Nicole Auerbach, Seth Emerson, Austin Meek and Cameron Teague Robinson
Georgia was ranked No. 1 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 are the first two teams out of playoff contention.
- The top four teams are all 10-0, and Michigan and Ohio State square off in a Big Ten showdown on Nov. 25.
| CFP Rk | group | Register | previous | 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 |
|
|
8 |
9-1 |
8 |
8 |
|
|
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 |
NR |
|
|
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 |
NR |
Evaluating the team’s results
The team made the right call to move Georgia to the No. 1 spot, and now the Dawgs have two of their best wins over any opponent (over Missouri and Ole Miss). The only concern I have about the top six is that Washington falls behind Florida State — despite a strong resume that includes a win over No. 6 Oregon. I’m surprised there hasn’t been a change in the rankings so far this season, especially since this week we see the selection committee adjust to No. 1 for the same reason. — Nicole Auerbach, senior CFB writer
Why Georgia is No. 1
It feels important, as Georgia fans and programs alike have long enjoyed the experience of obsessing over these rankings. First, it’s a nice reward for how Georgia has played lately. More importantly, it sets up the Bulldogs to sustain a loss.
Adequate committee members clearly appreciate what Kirby Smart’s team has done on the field, including a schedule that looks better than it did earlier in the season. If Georgia loses this weekend at Tennessee or in the SEC Championship against Alabama, it will be difficult to fall out of the top four. (A loss at unranked Georgia Tech, meanwhile, would be tough to take.) A lot will depend on what happens elsewhere, but Georgia is in a stronger position now than it was two weeks ago. — Seth Emerson, Georgia Beat writer
Surprising Ohio State dropout?
This is what I expected. After a win over Ole Miss, Georgia deserves to move past Ohio State, but again this ranking doesn’t mean much to the Buckeyes. Ohio State still has one of the best resumes in the nation, but the Nov. 25 matchup in Ann Arbor is going to determine whether it makes the College Football Playoff. Fortunately for Ohio State, it appears to be playing its best football of the season right now, despite being upstaged by Georgia.
Everything lies ahead for Ohio State. Defeat Minnesota on Saturday and then game. Those are the most important things for the Buckeyes right now, as top-ranked Ohio State controls its own destiny. — Cameron Teague Robinson, Ohio State beat writer
Michigan still has a chance at No. 1
The “Michigan doesn’t play anybody” argument ended after the Wolverines beat No. 12 ranked Penn State this week. That 24-15 victory wasn’t enough to move the Wolverines ahead of Ohio State or Georgia, but it put them firmly in the top four. After a long wait for their first test, Michigan got a big matchup, playing a talented Penn State team the day after Jim Harbaugh was suspended. They were undefeated and would be the No. 1 seed if they win their next two games against Maryland and Ohio State. — Austin Meek, Michigan Beat Writer
Required reading
(Photo: Brett Davis/USA Today)
