Projecting the College Football Playoff Rankings for Week 13

Washington quarterback Michael Penix led the Huskies to a gigantic road win at Oregon State, and put himself in the driver’s seat for the Heisman Trophy.

On the penultimate week of the college football regular season, there were very few upsets, but plenty of exciting games across the sport.

No. 5 Washington went into a very hostile road environment in Corvallis to escape with a win over No. 11 Oregon State, 22–20. Huskies quarterback Michael Penix put himself in the driver’s seat for the Heisman Trophy, as he accounted for three total touchdowns in brutal weather conditions to lead the Huskies to another victory.

Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, No. 4 Florida State cruised to a 58–13 win over North Alabama, but the story was the gruesome ankle injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis. Travis was taken down by a hip-drop tackle in the first half and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. While not yet official, he won’t play the rest of the season, which dramatically alters the College Football Playoff landscape. The Seminoles could certainly still make the College Football Playoff, but it’s unlikely they have the ceiling of a true national title contender without Travis in the lineup.

Here’s Sports Illustrated‘s projected College Football Playoff Top 25 heading into the final week of the regular season.

The Projected Ranking

1. Georgia Bulldogs: 11-0 (8-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 38–10 at No. 18 Tennessee

Week 13: Away at Georgia Tech

2. Ohio State Buckeyes: 11-0 (8-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 37–3 vs. Minnesota

Week 13: Away at Michigan

3. Michigan Wolverines: 11-0 (8-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 31–24 at Maryland

Week 13: Home vs. Ohio State

4. Washington Huskies: 11-0 (8-0 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 22–20 at No. 11 Oregon State

Week 13: Home vs. Washington State

5. Florida State Seminoles: 11-0 (8-0 ACC)

This Week: Won 58–13 vs. North Alabama

Week 13: Away at Florida

6. Oregon Ducks: 10-1 (7-1 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 49–13 at Arizona State

Week 13: Home vs. Oregon State

7. Texas Longhorns: 10-1 (7-1 Big 12)

This Week: Won 26–16 at Iowa State

Week 13: Home vs. Texas Tech

8. Alabama Crimson Tide: 10-1 (7-0 Big 12)

This Week: Won 66–10 vs. Chattanooga

Week 13: Away at Auburn

9. Missouri Tigers: 9-2 (5-2 SEC)

This Week: Won 33–31 vs. Florida

Week 13: Away at Arkansas

10. Louisville Cardinals: 10-1 (7-1 ACC)

This Week: Won 38–31 at Miami

Week 13: Home vs. Kentucky

11. Penn State Nittany Lions: 9-2 (6-2 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 27–6 vs. Rutgers

Week 13: Away at Michigan State

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12. Ole Miss Rebels: 9-2 (5-2 SEC)

This Week: Won 35–3 vs. UL Monroe

Week 13: Away at Mississippi State

13. Oregon State Beavers: 8-3 (5-3 Pac-12)

This Week: Loss 22–20 vs. No. 5 Washington

Week 13: Away at Oregon

14. Oklahoma Sooners: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)

This Week: Won 31–24 at BYU

Week 13: Home vs. TCU

15. LSU Tigers: 8-3 (5-2 SEC)

This Week: Won 56–14 vs. Georgia State

Week 13: Home vs. Texas A&M

16. Arizona Wildcats: 8-3 (6-2 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 42–18 vs. No. 22 Utah

Week 13: Away at Arizona State

17. Iowa Hawkeyes: 9-2 (6-2 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 15–13 vs. Illinois

Week 13: Away at Nebraska

18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 8-3

This Week: Won 45–7 vs. Wake Forest

Week 13: Away at Stanford

19. Kansas State Wildcats: 8-3 (6-2 Big 12)

This Week: Won 31–27 vs. No. 25 Kansas

Week 13: Home vs. Iowa State

20. Oklahoma State Cowboys: 8-3 (6-2 Big 12)

This Week: Won 43–30 at Houston

Week 13: Home vs. BYU

21. Tulane Green Wave: 10-1 (7-0 American)

This Week: Won 24–8 at Florida Atlantic

Week 13: Home vs. UTSA

22. NC State Wolfpack: 8-3 (5-2 ACC)

This Week: Won 35–28 at Virginia Tech

Week 13: Home vs. North Carolina

23. Clemson Tigers: 7-4 (4-4 ACC)

This Week: Won 31–20 vs. No. 20 North Carolina

Week 13: Away at South Carolina

24. Toledo Rockets: 10-1 (7-0 MAC)

This Week: Won 32–31 at Bowling Green

Week 13: Home vs. Miami (OH)

25. Liberty Flames: 11-0 (7-0 Conference USA)

This Week: Won 49–25 vs. UMass

Week 13: Away at UTEP

Dropped from Rankings: No. 18 Tennessee, No. 20 North Carolina, No. 22 Utah, No. 25 Kansas

Others Considered: Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Fresno State