The speculation and rumors can finally be put to rest at the College Football Playoff Rankings have arrived. On Tuesday, the committee release the initial top twenty-five with a few surprise in store.
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- LSU Tigers
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Clemson Tigers
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Oregon Ducks
- Utah Utes
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Florida Gators
- Auburn Tigers
- Baylor Bears
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Michigan Wolverines
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Minnesota Gophers
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Cincinnati Bearcats
- Memphis Tigers
- Boise State Broncos
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Navy Midshipmen
- SMU Mustangs
First and foremost, the defending national champions continue to run through the conference schedule. Yet, the committee clearly weighted the strength of the ACC, or lack thereof, fairly heavily. It contributed to the Clemson Tigers sitting just outside of the top four in the initial rankings. Much will change though as each of the top ranked program have meetings with others in the top four. Buckle up folks because this is about to get interesting!
Looking at the Big 12 Conference, the Oklahoma State Cowboys are the highest rated three-loss team in the country according to the committee. With three others from the league inside the top twenty-five, there’s hope for the the eventual champion which many believe will be the Sooners. A glance at the remaining schedule reveals that Oklahoma has a date with two more ranked foes before the close of the regular season.
With a just over a month remaining before the final rankings, who will remain standing when the dust settles?