Clemson Remains in Top Four of College Football Playoff Poll

Tuesday’s rankings provide a snapshot of the committee’s thought process, but don’t read too much into them.

Alabama, as expected, was No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson. But the amusing thing, while the Wolverines, Huskies and Tigers are at the losing end of all the jokes, it doesn’t really change anything regarding their conference championship situation.

Is there any question who the best team in the country has been all year? CFP selection committee chairman Kirby Hocutt said shortly after the rankings were released that the committee viewed the Wolverines’ three wins over current top 10 teams favorably.

Penn State rounds out the top eight, and that is the line of demarcation at the moment. The top four teams in the final ranking that Sunday will square off in the Playoff Semifinals on December 31 at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

There was parity in the top-four, too. However, either Ohio State or MI is going to fall out following their rivalry game, so things are still ready to get wild. MI stays in the top four at #3 while Clemson, a loser to Pittsburgh, stayed in the top four as well.

Could be 1. Alabama 2.

Thoughts, takedowns and takeaways from Week 11, when No. 3 Clemson finally couldn’t seal the deal on a close game. They could win the rest of their games and not play for a conference championship and it could give them an advantage of not having to face No. 7 Wisconsin.

Another tough matchup next week will be when Louisville travels to Houston to take on the 8-2 Cougars, who knocked off Oklahoma week 1 of the season. Colorado (8-2) round out the top 10. The Cowboys’ home loss to Central Michigan earlier in the season could keep a Big 12 champion Oklahoma State out of the semifinals. LSU, 17. Florida State, 18.

A win over Kentucky propelled Tennessee (7-3) back into the rankings as the Vols wind up at No. 19.

Hocuff did explain the decision to put Boise State ahead of the Broncos. Although it has been very bad this year, Michigan State still has the talent to defeat the Nittany Lions.

Stock down: Texas A&M.

Washington is a distant sixth with Oklahoma and Penn State fighting (closely at that) for the No. 7 spot.

The Huskies were among last week’s Top 4 teams to fall as well. Behind him, Louisville has averaged 49.6 points per game, which ranks first in the nation and included a 63-20 win against then-No.

The only other remaining unbeaten besides Alabama is No. 14 Western Michigan (10-0). I’m not really sure why that move came this week, but it was inevitable.

Before Boise State fans can start buying tickets to a New Year’s Six Bowl game they need help from the Cowboys to lose one of their final two games. Virginia Tech and North Carolina dropped out after losing to unranked Atlantic Coast Conference rivals.Baylor is also out of the rankings for the first time this season.