College football rankings: Top 25 teams moving up, down this week

These college football teams are moving up, and sliding down, the top 25 rankings as we put a bow on Championship Week and move into Selection Day for the playoff.

What college football teams are on the move as the selection committee reveals its final top 25 rankings. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

It was an eventful Championship Saturday across the country as college football looked to sort things out between the contenders and the pretenders, and now the selection committee has to pick up the pieces in the final top 25 rankings and 12-team bracket heading into the playoff.

There will be some notable change in the top four after an overtime showdown in the SEC Championship Game, and the committee has some major decisions to make after other teams made their respective statements in the conference championship games.

What teams will be on the move in the top 25 college football rankings this week? 

Let’s take a shot at predicting who’s moving up, and who’s going down, in the polls coming out of Championship Weekend.

Rankings reflect the College Football Playoff top 25 poll

College football rankings: Top 25 teams moving up, down this week

Moving up: Georgia

Last week’s ranking: No. 5

Coming into this week, the selection committee was still projecting Texas would win the SEC championship and hold onto that No. 2 seed, and the first-round bye that comes with it.

Georgia had other ideas, using a second half rally and a signature overtime touchdown to get past the Longhorns and snatch that bye away from its SEC rivals.

But at a cost: quarterback Carson Beck didn’t play the second half of the game after suffering what head coach Kirby Smart called an upper extremity injury.

Although he did return for the final play of the game after his backup, Gunner Stockton, had to exit after a hard hit, handing off to Trevor Etienne on what became the game-winning touchdown.

That remarkable finish means we should see the Bulldogs emerge as the No. 2 seed in the final College Football Playoff bracket, but there are questions around whether this offense -- with its unstable quarterback play and lack of real explosion at the skill positions -- has what it takes to make a proper run.

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Moving down: Texas

Last week’s ranking: No. 2

Talk about some missed opportunities, and at the worst time for the Longhorns.

With a chance to avenge its only loss of the season in a rematch against Georgia in the SEC title game, Texas just didn’t execute where it should have, with enormous postseason consequences.

Quinn Ewers threw 2 interceptions and nearly a third while Bert Auburn missed 2 field goals that left the team with no points on key drives, and the Longhorns had just 31 rushing yards in the loss.

As a result, Texas will fall out of the top four of the final playoff bracket, but should still earn a high-enough ranking where it will host a first-round playoff game on campus.

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Moving up: Arizona State

Last week’s ranking: No. 15

What a remarkable journey the Sun Devils have been on, not just this season, but on Saturday itself, pounding Iowa State by a 45-19 count in the Big 12 title game, and then watching their fortunes steadily improve throughout the day.

In the end, it was Clemson’s upset victory over SMU in the ACC title game that should put Arizona State in the top four of the bracket, complete with the coveted first-round bye.

That wasn’t necessarily the case earlier in the day, as the selection committee would have likely argued that Boise State should take the final No. 4 seed behind presumptive ACC champ SMU.

But after the events in Charlotte, it now appears that Arizona State is a lock for the bye and an easier path to the national championship as a result.

Exceeding expectations hardly describes what Arizona State has accomplished in head coach Kenny Dillingham’s second season on the job.

Big 12 media picked the team to finish last in their preseason media poll coming off a 3-9 effort, but now they’re on a six-game win streak and set to make their playoff debut.

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Moving down: SMU

Last week’s ranking: No. 8

Coming into Championship Saturday, the Mustangs looked like a basically sure thing to win the ACC title against Clemson and secure a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.

There goes that idea. SMU stumbled out of the gate in Charlotte, and despite mounting a furious comeback led by quarterback Kevin Jennings and his capable receivers, tying the game with a touchdown with just 16 seconds left, their defense couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Clemson came back and kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to clinch a spot in the playoff and knock SMU clear out of the top four, especially after Arizona State and Boise State both won.

But are the Mustangs out of the playoff entirely? That’s the big question facing the committee as it’s down to SMU or Alabama for that last spot.

SMU has the 75th ranked strength of schedule. Alabama ranks 18th in that category.

Alabama is 3-1 against top 25 ranked teams. SMU has no wins against currently ranked opposition.

Our guess is that the committee will -- reluctantly, given the various interests in the room -- keep the Mustangs over the Crimson Tide, but either way there’ll be plenty of controversy.

What to expect? Our prediction for the College Football Playoff bracket

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