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College Football Playoff Committee Places Four Big Ten Teams in Top 10

The top four teams remained the same for another week as four Big Ten Conference teams were placed in the top 10. The final committee rankings determining the 12-team playoff will be released Dec. 8.

Austin Jacobsen

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard celebrates a touchdown by TreVeyon Henderson against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 23, 2024. Ohio State won 38-15.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard celebrates a touchdown by TreVeyon Henderson against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 23, 2024. Ohio State won 38-15. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The top four of the College Football Playoff committee's rankings remained the same for another week, but there were plenty of other changes following a chaotic weekend in college football.

Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Penn State again went No. 1 through No. 4, respectively, in the latest College Football Playoff rankings as the selection committee made its selections prior to the final week of the regular season. The biggest drop in the top 10 was by the Indiana Hoosiers, who fell from No. 5 to No. 10 after a 38-15 loss at Ohio State.

Replacing the Hoosiers is No. 5 Notre Dame after the Fighting Irish walloped previously unbeaten Army 49-14, dropping the Black Knights out of the top 25. Following Notre Dame came No. 6 Miami, No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee. No. 9 SMU moved ahead four spots to sneak past the Hoosiers in the top 10.

SMU Mustangs linebacker Kobe Wilson (24) and defensive lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte (81) celebrate
Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs linebacker Kobe Wilson (left) and defensive lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte celebrate during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Boston College Eagles. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In the new 12-team playoff format, Oregon, Texas, Miami and No. 11 Boise State would be placed as the highest-ranking conference champions and would be awarded first-round byes. The Big 12's Arizona State clocked in at No. 16, good enough for a first-round contest as the fifth-highest-rated conference champion. The Sun Devils would become the No. 12 seed facing the No. 5 team on the road.

The first-round matchups under this week's rankings would include No. 5 Ohio State welcoming No. 12 Arizona State, No. 11 Indiana visiting No. 6 Penn State, No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Notre Dame, and No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Georgia. Those winners would then go on to face Boise State, Miami, Texas and Oregon, respectively.

No. 12 Clemson would be left out of the playoff under the current rankings despite being a top-12 team. The Tigers are ahead of several three-loss SEC programs such as No. 13 Alabama, No. 14 Ole Miss and No. 15 South Carolina. The three teams all lost in shocking upsets Saturday, as the Crimson Tide dropped a 24-3 decision at Oklahoma, Florida jumped on Ole Miss 24-17, and Texas A&M fell in an overtime shocker 43-41 at Auburn.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne throws the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies
Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne throws the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Auburn defeated Texas A&M 43-41 in the fourth overtime. / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big 12's frontrunners still have a hill to climb after Iowa State jumped up four spots to No. 18 following a win at Utah. Colorado fell at Arrowhead Stadium to unranked Kansas, dropping the Buffaloes to No. 25. The Cyclones, Buffaloes and Arizona State are among several teams with a chance to play for the Big 12 Championship depending on the results of this weekend's games.

The remaining top 25 included another Big Ten team as Illinois was featured at No. 23. The SEC led the way with eight total teams, including No. 21 Missouri. The three non-Power Four programs included Boise State, No. 17 Tulane, and No. 22 UNLV.

The next playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday, Dec. 3, with the final committee rankings arriving on Sunday, Dec. 8, after the conference championship games.

College Football Playoff Rankings

  1. Oregon
  2. Ohio State
  3. Texas
  4. Penn State
  5. Notre Dame
  6. Miami (FL)
  7. Georgia
  8. Tennessee
  9. SMU
  10. Indiana
  11. Boise State
  12. Clemson
  13. Alabama
  14. Ole Miss
  15. South Carolina
  16. Arizona State
  17. Tulane
  18. Iowa State
  19. BYU
  20. Texas A&M
  21. Missouri
  22. UNLV
  23. Illinois
  24. Kansas State
  25. Colorado

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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