College Football Playoff Rankings Released
It’s officially playoff (discussion) season. The first weekly installment of the College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night and three teams from the state of Texas were featured. If the playoff started Tuesday, though, only two would likely qualify for the 12-team bracket.
Here’s one thought on each of the in-state teams that appeared after the playoff committee’s first evaluation.
Sports Roundup
Team Analysis
The Longhorns
Texas undoubtedly saved its competitive season at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday when it beat Vanderbilt for its second win over a ranked team this season.
It might’ve catapulted the Longhorns into a legitimate playoff position, too.
The Longhorns (7-2, 4-1 SEC) debuted at No. 11 in the first CFP rankings this season Tuesday night. It would not empirically equate to a postseason berth if the season ended today because five conference champions will qualify for the 12-team bracket and only three leagues (the SEC, Big 10 and Big 12) are represented ahead of them.
There’s also a slog of conference teams ranked ahead of them in No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 5 Georgia, No. 4 Alabama and No. 3 Texas A&M. The Longhorns will play at Georgia and vs. Texas A&M before the regular season ends. That doesn’t include any movement that could occur by way of the league championship.
Consider it a reminder that the first rankings of the season may not be worth the weight placed upon them.
The Aggies
Second-year head coach Mike Elko may have A&M ahead of schedule.
The Aggies (8-0, 5-0 SEC) earned their highest-ever in the decadelong CFP era at No. 3 in Tuesday’s release. It also certified them as the premier team in college football’s premier conference. It mirrors the AP top 25 poll which also placed A&M behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana.
The committee believed A&M’s ranked road wins against Notre Dame and LSU and its unblemished record trump No. 4 Alabama’s nation-best four ranked wins overall. The Aggies will have two chances to certify that and match Alabama’s ranked win total with games vs. Missouri and Texas before the season ends.
Texas Tech vs. BYU
BYU, at No. 7, was the top-ranked Big 12 team in Tuesday’s release. Texas Tech, at No. 8, is directly behind them.
The two will play Saturday at Lubbock’s Jones AT&T Stadium.
The winner will undoubtedly be the league’s leader this time next week.
A win vs. the Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) would help the Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1) inch closer to a Big 12 championship game berth. It’d also give them a signature win this season and, possibly, in Joey McGuire’s three-year tenure as head coach.
The Red Raiders own the 10th-best résumé in college football this season, per ESPN data, and may climb that list with a second ranked win. That may be required to help Tech pad its playoff mettle as entry into the Big 12 title game remains up in the air.
Full Rankings
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 8-0 |
| 2 | Indiana | 9-0 |
| 3 | Texas A&M | 8-0 |
| 4 | Alabama | 7-1 |
| 5 | Georgia | 7-1 |
| 6 | Ole Miss | 8-1 |
| 7 | BYU | 8-0 |
| 8 | Texas Tech | 8-1 |
| 9 | Oregon | 7-1 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 6-2 |
| 11 | Texas | 7-2 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 7-2 |
| 13 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 14 | Virginia | 8-1 |
| 15 | Louisville | 7-1 |
| 16 | Vanderbilt | 7-2 |
| 17 | Georgia Tech | 8-1 |
| 18 | Miami | 6-2 |
| 19 | USC | 6-2 |
| 20 | Iowa | 6-2 |
| 21 | Michigan | 7-2 |
| 22 | Missouri | 6-2 |
| 23 | Washington | 6-2 |
| 24 | Pittsburgh | 7-2 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 6-3 |
*Note: While there are no Group of Five teams ranked, Memphis was listed as the top team from the Group of Five ranks and would be in line for the No. 12 seed according to the committee.
Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Conclusion
The College Football Playoff rankings have been released, and three teams from the state of Texas have made the cut. The Longhorns, Aggies, and Red Raiders are all in the running for a playoff spot, but they face tough competition from other teams in their respective conferences. The rankings will continue to change as the season progresses, and it will be interesting to see how these teams perform in the coming weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the College Football Playoff rankings?
A: The College Football Playoff rankings are a weekly ranking of the top 25 teams in college football, as determined by a committee of experts. The rankings are used to determine which teams will participate in the College Football Playoff, a four-team tournament that determines the national champion.
Q: Which teams from Texas are ranked in the top 25?
A: The Longhorns, Aggies, and Red Raiders are all ranked in the top 25. The Longhorns are ranked No. 11, the Aggies are ranked No. 3, and the Red Raiders are ranked No. 8.
Q: How do the rankings affect the teams’ chances of making the playoff?
A: The rankings are used to determine which teams will participate in the College Football Playoff. The top four teams in the final rankings will participate in the playoff, and
