This weekend’s now completed slate of college football action may have given us an increasing amount of clarity as to the College Football Playoff picture. Specifically, we may seen the first conference to have been eliminated from contention for the semifinals.
It was a dark day for the Pac-12 conference. Both CFP contenders, Stanford and Utah, fell in heartbreaking fashion to Oregon and Arizona respectively. How ironic it is that the team which represented the conference in the national title game in 2014 (Oregon) would have a hand in ensuring the league is left out of the party altogether a year later. Barring absolute chaos, it appears the Pac-12’s only hope at major postseason glory is upending a Big Ten team in the Rose Bowl.
Baylor’s CFP hopes may have also been dashed, having been defeated at home to Oklahoma. The Bears’ resume had always attracted the most scrutiny, due in part to their ridiculously weak non-conference schedule. Their loss may indelibly be the Sooners gain, as OU is in great shape to continue moving up the rankings considering their final two games come against ranked Big 12 foes.
One of those teams is Oklahoma State, who moves up to within a spot of our top four, while Iowa makes it for the first time this year. Both leapfrog Notre Dame who despite winning comfortably against Wake Forest might have seen their CFP resume take a hit due to Stanford’s loss. It must be said also that at this point in the season, being undefeated out of a Power Five conference has to count for something, and I think our voters may have such sentiment in mind in moving the Hawkeyes and Cowboys up.
Another big mover in our rankings this week is North Carolina. The Tar Heels put a beat down on Miami and move up six spots to nearly crack the top ten. Clemson’s road to a CFP berth this season will undoubtedly be challenged by UNC in the ACC title game.
Finally, Houston and Navy look to have established themselves out of the AAC as the front-runners for the Group of Five New Year’s Six bowl berth. The Cougars needed a missed Memphis field goal to remain unbeaten, while the Midshipmen had no trouble with SMU. They face off against each other in two weeks time in what could be a de facto elimination game in terms of clinching a spot in a major bowl.
The final few weeks of the regular season will either see things get even more clear with regard to the CFP race or possibly even more chaotic if the current front-runners begin dropping games. It will be exciting as always, nonetheless.
LWOS College Football Week 11 Top 25
(As usual, a reminder to our mobile readers to please turn your screen sideways so you can see our entire rankings.)
Dropped out: UCLA (19), Temple (20), Mississippi State (21)
Others receiving votes: USC 29, Mississippi 19, Toledo 17, UCLA 11, Temple 7, Bowling Green 6, Mississippi State 4, Georgia 3, Arkansas 1
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