Ohio State has dropped to No. 2 in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings, which were released Tuesday night. LSU has moved up a spot to No. 1 following their 46-41 win at Alabama on Saturday.
The Buckeyes beat Maryland 73-14 Saturday and now the question becomes whether or not Ohio State can regain the No. 1 spot if neither they nor the Tigers lose again this season.
LSU has regular season games against 4-6 Ole Miss, 2-8 Arkansas, and 6-3 Texas A&M. Only the Ole Miss game is on the road. They will then likely face No. 4 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Ohio State, meanwhile, travels to 2-7 Rutgers this weekend, then hosts No. 9 Penn State before traveling to No. 15 Michigan.
Appearing on ESPN, committee chair Rob Mullens said it was LSU’s win over Alabama, which was their fourth win over a ranked opponent, as the reason for moving the Tigers ahead of Ohio State.
If the Nittany Lions and Wolverines continue to win, could victories over those two teams — as well as a ranked opponent in the Big Ten Championship Game — push the Buckeyes past LSU?
No team in the Top 25 held their same rank from a week ago.
Following their win over the No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions, Minnesota jumped up nine spots to No. 8.
Baylor at No. 13 is the lowest-ranked 9-0 team of the CFP era. They dropped one spot to make room for the Gophers in the Top 10.
You can see the entire Top 25 below, including their respective previous rankings.
1. LSU (9-0) (Previous Rank: 2)
2. Ohio State (9-0) (1)
3. Clemson (10-0) (5)
4. Georgia (8-1) (6)
5. Alabama (8-1) (3)
6. Oregon (8-1) (7)
7. Utah (8-0) (8)
8. Minnesota (9-0) (17)
9. Penn State (8-1) (4)
10. Oklahoma (8-1) (9)
11. Florida (8-2) (10)
12. Auburn (7-2) (11)
13. Baylor (9-0) (12)
14. Wisconsin (7-2) (13)
15. Michigan (7-2) (14)
16. Notre Dame (7-2) (15)
17. Cincinnati (8-1) (20)
18. Memphis (8-1) (21)
19. Texas (6-3) (NR)
20. Iowa (6-3) (18)
21 Boise State (8-1) (22)
22 Oklahoma State (6-3) (23)
23. Navy (7-1) (24)
24. Kansas State (6-3) (16)
25. Appalachian State (8-1) (NR)
Georgia lost to South Carolina who lost to Appalachian State?? Clemson nearly loses to North Carolina who also lost to Appalachian State. SEC and ACC Champ is overrated. B1G proves itself in the bowls every year.
One thing I read, pretty sure it was Tom who put it in one of his numbers columns, but as of right now, Ohio State has beaten nine opponents by 24 points or more. Only 1 other team in all of college football history has done that and they’re considered by many the greatest college team – 1971 Nebraska. Based on that, just how is LSU even close? Because peoples’ opinions (rankings) say they’ve played a better slate than Ohio State? The metrics say LSU’s opposition is inferior to the Buckeyes’. And it’s not just 1 metric. Pick who you like – Sagarin, SP+, they ALL favor the Buckeyes. Food for thought.
I really don’t like having OSU #1 as there is only one place to go. LSU beat 3 top ten teams and beating AL there says something. I am not convinced the PSU is the powerhouse all claim it to be. Furthermore, MN won ONE, ONE very big game, a ver emotional game at home, with big plays, but were totally dominated in the fourth quarter. Like 160+ yards to 10. Don’t be surprised if IA tips over MN, and if IN pushes or beats PSU. OSU has its biggest games in front of them and OSU’s focus is on Rutgers, than Rest.
I don’t have a problem with LSU #1 and OSU #2. What’s ridiculous is Georgia knocking Alabama out of the top four. There’s something that doesn’t smell right with that. How does Alabama narrowly losing a hard fought game with the #1 team put them below Georgia in any universe? Last week it was Penn State that was ridiculously over ranked at #4. I’m calling bull on the committee’s lifting Georgia into that spot. Next week maybe they’ll stick Penn State back at #4 and the following week UM.
Let me add that I have no confidence in the Committee or in the integrity of the process and that the CFP is incompetent and corrupt and no better than what we had. Back to the drawing board.
Georgia is the UM of the South. They get ranked ridiculously high and never finish but there’s always next year.
