Projecting the College Football Playoff Top 25 for Conference Championship Week

Isaiah Bond’s late touchdown catch kept Alabama’s College Football Playoff hopes alive.

College football’s final week of the regular season did not disappoint.

With rivalry matchups abound across the sport, there was plenty of competitive football to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving weekend.

In the headliner of the week, No. 3 Michigan outlasted No. 2 Ohio State, 30–24, in the Big House, as the Wolverines won their third consecutive game in the rivalry and punched their ticket to the Big Ten title game. 

Elsewhere, No. 8 Alabama survived its trip to Auburn on a wing and a prayer, as a late fourth down touchdown pass by quarterback Jalen Milroe to Isaiah Bond brought the Crimson Tide from the brink and kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Right as that game finished up, No. 4 Washington ran a bonkers fourth down play from its own territory to keep a late drive alive against Washington State. Huskies kicker Grady Gross kicked a game-winning field goal later in the drive to keep Washington unbeaten and earn a scholarship in the process.

No. 6 Oregon moved into Sports Illustrated‘s CFP top four projection after demolishing No. 16 Oregon State, 31–7, in Eugene on Friday night. It turned out to be the final game of Jonathan Smith’s coaching tenure at Oregon State, as he was announced as Michigan State’s next coach on Saturday afternoon.

The team that Oregon jumped into the top four projection? Florida State.

The Seminoles survived their first test with backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker, edging out unranked Florida in Gainesville to remain unbeaten. With a win in next Saturday’s ACC title game over Louisville, the Seminoles will all but punch their ticket to the CFP. No undefeated Power Five conference champion has ever been left out of the four-team field.

There is still some opportunity for shuffling among the top teams in the country after conference championship week, but here’s SI‘s updated CFP projection as the race enters the homestretch.

Projected Ranking

1. Georgia Bulldogs: 12–0 (8–0 SEC)

This Week: Won 31–23 at Georgia Tech

Next Week: SEC Championship vs. Alabama

2. Michigan Wolverines: 12–0 (9–0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 30–24 vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Next Week: Big Ten Championship vs. Iowa

3. Washington Huskies: 12–0 (9–0 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 24–21 vs. Washington State

Next Week: Pac-12 Championship vs. Oregon

4. Oregon Ducks: 11–1 (8–1 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 31–7 vs. No. 16 Oregon State

Next Week: Pac-12 Championship vs. Washington

5. Florida State Seminoles: 12–0 (8–0 ACC)

This Week: Won 24–15 at Florida

Next Week: ACC Championship vs. Louisville

6. Ohio State Buckeyes: 11–1 (8–1 Big Ten)

This Week: Lost 30–24 at No. 3 Michigan

Next Week: No game

7. Texas Longhorns: 11–1 (8–1 Big 12)

This Week: Won 57–7 vs. Texas Tech

Next Week: Big 12 Championship vs. Oklahoma State

8. Alabama Crimson Tide: 11–1 (8–0 SEC)

This Week: Won 27–24 at Auburn

Next Week: SEC Championship vs. Georgia

9. Missouri Tigers: 10–2 (6–2 SEC)

This Week: Won 48–14 at Arkansas

Next Week: No game

10. Penn State Nittany Lions: 10–2 (7–2 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 42–0 at Michigan State

Next Week: No game

11. Ole Miss Rebels: 10–2 (6–2 SEC)

This Week: Won 17–7 at Mississippi State

Next Week: No game

12. Oklahoma Sooners: 10–2 (7–2 Big 12)

This Week: Won 69–45 vs. TCU

Next Week: No game

13. Louisville Cardinals: 10–2 (7–1 ACC)

This Week: Lost 38–31 vs. Kentucky

Next Week: ACC Championship vs. Florida State

14. LSU Tigers: 9–3 (6–2 SEC)

This Week: Won 42–30 vs. Texas A&M

Next Week: No game

15. Arizona Wildcats: 9–3 (7–2 Pac-12)

This Week: Won 59–23 at Arizona State

Next Week: No game

16. Iowa Hawkeyes: 10–2 (7–2 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 13–10 at Nebraska

Next Week: Big Ten Championship vs. Michigan

17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 9–3

This Week: Won 56–23 at Stanford

Next Week: No game

18. Oklahoma State Cowboys: 9–3 (7–2 Big 12)

This Week: Won 40–34 (2OT) vs. BYU

Next Week: Big 12 Championship vs. Texas

19. NC State Wolfpack: 9–3 (6–2 ACC)

This Week: Won 39–20 vs. North Carolina

Next Week: No game

20. Tennessee Volunteers: 8–4 (4–4 SEC)

This Week: Won 48–24 vs. Vanderbilt

Next Week: No game

21. Oregon State Beavers: 8–4 (5–4 Pac-12)

This Week: Lost 31–7 at No. 6 Oregon

Next Week: No game

22. Tulane Green Wave: 11–1 (8–1 American)

This Week: Won 29–16 vs. UTSA

Next Week: American Championship vs. SMU

23. Clemson Tigers: 8–4 (4–4 ACC)

This Week: Won 16–7 at South Carolina

Next Week: No game

24. Liberty Flames: 12–0 (8–0 Conference USA)

This Week: Won 42–28 at UTEP

Next Week: Conference USA Championship vs. New Mexico State

25. Toledo Rockets: 11–1 (8–0 MAC)

This Week: Won 32–17 at Central Michigan

Next Week: MAC Championship vs. Miami (OH)

Others Considered: Utah, New Mexico State, UNLV, SMU

Dropped from Rankings: Kansas State