The US LBM Coaches Poll, presented by USA TODAY Sports, has been released, one week before the College Football Playoff field is revealed. With the conference championship games coming up this Friday and Saturday, college football is arriving at its climactic weekend. Big Ten teams could occupy four spots in the playoff, and one of those teams took a huge tumble in the new poll. Ohio State, after losing at home to Michigan as a 21-point favorite, tumbled six whole spots from No. 2 to No. 8. The Buckeyes are probably still in the playoff, but they definitely lost the chance to get a first-round bye, and they probably will now have to go on the road in a first-round game, though that is still to be decided.
Oregon and Penn State are in the top three before they meet in the Big Ten Championship Game this Saturday in Indianapolis. Indiana, at No. 9 in the poll, gives the Big Ten four teams in the top nine. The drama and intrigue surrounding the playoff selection process will come to an end next Sunday, when the playoff selection show arrives.
Here is the full US LBM Coaches Poll:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon Ducks | 12-0 | 1,325 (53) |
| 2 | Texas Longhorns | 11-1 | 1,272 |
| 3 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 11-1 | 1,192 |
| 4 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 11-1 | 1,165 |
| 5 | Georgia Bulldogs | 10-2 | 1,104 |
| 6 | Tennessee Volunteers | 10-2 | 1,025 |
| 7 | SMU Mustangs | 11-1 | 977 |
| 8 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 10-2 | 976 |
| 9 | Indiana Hoosiers | 11-1 | 895 |
| 10 | Boise State Broncos | 11-1 | 840 |
| 11 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 9-3 | 733 |
| 12 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 9-3 | 700 |
| 13 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 10-2 | 665 |
| 14 | Miami Hurricanes | 10-2 | 646 |
| 15 | Ole Miss Rebels | 9-3 | 638 |
| 16 | Iowa State Cyclones | 10-2 | 565 |
| 17 | Clemson Tigers | 9-3 | 457 |
| 18 | BYU Cougars | 10-2 | 419 |
| 19 | UNLV Rebels | 10-2 | 255 |
| 20 | Missouri Tigers | 9-3 | 229 |
| 21 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 9-3 | 225 |
| 22 | Colorado Buffaloes | 9-3 | 215 |
| 23 | Army Black Knights | 10-1 | 196 |
| 24 | Memphis Tigers | 10-2 | 187 |
| 25 | Syracuse Orange | 9-3 | 108 |