Georgia thumped a top ten FL recently and beat ND. Who exactly has AL beaten?
They thumped them? 24-17 and fl. is playing the 2nd team qb. And could/should have lost to ky. ND has proven to be avg. at best, just like fl.
Neither al/ga will be in the top 4 at season’s end-cfp final 4
It was inevitable they’d fall with LSU beating Alabama and that’s justified. Eight touchdowns over Maryland might impress a couple of homers but get real, that was an open date.. A ten touchdown beatdown against Rutgers won’t mean that much either. The one spot drop is irrelevant but it will give bozos something to argue over.
Rather sad, really. ESPiN and cohorts make rankings where it’s mutually agreed that several SEC teams will be ranked highly every preseason. As the season progresses and some of those teams don’t pan out well in actual competition others are propped up based upon wins against FCS competition, middle-of-the-pack. Texas and Texas A&M are still being held forward as ‘quality wins’ despite each having 3 losses and zero quality wins themselves.
Georgia might have the worst loss of any team and they’re number four? Alabama has zero quality wins and in order for them to remain in the conversation they will give their ‘best win’ it’s third loss (optimistically)?
The Committee clearly doesn’t give a hoot for the actual numbers, which still have Ohio State ahead of LSU and most of the vaunted SEC quite a bit further down than they’re ranked.
I’m sure Tom’s recurring article on the numbers will bear this out and it’s a shame that Bill Connolly doesn’t bash his colleagues upside their heads that no, Virginia, the SEC ain’t all that.
The committee does whatever ESPN tells them to do. It’s mind control.
Funniest comments by ESPN:
Alabama’s loss doesn’t count cause Tua could barely walk. He had his career game – their defense stinks. Did they watch the game?
GA had an impressive win over ND (mentioned at least five times). Did they watch the game?
LSU is definitely in even if they lose the SEC Championship game. Fine by me if they are the only SEC team to get in.
Alabama’s best win is still better than anything Oregon or Utah did. False – Oregon won at Washington and at USC. Both of those teams are better than Texas A&M.
If they pick two SEC teams instead of a 12-1 conference champ, the B1G, the Pac 12 & the Big 12 should formulate the Big Fox playoffs next year and let the SEC play with themselves.
Nov 12, 2019 by Joe Smith
“The committee does whatever ESPN tells them to do. It’s mind control.“
And the committee all still believes in Santa Claus. SMH
I have no problem with the top three positions in the poll this week. After that it gets dicey. I’m impressed that the committee corrected Minnesota’s position by placing them in the top ten. I feel like Baylor should be there too.
The two highest ranked one-loss teams are both from the SEC (Georgia and Alabama), as are the two highest ranked two-loss teams (Florida and Auburn). Am I surprised? No. Frustrated? Somewhat. We get so much SEC bias from the media. It would be refreshing if the committee didn’t drink the Kool-Aid too.
If they beat ok. they will be. If they don’t they didn’t deserve to be anyhow.
Oh…why the heck is Texas at 19 with three losses and zero defense? Hmmm..
James- I agree with you and, by and large, the CFP committee does too. The exception is Alabama, who lost AT HOME and gave up 6 touchdowns doing so. The 5 spot for them is beyond generous. Out of spite for SEC and a desire for variety, I’m hoping LSU dusts UGA, Aub beats Ala, and Utah runs the table, forcing the CFP committee into a very untenable position with regard to their unnatural crush on the SEC. Keep winning Buckeyes!!
Alabama who has played and will continue to play a garbage schedule, and Georgia DO NOT belong where they’re ranked. Until someone proves that Minnesota and Baylor DON’T belong ranked ahead of them, they should be 4 and 5. Maybe the argument should be between PSU, Alabama, Georgia, Utah Oklahoma, and Oregon for spots 6 – 10. As long as there are unbeaten Power 5 schools………….tough shit that the rest couldn’t take care of their business.
Appreciate your words. GA beat ND and then FL convincingly. MN beat ONE decent team at home, (How hard is it to get up for just one game after a season of no bodys and have the marquee home game for the last… century?) and Baylor has basically beaten no one. Wonder if Tua wasn’t coming off of surgery and was able to wear off the rust if AL would of beaten LSU. A rusty Tua helped LSU in the first half. There are plenty of games left to sort this out, but I wouldn’t be shocked if IA dumps MN and IN pushes or beats PSU.