An exciting journey to the national championship has begun with the release of the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings for 2024. Oregon is ranked first, followed by Miami, Georgia, and Ohio State. The top 25 and important details about this year’s playoff contenders are broken down below.
Contents
- 1 Week 11 College Football Playoff Rankings: Top 25
- 2 12-Team Predicted Playoff Bracket
- 3 Initial Round Games
- 4 Georgia and Ohio State Fight for No. 2
- 5 The Unexpected Ranking of Indiana
- 6 Teams with two losses get into the playoff picture
- 7 Representation at conferences
- 8 Candidates for the Late-Season Playoffs
- 9 Final thoughts on the rankings for the college football playoffs
Week 11 College Football Playoff Rankings: Top 25
Oregon secures the top position.
Oregon, who is undefeated, begins at number one, their highest CFP rating since they were ranked number two in 2014. The Ducks’ victories over No. 2 Ohio State and No. 12 Boise State solidify their top spot with a 9-0 record. The difficulty Oregon faces is highlighted by the fact that only Alabama in 2020 has maintained its top spot from the first rankings to the title game.
12-Team Predicted Playoff Bracket
If the CFP were to commence today, the top four seedings would be as follows:
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Miami
- BYU
Georgia and Miami come in second and third, respectively, after Oregon. Miami is still undefeated, while Georgia’s remarkable victory over Texas is the reason for their improved rating. Despite having a No. 9 ranking, BYU, which is predicted to win the Big 12, earns the final first-round bye as the fourth seed. Boise State, right behind the Cougars at No. 12, leaves little room for error.
Initial Round Games
The first round in the proposed 12-team system would look like this:
Alabama at No. 5 Texas; No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 6 Penn State; No. 12 Boise State at No. 2 Ohio State
Tennessee is at No. 8 against No. 9 in Indiana.
The top seeds go to the four conference winners with the highest rankings in this format, and the fifth-ranked conference champion is assured a postseason berth.
Georgia and Ohio State Fight for No. 2
In this week’s rankings, Ohio State is ahead of Georgia even though both teams have one loss. Georgia lost to No. 11 Alabama, and Ohio State’s only loss was to top-ranked Oregon. Despite not being a predicted league champion, the Buckeyes have a solid victory over No. 6 Penn State that guarantees them a first-round matchup.
The Unexpected Ranking of Indiana
Despite being unbeaten, Indiana’s comparatively poor schedule places it at No. 8, behind a number of one-loss teams. Notre Dame, ranked No. 10, wins handily over Texas A&M to make up for an upsetting setback to Northern Illinois. No matter how the season turns out, Notre Dame cannot finish higher than No. 5 as an independent
Teams with two losses get into the playoff picture
The CFP could potentially field a two-loss team for the first time. Two losing teams had previously been disqualified because there were only four teams. Alabama is still in the anticipated playoff lineup at number 11, the highest ranking among two-loss teams. Boise State, the fifth-highest conference champion, rounds out the field with the No. 12 seed.
Representation at conferences
With four teams apiece in the playoff projections, the SEC and Big Ten lead the rankings this year. The strength of these two dominant conferences is highlighted by the fact that other conferences only have one team represented.
Teams No. 13 on the Playoff Bubble Following an outstanding victory over Pittsburgh, ranked No. 18, SMU now leads the teams on the postseason bubble. SMU has a favorable remaining schedule, so if they keep up their performance, they could finish in the top 12. Ole Miss, LSU, and Texas A&M are also just outside the playoff cut in the SEC. These teams still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs with big wins in November as SEC games heat up.
Candidates for the Late-Season Playoffs
No. 17 Iowa State, No. 18 Pitt, and No. 20 Colorado are among the teams still vying for a postseason berth, and they might make their debuts with conference titles. Washington State, at number 21, has a difficult road ahead of them because they haven’t won a conference title. They must place in the top 11 to have a chance at a postseason berth, though, given their 7-1 record.
With an undefeated record of 8-0, No. 25 Army is currently the lowest-ranked team. Even though the Black Knights haven’t defeated a ranked team yet, they might go to the playoffs if they defeat Notre Dame in their November game.
Final thoughts on the rankings for the college football playoffs
As the season draws to a close, these preliminary rankings underscore the intense competition for a postseason berth. Every game will be important in the upcoming weeks as teams compete for a spot in the national championship, from Oregon’s perfect season to the surprising ascent of teams like BYU and Indiana.
