However, all is not lost for the Volunteers. Slipping into the No. 5 spot, Tennessee still has a chance to make the four-team field given the strength of its wins to this point, as it has the best loss in the nation. Reminder: All but one team was ranked No. 1 in the initial CFP single-season rankings and eventually made the playoffs (Mississippi State, 2014). Undefeated teams fill out the rest of the top four with Ohio State, Michigan and TCU occupying the next three spots in order. However, even if the Buckeyes and Wolverines go through the next two weeks unscathed, an unbeaten streak will fall on Nov. 26 when the Big Ten rivals meet. The Horned Frogs landed in the top four for the second time in program history (2014). Despite a 46-point loss to new No. 1 Georgia in Week 1, Oregon is ahead of USC and UCLA as the Pac-12’s top team as the league looks to enter the CFP for the first time since 2016. LSU is Notably the highest ranked two-loss team at No. 7. The Bayou Bengals have an inside track to meet the Dawgs in the SEC Championship and if LSU wins, they will have a chance to become the first two-loss team to earn a CFP quote. Veterans Alabama and Clemson took a significant dip after respective losses to LSU and Notre Dame last week. It is the first time in the history of the CFP rankings that no program is among the six highest-ranked teams in a top-25 edition. The Crimson Tide fell three spots to No. 9, effectively eliminating them from playoff consideration with two losses, while the Tigers fell six spots to No. 10. One-loss Clemson still has a chance to jump back into the playoff field. four-team , however, as a possible meeting with North Carolina in the ACC Championship could provide a late boost to the ratings. But he may need some help to get there. Let’s take a look at the entire top 25 in the CFP rankings. Check out bowl expert Jerry Palm’s analysis below.
College Football Playoff Rankings, November 8
Analysis by bowls expert Jerry Palm
Tennessee’s fall is a bit harsh. He lost on the road to the best team in the country, which frankly, the CFP Selection Committee should have seen last week. The Vols are the only team in this week’s rankings to have three wins over other teams in the rankings. Two of those came against teams currently in the top 10. Their 27-point win at LSU is the second-best by anyone this season behind Georgia’s 46-point win over Oregon. TCU, meanwhile, is finally getting the respect the Horned Frogs feel they deserve. The Big 12 has quality depth at the top of the conference this season, which helps the Frogs’ schedule. However, TCU has struggled to dominate games the way the committee wants to see, with an average scoring margin in FBS games less than half the scoring margins for Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan. It’s strange to see Alabama and Clemson so far down the list. This is the first time the committee has released a top 25 that did not have at least one of those teams in the top four. The Tide has been in seven of the eight playoffs so far, while the Tigers have appeared in six. No other team has participated in more than four. Clemson still has hopes of getting back into the top four at the end. The Tigers would need to win to finish 12-1. As the conference champion, Clemson would certainly be in serious consideration for a top-four finish at that point. The road is tougher for Alabama. The Tide don’t control their own destiny in the SEC West, so they need to win and lose to LSU twice. Then, if Alabama beats Georgia to win the SEC championship, even at 11-2, it would be back in the CFP. Ole Miss is better off as Alabama because the Rebels only have one loss, so they would only need LSU to lose once to take the division. As it stands, LSU is in prime position to become the first two-loss team to make a CFP appearance. The Tigers have their schedule wrapped up, though I wouldn’t blindly buy wins at Arkansas or Texas A&M. The big hurdle is Georgia, of course. The highest-ranked team without a path to the CFP is Utah at No. 13. The Utes could win the Pac-12, but their 11-2 record wouldn’t carry the same weight as the same record for the LSU or Alabama.
