Top 4 teams unchanged in rankings

Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Michigan were at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday night, marking the first time in the five-year history of the postseason system that the same teams held the first four spots for three straight weeks.

Unlike last week, there was a little movement in the top 10. Central Florida moved up two spots to No. 9. The Knights became the first team from outside the Power Five conferences to be ranked in the selection committee’s top 10.

Georgia remained No. 5, followed by Oklahoma at sixth. LSU remained seventh, Washington State held at 8 and Ohio State stayed at 10th.

No. 11 was Florida, which could help the Gators secure a New Year’s Six bowl bid. Penn State is 12th.

The Cotton and Orange bowls will serve as the semifinals, with the national championship game Jan. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. UMass coaching change: A person familiar with the decision says Massachusetts is working on parting ways with head coach Mark Whipple, who has led the Minutemen to just 16 victories in six seasons during his second stint at the school.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because details of a deal were still being arranged. Whipple, 61, has two years remaining on a contract that pays $500,000 annually in base salary.

UMass finished this season 4-8, the same mark as last year. There was optimism the struggling independent program could take a modest step forward.

Whipple coached UMass from 1998 through 2003 when it was competing at the FCS level. He went 49-26 during that stint, with a national title in 1998. Reprimand: Texas defensive end Breckyn Hager was publicly reprimanded by the Big 12 on Monday for violating the conference’s sportsmanship and ethical conduct policy after he made a disparaging joke about Oklahoma to a reporter after the Longhorns’ last game.

Conference rules prohibit coaches, student-athletes, athletic department staff and university personnel from making negative comments about other member institutions.

Texas released a statement from Hager, a senior and Austin, Texas, native. He said he meant the comment to be “lighthearted” and that he has the “utmost respect” for Oklahoma and its football program.

Texas beat Oklahoma 48-45 this season.