By Nicole Auerbach, Seth Emerson, Austin Meek and Cameron Teague Robinson
Georgia took first place in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State round out the top four in the rankings.
- No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oregon were the first two teams eliminated from playoff contention.
- The top four teams are all 10-0, with Michigan and Ohio State set to face each other in a Big Ten showdown on November 25th.
| CFP Rk | team | Record | Previously | AP Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10-0 | 2 | 1 | |
2 | 10-0 | 1 | 3 | |
3 | 10-0 | 3 | 2 | |
4 | 10-0 | 4 | 4 | |
5 | 10-0 | 5 | 5 | |
6 | 9-1 | 6 | 6 | |
7 | 9-1 | 7 | 7 | |
8th | 9-1 | 8th | 8th | |
9 | 8-2 | 14 | 11 | |
10 | 9-1 | 11 | 9 | |
11 | 8-2 | 12 | 10 | |
12 | 8-2 | 10 | 12 | |
13 | 8-2 | 9 | 13 | |
14 | 8-2 | 17 | 14 | |
15 | 7-3 | 19 | 15 | |
16 | 8-2 | 22 | NO | |
17 | 7-3 | 21 | 19 | |
18 | 7-3 | 13 | 21 | |
19 | 7-3 | 20 | 20 | |
20 | 8-2 | 24 | 22 | |
21 | 7-3 | 25 | 23 | |
22 | 7-3 | 18 | 16 | |
23 | 7-3 | 15 | 24 | |
24 | 9-1 | 23 | 17 | |
25 | 7-3 | 16 | NO |
Evaluation of the committee’s decisions
The committee made the right decision in pushing Georgia to No. 1 after the Dawgs earned two of the best wins of any contender (against Missouri and Ole Miss). The only concern I have about the top six is that Washington remains behind Florida State despite a stronger record that includes a win over No. 6 Oregon. I’m surprised there hasn’t been any change in any iteration of the rankings so far this season, especially this week as we see the selection committee make an adjustment at No. 1 for a similar reason. — Nicole Auerbach, senior CFB writer
Why Georgia is number 1
As jaded as the Georgia fans and program have become by this ranking after enduring the experience long enough, it still feels important. First of all, it’s a good reward for how Georgia has been playing recently. More importantly, it puts the Bulldogs in a position to overcome a loss down the stretch.
Enough committee members clearly appreciate what Kirby Smart’s team has done on the field, including a schedule that looks better than it did at the start of the season. That will make it harder for Georgia to free fall out of the top four if it loses, be it this weekend at Tennessee or in the SEC Championship against Alabama. (A loss at unranked Georgia Tech would be harder to swallow.) A lot will still depend on what happens elsewhere, but Georgia is in a stronger position now than it was two weeks ago. — Seth Emerson, Georgia beat writer
Ohio State’s surprise decline?
This is what I expected. Georgia deserved to overtake Ohio State after its blowout win over Ole Miss, but even that ranking doesn’t mean much for the Buckeyes. Ohio State still has one of the best resumes in the country, but the matchup in Ann Arbor on Nov. 25 will determine whether the Buckeyes or Michigan advance to the College Football Playoff. Luckily for Ohio State, it appears to be playing its best football of the season right now, even though Georgia has made a jump up the rankings.
Everything is ahead of Ohio State. Beat Minnesota on Saturday and then The Game. Those are the most important things for the Buckeyes right now, the rankings just mean Ohio State controls its own destiny. – Cameron Teague Robinson, Ohio State University beat writer
Michigan still has a chance at No. 1
The “Michigan didn’t play anyone” argument was finally put to rest after the Wolverines defeated Penn State, the No. 12 team in this week’s rankings. That 24-15 win wasn’t enough to move the Wolverines ahead of Ohio State or Georgia, but rather kept them firmly entrenched in the top four. After a long wait for its first test, Michigan got a big test, playing on the road against a talented Penn State team the day after Jim Harbaugh’s suspension. They remain undefeated and have a chance to become No. 1 if they win their next two games against Maryland and Ohio State. — Beat writer from Austin Meek, Michigan
Required reading
(Photo: Brett Davis / USA Today)