Cincinnati Jumps Up to No. 5 in Latest CFP Poll As Michigan Leapfrogs Michigan State

The Bearcats inch closer to making the playoff field, while the Wolverines curiously jump the Spartans.

It wouldn't be Tuesday without some curious decision made by the College Football Playoff committee.

In the group's second rankings reveal of the season, undefeated Cincinnati moved up one spot to No. 5, still on the outside looking in for a chance at winning a national championship. In what was perhaps a more head-scratching move, Michigan jumped Michigan State just 10 days after losing in a head-to-head matchup.

After "maybe a half hour" of discussion about those two teams, CFP committee chairman Gary Barta said the group reached the conclusion that Michigan was the better team, despite that piece of recent, clear-cut evidence.

“It was discussed that Michigan might be the more complete team—offensively, defensively, every statistic, Michigan is ahead of Michigan State," Barta said during the ESPN broadcast. "But the committee certainly gave Michigan (State) the nod, they were undefeated and they beat Michigan head-to-head. What’s different a week later? Michigan won, Michigan State lost. The discussion in the room went back-and-forth. But at the end of the day, we felt as a committee that Michigan was the better team to be ranked ahead of Michigan State.”

Michigan held a 30-14 lead midway through the third quarter before the Spartans went on a late run to win, 37-33.

Cincinnati sits one spot removed from the playoff field after narrowly escaping an upset from Tulsa on Saturday. The Bearcats needed a dramatic goal-line stand to keep Tulsa out of the end zone in the final minute of a 28-20 win.

Unbeaten Oklahoma remained at No. 8 after a bye week. The Sooners will have opportunities to move into the playoff picture this Saturday with a road game at No. 13 Baylor, followed by a home game against Iowa State and a road trip to No. 10 Oklahoma State to finish the regular season.