Oklahoma safely 3 in CFP rankings; Stanford, Ohio St lurking

Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Iowa are the top four teams in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Clemson, S.C.- Clemson was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the College Football Playoff Poll released Tuesday night, December 1. If Iowa is that team, Ohio State (11-1) still has a chance to be ranked in the top four, but a Hawkeyes loss to the Spartans obviously looks better for the Buckeyes’ resume. Alabama 11-1 3. Oklahoma 11-1 4. It is likely however, that the victor of the Big 10 title game will be ranked #3 ahead of Oklahoma, assuming Alabama and Clemson both hoist conference title trophies.

Clemson’s ACC championship opponent, North Carolina, moved up four spots but only to No. 10, which means it would have to make a huge jump to crack the top four. And some analysts say a scenario that would push Oklahoma out of the top four is virtually nonexistent.

Seeking proof positive about the tie-breaking value of a conference championship, here’s hoping Alabama or Clemson loses on Saturday. The Irish went 3-2 against ranked teams, beating No. 20 USC, No. 22 Temple and No. 23 Navy by a combined 31 points while losing to No. 1 Clemson and No. 7 Stanford by a combined 4 points. The Seminoles rode their 27-2 victory to a No. 9 ranking this week.

Iowa is No. 4 (12-0) and Michigan State (11-1) is No. 5, setting up a playoff play-in game in Saturday’s Big Ten title game.

Oklahoma, despite its loss to Texas early in the season, is a lock because the Sooners are finished playing.

North Carolina is finally cracked the top 10 in the College Football Playoff Rankings.

Michigan State (11-1) is fifth and Ohio State (11-1) is No. 6. MS (9-3), 14. Northwestern (10-2), 15.

Due to the Big 12 tiebreakers, Baylor actually clinched the conference title in the final week of the season, forcing the committee to elevate the Bears above the Horned Frogs. The only undefeated Power Five conference champion will be in the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

After a one-week hiatus, USC returns to the CFP rankings fresh off a victory over crosstown rival UCLA.

One of the candidates meeting with Miami was the man who put together that championship roster, former Hurricanes coach Butch Davis, a source told the Sun Sentinel. A loss by Clemson could mean chaos for the top 4, putting the North Carolina Tar Heels in direct contention for a spot but leaving open the possibility of a two loss Pac 12 champion Stanford sneaking in through the back door.

One of just five “Power 5” teams with only one loss so far, the Tar Heels remain a long shot for inclusion because they would need to climb six spots in one week. North Carolina is riding an 11-game winning streak after dropping their opener to SC. “I think the Big Ten is in”, Dantonio said at a press conference. Noble by the Tigers but it’s doubtful the other 5-7 teams will have their same sense of chivalry.

The chances of the upsets are remote and there are good reasons to keep Ohio State out of the discussion, but what evidence supports another Buckeye-filled (with, in all likelihood, two Big Ten teams) playoff? The College Football Playoff committee has injected life back into a team that thought it might have to get excited about a Rose Bowl. Stanford has beaten two ranked teams in No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 20 Southern California.

With Treon Harris at quarterback, there is no way Florida can win unless Alabama turns the ball over five times as it did in the loss to Ole Miss.