Oregon, Ohio State move up in top-4 in College Football Playoff rankings
Georgia (9-0) remained in the top spot for the second week in a row in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs, who already clinched the SEC East, travel to Knoxville to take on Tennessee Saturday.
Alabama (8-1) also remained unchanged at No. 2 despite struggling in a win against LSU.
Oregon (8-1) moved up a spot to No. 3 after Michigan State’s (8-1) loss to Purdue. The
Ducks won their fourth straight game by beating Washington, 26-16.
Ohio State (8-1) also moved up, to No. 4, after beating Nebraska. It was the seventh straight win for the Buckeyes, who remain behind Oregon because of their loss to the Ducks, 35-28 on Sept. 11.
Cincinnati (9-0) couldn’t crack the top 4 despite knocking off Tulsa, 28-20. The Bearcats needed a late goal-line stand to hold off the Golden Hurricane.
Michigan (8-1) and Michigan State (8-1) rounded out the top seven.
This is the second of six weekly rankings released by the 13-member selection committee, with the final standings revealed on Sunday,
Dec. 5. Those rankings will determine the four semifinalists along with the teams taking part in the New Year’s Six bowl games.
The two semifinals, which rotate annually, will take place in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl and in Miami at the Orange Bowl 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 would be eligible to 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 slated for Monday, Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The selection committee is composed of chairman Gary Barta, Mitch Barnhart, Paola Boivin, Tom Burman, Charlie Cobb, Boo Corrigan,
Rick George, Will Shields, Gene Taylor, Joe Taylor, John Urschel, Rod West and Tyrone Willingham.
Playoff rankings
1. Georgia 2. Alabama 3. Oregon
4. Ohio State 5. Cincinnati 6. Michigan 7. Michigan State 8. Oklahoma 9. Notre Dame
10. Oklahoma State 11. Texas A&M
12. Wake Forest
13. Baylor
14. BYU
15. Ole Miss
16. NC State
17. Auburn
18. Wisconsin
19. Purdue
20. Iowa
21. Pittsburgh
22. San Diego State 23. UTSA
24. Utah
25. Arkansas
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