College Football Playoff Projections After Rivalry Week
By Mark Powell
Rivalry week went about as expected for every team not named the Alabama Crimson Tide. With the Tigers' upset of Bama, Nick Saban's group falls out of College Football Playoff contention, opening up the rankings to the likes of Oklahoma, Baylor and Utah.
7. Baylor Bears
Baylor took care of business against Kansas on Saturday, defeating the Jayhawks handily, 61-6. Style points matter, but Baylor's only chance at a CFP spot remains in the Big 12 Championship Game, where they must beat Oklahoma and hope Utah loses to Oregon in the Pac-12 Title Game. Not to mention, LSU must also hand Georgia their second loss in Atlanta.
6. Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma won by double-digits in Bedlam, and the gap between them and Utah is growing ever-smaller. The Sooners' SOS is a clear advantage over the Utes, and they'll be playing a higher-ranked team in Baylor for their Conference championship, so perhaps that'll persuade the committee to move OU into the Playoff in two weeks should Georgia lose to LSU. But for now, they're a clear No. 6.
5. Utah Utes
The Rumble in the Rockies was close for about a quarter, and then Utah jumped all over the Buffs, rushing for 207 yards as a team to go with three touchdowns in a 45-15 romp. A convincing win in the Pac-12 Title Game may be necessary for the Utes to clinch that final CFP spot, paired with a Georgia loss, of course.
4. Georgia Bulldogs
The top-4 seems simple enough, as Georgia stomped Georgia Tech in some good, ol' fashioned hate. The Jackets never stood a chance, as the Dawgs have dominated the Peach State for the majority of the past decade. Georgia's next test vs LSU is far greater, and one they must pass should they want to remain in the top-4.
3. Clemson Tigers
Can someone tell Dabo Swinney the CFP committee isn't out to get him? Despite playing the weakest schedule among all Playoff contenders, last year's National Champions are squarely in the CFP conversation and should remain there unless they fall victim to Virginia in the ACC Championship Game.
2. LSU Tigers
LSU dropped the hammer on Texas A&M in Joe Burrow's final home game, making the committee think about which team truly deserves the top spot heading into Championship week. However, given Ohio State's status at the moment, they'll be tough to dethrone. LSU's high-powered offense, led by Burrow, faces a tough task against Georgia's defense next Saturday. Even should they lose, they're likely just playing for positioning at this point.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
A Justin Fields injury and an opening Michigan touchdown drive aside, the Buckeyes wiped away any concerns we might have about their competitiveness heading into postseason play in Ann Arbor on Saturday. Fields and JK Dobbins were dominant, and Ohio State's defense shaped up in the second half. OSU is a runaway No. 1 this week.