Top 5 unchanged, LSU jumps to No. 6 in latest CFP rankings
The top five teams remained the same in the latest College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday, with Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, TCU, and Tennessee maintaining their places after wins this past weekend.
TCU faced the biggest test of the weekend with a road game at Texas, but the Horned Frogs' defense had its best game of the season in holding the Longhorns' offense to just three points. That effort was enough to keep Sonny Dykes' outfit ahead of the Volunteers after they pounded Missouri 66-24.
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | 10-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 10-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Michigan | 10-0 | 3 |
| 4 | TCU | 10-0 | 4 |
Oregon's loss at home saw the Ducks fall out of the No. 6 slot to No. 12, with LSU taking their place after the Tigers beat Arkansas. Brian Kelly's outfit clinched the SEC West with the victory and is guaranteed to face the top-ranked Bulldogs in the conference title game in early December. Should LSU win out, the Tigers would be poised to be the first two-loss team in the history of the CFP to make the semifinals.
While LSU gets the chance to take down the top-ranked Bulldogs, the Volunteers' massive 40-13 win in Baton Rouge earlier this year could keep Tennessee ahead in the rankings.
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Tennessee | 9-1 | 5 |
| 6 | LSU | 8-2 | 7 |
USC took advantage of Oregon's fall to grab the No. 7 slot, making Lincoln Riley's Trojans the top-ranked Pac-12 team. That conference takes center stage this weekend with USC's matchup against No. 16 UCLA and No. 10 Utah facing the 12th-ranked Ducks.
Alabama moved up one spot to No. 8 following its road win at No. 14 Ole Miss on Saturday, while Clemson's dominant victory over Louisville saw the Tigers grab the No. 9 slot.
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | USC | 9-1 | 8 |
| 8 | Alabama | 8-2 | 9 |
| 9 | Clemson | 9-1 | 10 |
| 10 | Utah | 8-2 | 13 |
| 11 | Penn State | 8-2 | 14 |
| 12 | Oregon | 8-2 | 6 |
| 13 | North Carolina | 9-1 | 15 |
| 14 | Ole Miss | 8-2 | 11 |
| 15 | Kansas State | 7-3 | 19 |
| 16 | UCLA | 8-2 | 12 |
| 17 | Washington | 8-2 | 25 |
| 18 | Notre Dame | 7-3 | 20 |
| 19 | Florida State | 7-3 | 23 |
| 20 | UCF | 8-2 | 22 |
| 21 | Tulane | 8-2 | 17 |
| 22 | Oklahoma State | 7-3 | NR |
| 23 | Oregon State | 7-3 | NR |
| 24 | NC State | 7-3 | 16 |
| 25 | Cincinnati | 8-2 | NR |
While this weekend's action is centered on the Pac-12 matchups, the blockbuster rivalry game between Michigan and Ohio State on the season's final day will go a long way in determining the semifinals. The Buckeyes' opening-game victory over Notre Dame has aged very well with the Irish now inside the top 20 of the rankings, while the Wolverines' non-conference schedule featured zero Power 5 opponents.