The second Saturday of November—and the first with the College Football Playoff rankings taking precedence over the AP Poll—proved an intriguing litmus test for a number of CFP contenders.
No. 2 Indiana, facing its scare of the year at Penn State, battled back to down the Nittany Lions on a magnificent game-winning catch. No. 9 Oregon mucked through an 18–16 win over No. 20 Iowa in Iowa City. No. 3 Texas A&M, in the midst of its finest year since its Southwest Conference days, proved its mettle by hammering No. 22 Missouri.
Here’s a look at how the CFP committee might reshuffle the Top 25 deck as the end of the regular season draws ever closer.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes: 9-0 (6-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 34–10 at Purdue
Week 12: Home vs. UCLA
2. Texas A&M Aggies: 9-0 (6-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 38–17 at Missouri
Week 12: Home vs. South Carolina
3. Indiana Hoosiers: 10-0 (7-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 27–24 at Penn State
Week 12: Home vs. Wisconsin
4. Alabama Crimson Tide: 8-1 (6-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 20–9 vs. LSU
Week 12: Home vs. Oklahoma
5. Georgia Bulldogs: 8-1 (6-1 SEC)
This Week: Won 41–17 at Mississippi State
Week 12: Home vs. Texas
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders: 9-1 (6-1 Big 12)
This Week: Won 29–7 vs. BYU
Week 12: Home vs. UCF
7. Oregon Ducks: 8-1 (5-1 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 18–16 at Iowa
Week 12: Home vs. Minnesota
8. Ole Miss Rebels: 9-1 (7-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 49–0 vs. The Citadel
Week 12: Home vs. Florida
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 7-2
This Week: Won 49–10 vs. Navy
Week 12: Away at Pitt
10. Texas Longhorns: 7-2 (4-1 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Away at Georgia
11. Oklahoma Sooners: 7-2 (3-2 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Away at Alabama
12. BYU Cougars: 8-1 (5-1 Big 12)
This Week: Lost 29–7 at Texas Tech
Week 12: Home vs. TCU
13. Utah Utes: 7-2 (4-2 Big 12)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Away at Baylor
14. Vanderbilt Commodores: 8-2 (4-2 SEC)
This Week: Won 45–38 vs. Auburn
Week 12: Idle
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 8-1 (5-1 ACC)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Away at Boston College
16. Miami Hurricanes: 7-2 (3-2 ACC)
This Week: Won 38–10 vs. Syracuse
Week 12: Home vs. NC State
17. USC Trojans: 7-2 (5-1 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 38–17 vs. Northwestern
Week 12: Home vs. Iowa
18. Michigan Wolverines: 7-2 (5-1 Big Ten)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Away at Northwestern
19. Pitt Panthers: 7-2 (5-1 ACC)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Home vs. Notre Dame
20. Tennessee Volunteers: 6-3 (3-3 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 12: Home vs. New Mexico State
21. Cincinnati Bearcats: 7-2 (5-1 Big 12)
This Week: Idle
Next Week: Home vs. Arizona
22. James Madison Dukes: 8-1 (6-0 Sun Belt)
This Week: Won 35–23 at Marshall
Next Week: Home vs. Appalachian State
23. North Texas Mean Green: 8-1 (4-1 American)
This Week: Idle
Next Week: Away at UAB
24. Virginia Cavaliers: 8-2 (5-1 ACC)
This Week: Lost 16–9 vs. Wake Forest
Week 12: Away at Duke
25. Louisville Cardinals: 7-2 (4-2 ACC)
This Week: Lost 29–26 vs. California
Week 12: Home vs. Clemson
Dropped From Rankings: No. 20 Iowa, No. 22 Missouri, No. 23 Washington
Others Considered: Iowa, Missouri, South Florida, SMU
