In less than one week, the College Football Playoff field will finally be selected. Is the committee on the correct path?
With the regular season over, the field for the inaugural 12-team playoff is starting to take shape as conference championship week has arrived. Regardless whether teams play this week or not, several squads are still trying to make arguments as to why they should be in the field, or why they should have home-field advantage in the first round.
This weekend is the final chance to not only impress the selection committee, but erase all doubt by punching the automatic ticket to the playoff. The penultimate rankings give some hints as to what can unfold on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean it’s all correct. Here are the grades for the selection committee’s choices in the latest rankings reveal.
1. Oregon: A+
After a perfect regular season, the Ducks head into the Big Ten championship game with a playoff spot secured, and even the top seed.
2. Texas: A
The win against Texas A&M wasn’t all that impressive from an offensive standpoint, but the ranking could be justified with a revenge win over Georgia.
3. Penn State: A-
Penn State suddenly finds itself with a chance to get a first-round bye. However, it should drop a few spots if the Nittany Lions can’t beat Oregon.
4. Notre Dame: B+
With the way Notre Dame has been playing, the Fighting Irish have a case to be ranked over Penn State. Regardless, they can’t be any higher than the No. 5 seed, which it has locked up.
5. Georgia: B
Barely surviving Georgia Tech will assure the Bulldogs make the playoff, even if they don’t play pretty. If Georgia loses to Texas, how far it drops off will be something to watch on Sunday.
6. Ohio State: D
Yes, Ohio State has beaten Penn State and Indiana. Yet they lost to a horrible Michigan team. The Buckeyes should have dropped more than this and shouldn’t be in position to host a playoff game.
7. Tennessee: C-
The Volunteers have to be fuming if they have to play on the road even after Ohio State’s disastrous performance. Tennessee has a case to be the home team in the first round.
8. Southern Methodist: A
Take care of business in the ACC title game and SMU will be a top-three seed in the bracket. If SMU does lose to Clemson, it shouldn’t drop entirely out of the playoff field.
9. Indiana: A
Sitting pretty at No. 9, Indiana is feeling comfortable in its playoff spot, even if it’s a near certainty the Hoosiers will have to play on the road.
10. Boise State: B+
Win and it’s in for Boise State. Lose and the Broncos will be outside of the playoff field. Boise State has a healthy lead over the Big 12 for one of the top four spots.
11. Alabama: C-
All Alabama can do is hope and pray the favorites win in conference title week so it can’t be bumped out of the playoff field. However, the Crimson Tide don’t have the makeup of a playoff team.
12. Miami: D
Miami deserved to fall after losing to Syracuse. But to fall six spots down against a team now ranked and behind Alabama with virtually no chance to move up? The Hurricanes got a bit screwed.
13. Mississippi: A-
Mississippi won’t be sniffing the playoff thanks to the damaging losses it suffered against unranked teams. The Rebels shouldn’t be near the field.
14. South Carolina: C-
South Carolina did lose to Mississippi, but the resume is far more impressive than what the Rebels have done. The Gamecocks deserve somewhat of a chance into the playoff, and now that isn’t going to happen.
15. Arizona State: F
By being five spots behind Boise State, Arizona State has an extremely hard path toward getting a first-round bye even if it wins the Big 12, which isn’t right for a team playing as good as the Sun Devils.
16. Iowa State: C-
Right behind Arizona State, Iowa State has the same argument as the Sun Devils in it doesn’t have much of a shot toward not being the No. 12 seed in the bracket if it wins.
17. Clemson: B
The ranking doesn’t really matter since Clemson is playing a ‘win and in’ contest in the ACC championship game.
18. Brigham Young: A-
It’s a shame to see how far BYU fell after it was undefeated a few weeks ago. The Cougars do have a case to be ranked higher than Clemson given the quality of victories.
19. Missouri: C-
Missouri’s best win was against Vanderbilt. Doesn’t really mean the Tigers should be in the top 20.
20. UNLV: A-
Tulane’s loss really benefitted UNLV toward being a spoiler in the bracket. Beat Boise State and UNLV is in the playoff and ready to cause havoc.
21. Illinois: B-
Illinois didn’t really impress much this season, but ending the season on a three-game win streak is enough for it to be ranked.
22. Syracuse: A
After shocking Miami with an incredible comeback, Syracuse makes a triumphant debut into the rankings to cap off a great victory.
23. Colorado: A-
Colorado doesn’t have a chance to get into the College Football Playoff, but the Buffaloes had a strong season that deserves a ranking.
24. Army: C-
With the only loss coming against a red-hot Notre Dame, Army has to hate that it doesn’t have a path toward the playoff even if it wins the American Athletic then beats Navy.
25. Memphis: B+
What better way to reward Memphis than by ranking the team that ended the American Athletic’s small chance of stealing a playoff bid?