After big win, Wolverines vault to No. 2

Fresh off its monumental win over Ohio State, Michigan landed at the No. 2 spot in the penultimate edition of the College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night.

It’s the highest ranking for the Wolverines (11-1), who reached No. 3 in 2016, and comes on the heels of their 42-27 victory over the Buckeyes.

Michigan can secure its first outright Big Ten title since 2003 by defeating No. 13 Iowa in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

A victory over the Hawkeyes also should be enough to help the Wolverines earn their first semifinal berth.

Georgia (12-0) took the top spot for the fifth straight week after blanking Georgia Tech 45-0. The Bulldogs appear to be a lock for one of the four semifinals spots even though they still face Alabama in the SEC championship game on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (11-1) remained at No. 3 after needing a fourth-quarter rally and four overtimes to get past Auburn. Alabama would need a win over Georgia to avoid falling out of the top four.

Cincinnati (12-0) also stayed put at No. 4. The Bearcats, who hope to become the first Group of Five team to qualify for the semifinals, face No. 21 Houston in the American Athletic Conference championship on Saturday.

Oklahoma State (11-1) moved up to No. 5 with its 37-33 win over Oklahoma. The Cowboys will play for their first Big 12 title since 2011 when they take on No. 9 Baylor (10-2) in the Big 12 championship on Saturday.

Notre Dame (11-1) remained at No. 6 after wrapping up its regular season with a 45-14 win over Stanford. The Fighting Irish remain in the playoff mix but need wins by Georgia and Baylor to make it happen.

Ohio State, Ole Miss, Baylor and Oregon round out the top 10.

These are the fifth of six weekly rankings released by the 13-member selection committee, with the final standings revealed Sunday, Dec. 5. Those rankings will determine the four semifinalists and the teams participating in the New Year’s Six bowl games.

The two semifinals, which rotate annually, will occur at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and the Orange Bowl in Miamia on Friday, Dec. 31.

The Peach (Dec. 30), Fiesta (Jan. 1), Rose (Jan. 1) and Sugar (Jan. 1) bowls host the rest of the New Year’s Six games.

If Cincinnati doesn’t qualify for the semifinals, the Bearcats will earn an automatic spot in one of the New Year’s Six Access bowl games as the top-ranked conference champion from the Group of Five.

The College Football Playoff national championship game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 10, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.