings? This might set up a comparison between Miami and Notre Dame’s initial game, complicating the committee’s choices. It feels like there are just too many variables at play for a system that’s supposed to simplify things.
Big 12: This seems straightforward. BYU’s only season blemish came at the hands of Texas Tech, 29-7. A similar outcome could justify the committee’s decision to exclude the Cougars. A BYU victory wouldn’t bode well for Notre Dame.
Big Ten: This league seems narrowed down to Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon, with the only pending question concerning whether the losers in their title match can maintain top-four rankings to secure a first-round bye.
SEC: Vanderbilt climbed past Tennessee and kept its 14th position. Texas rose three spots to 13th with a strong win over Texas A&M. Yurachek noted the Commodores lack any significant wins against ranked squads.
That reasoning surely must be welcomed in Nashville. Regardless, Yurachek mentioned that Alabama’s rise to No. 9 creates significant challenges for Vanderbilt and not-so-favorable conditions for Texas, whose loss to Florida proved detrimental. Nevertheless, the conference eyes more representatives in this bracket than anyone else, and Commissioner Greg Sankey likely aims for an even larger presence.
Expected First-Round Matchups
No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Oregon: The Ducks face the departure of their offensive coordinator to Kentucky, while Tulane’s coach, John Sumrall, also leaves for Florida, though he’ll remain with the team until season’s end.
No. 11 Virginia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss: The big question is whether all Rebels players and coaches will participate in this game given Lane’s exit.
10th Notre Dame, 7th Texas A&M: It’s noteworthy that Irish coach Marcus Freeman was seeking home-field advantage just a week ago, while some fans in Aggieland were lamenting not being ranked first.
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma: Oklahoma’s earlier victory over Alabama three weeks ago reshaped expectations for both teams.
