As has seemingly been the case over the first few seasons with the College Football Playoff, the first installment of the rankings being revealed was followed up with chaos. Are we in store to one-up those previous years?
The first viewing of the polls were made public last week, presenting plenty of debate despite the rankings carrying zero weight. How do the rankings look this week?
Second #CFBPlayoff Rankings: Top 2️⃣5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/Mjp8GJgRgv
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) November 8, 2017
No change in the top four after that group takes care of business over this past weekend. However, there’s plenty of notable changes throughout the Top 25:
- After Ohio State and Penn State suffer losses, they tumble from No. 6 and 7, respectively, to No. 13 and 14. Michigan State takes the biggest week-to-week jump (in the history of the CFP, if I may add) up to No. 12 after upsetting the aforementioned Nittany Lions, setting up a juicy showdown between the Spartans and Buckeyes in Columbus this Saturday (Noon ET on Fox).
- Both Miami and Wisconsin benefit from OSU and PSU. The two “other” remaining undefeated Power 5 programs — aside from Georgia and Alabama — inch closer to the illustrious top four spots, but they both still need help, particularly Wisconsin. Good news for the Badgers is they now have two ranked teams on their schedule — one they’ve already beaten (Northwestern) and another upcoming (Iowa).
- There may be no better team prime to create complete havoc than No. 10 Auburn. The Tigers close out the season with three home games, including this Saturday against Georgia and the annual Iron Bowl rivalry vs. Alabama. Should they escape these final three games unblemished, they’ll oppose the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. Another victory then would very likely make them the first two-loss playoff representative in the young history of this system.
- Central Florida is still penciled in at No. 18 and controls their own destiny to represent the Group of 5 conferences in the New Year’s Six bowl games. The Golden Knights are the highest-ranked Group of 5 team through two weeks of the rankings in the four seasons of the playoff’s existence.
WHAT’S ON TAP?
Without question, the two most important games when it comes to playoff ramifications are Oklahoma vs. TCU and Notre Dame vs. Miami. The winner of each contest will almost certainly make a strong case to be in the top four come this time next week, while the respective losers will see their playoff hopes virtually vanished.
