Paul Finebaum unloads on Warde Manuel and the selection committee.
Did the selection committee get it right by favoring the SMU Mustangs over the Alabama Crimson Tide for the final at-large berth in this year’s 12-team College Football Playoff?
That’s a topic being discussed around college football after the series of events that led to Alabama (9-3 overall) missing the CFP for just the third time since the playoff’s original four-team debut in 2014.
At least one prominent college football analyst thinks the committee made the wrong choice. ESPN and SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum appeared on “Get Up” with host Mike Greenberg Monday morning. Finebaum was asked if he believed the committee had made the right call by picking SMU over Alabama.
“I don’t, Greeny, but I also don’t want to waste the audience’s time with a lot of fake outrage. SMU has a very good record (but) they don’t have a very good resume. Alabama has a good resume and record, but they also have so many bad moments that I think they cost themselves.”
Finebaum mentioned Alabama’s brutal 24-3 loss on Nov. 23 to an Oklahoma Sooners team that finished 6-6. It was a game the Crimson Tide were heavily favored to win. Instead, Alabama failed to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 2011.
Greenberg said that he believed the committee had no choice but to take SMU after the Mustangs reached their conference championship game. He claimed that, had Alabama been ahead of SMU in the final CFP rankings, it would have set a precedent and led to a scenario where teams would begin “boycotting or forfeiting” conference championship games.
“This was a decision that was made last Tuesday much more than it was made (Sunday),” Greenberg said.
Finebaum agreed and singled out Warde Manuel by saying that the CFP committee chairman “completely blew it.”
“The biggest problem this committee had is that Warde Manuel, the athletic director at Michigan, got up on Tuesday night and completely blew it. He said things that committee chairmen never say… He put a road block up and he essentially said what you alluded to.
“And the reason why the committee went in their direction is there are people that represent college football and, to make it easy for the audience, conference championship games bring in tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars, and (the committee) would have, in essence, issued a Supreme Court ruling by saying that they are null and void.”
Finebaum closed by saying that Alabama got “jobbed,” but he added that the Crimson Tide had no one to blame but themselves.
He also offered a prediction on the future of conference championship games moving forward.
“So Alabama got jobbed, but again, Alabama did it to themselves. (The committee) preserved the conference championship games at least for another year, but they’re not going to be around long. You and I both know that.”
Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised by ESPN.
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We finally know what seed the Ohio State football team will be, and who it will be playing in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. On Sunday, a day after the conference championship games were revealed, the Buckeyes were awarded the No. 8 seed and will play against No. 9 Tennessee.
That’s probably a little lower than most thought with Penn State’s loss to Oregon in the Big Ten Championship game and all the data points the Buckeyes had over the Nittany Lions, but it at least means that Ohio State will host a playoff game in the ‘Shoe, so that should be good news for all of Buckeye Nation.
If OSU were to win that matchup, it would go on to play a rematch with No. 1 seed Oregon where it’ll get a chance to make good on the heartbreaking loss in Eugene earlier this season.
The complete CFP seedings had Oregon (1), Georgia (2), Boise State (3), and Arizona State (4) as the four highest rated conference champions that receive first-round byes.
The rest of the seeding has No. 5 Notre Dame playing No. 12 Clemson, No. 6 seed Penn State playing No. 11 SMU, and No. 7 Notre Dame playing No. 10 Indiana. Alabama was — somewhat surprisingly — left out of the fray in favor of SMU.
We’ll have ton more on this as we react and analyze because it’s definitely something.
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The selection committee makes its final call on whether Alabama is a College Football Playoff team in 2024.
The Alabama Crimson Tide learned their 2024 College Football Playoff fate after the selection committee released its final CFP rankings Sunday.
The Crimson Tide (9-3 overall) were ranked No. 11 in the final rankings and did not qualify for the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The final at-large berth that Alabama had been hoping to grab went to the ACC’s SMU Mustangs (11-2).
Even with three losses, it took a perfect storm of sorts for the selection committee to keep Alabama out of the playoffs.
Despite ugly losses to the Vanderbilt Commodores (40-35) and Oklahoma Sooners (24-3), Kalen DeBoer’s team went into championship weekend Saturday needing either SMU to defeat the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game — or for Dabo Swinney’s Tigers to win big against a Mustangs team who had an inferior schedule compared to Alabama’s.
Alabama’s strength of schedule was ranked No. 16. SMU’s strength of schedule was No. 60.
Neither one happened. In what was previously described as a “doomsday scenario” for Alabama, SMU fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter against Clemson and trailed 31-14 heading into the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Kevin Jennings rallied the Mustangs from 17 points down, only for Clemson to win as time expired on a 56-yard game-winning field goal from kicker Nolan Hauser. Final score: Clemson 34, SMU 31.
With Alabama out of the CFP for only the third time since the playoff’s four-team inception in 2014, the Crimson Tide now await their bowl game destination, as well as which players will invariably enter the transfer portal amid roster attrition.
One bowl option for Alabama is the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Another is the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) in Tampa.
The top four seeds in the final CFP rankings were the No. 1 seed Oregon Ducks, No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs, No. 3 seed Boise State Broncos and No. 4 seed Arizona State Sun Devils. Those four teams will receive first-round byes and play in the quarterfinal round of the playoff.
2024’s final CFP rankings will set the playoff bracket for Ohio State football. Here’s how to watch.
OK. Here. We. Go.
It’s time to finally understand the fate of Ohio State after all of the conference championship games took place this weekend. There’s no doubt the Buckeyes will be in the College Football Playoff field and most likely hosting a first-round game inside Ohio Stadium, but what seed they receive and what opponent will be traveling to frigid Columbus, Ohio, in December remains to be seen.
What we do know is that Ohio State has an opportunity to wash that sour taste from losing to Michigan for the fourth-straight year out of its mouth and go out there with a shot at winning a national championship.
If you landed here, there’s a good chance you are looking for a way to find and watch the final CFP rankings that set this whole thing in motion and tell us all what OSU and other teams have in front of them so we are happy to oblige.
How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show
TV Channel: ESPN
A day that is unprecedented.
A day we’ve been waiting for all season.
A day we’ve been waiting for for years.
IT’S SELECTION DAY!
➡️ College Football Playoff Selection Show
📅 Sunday, December 8
⏰ Noon ET
📺 ESPN
📱 ESPN app
That’s a good question. We went into detail on what we believe the entire field will look like and where we think the Buckeyes will land, but it really depends on a couple of factors. Does the CFP Committee honor the head-to-head win Ohio State had over Penn State? Where does Texas fall after its second loss? We believe OSU will rise up to be the No. 7 seed, but we’ll wait for the tap-dancing the committee does.
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
For the first time, there will be 12 teams participating in the College Football Playoffs. There are five automatic bids for each of the Power Four conference champions and one to the highest-ranked non-Group of Four champion. The remaining seven slots are given to the seven at-large teams.
How does the College Football Playoff format work?
The top four seeds will be on a bye as the CFP kicks off. The next four highest-seeded teams will host on-campus playoff games as follows:
No. 5 vs No. 12, winner will play No. 4
No. 6 vs No. 11, winner will play No. 3
No. 7 vs No. 10, winner will play No. 2
No. 8 vs No. 9, winner will play No. 1
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Entering championship weekend, there’s one game that could give Alabama fans cause for concern.
The Alabama Crimson Tide look to be in a good spot to make the 12-team College Football Playoff entering championship weekend.
Alabama was ranked No. 11 in the updated CFP rankings, released Tuesday night. As of the committee’s penultimate rankings, Kalen DeBoer’s team has the final at-large playoff berth after beating the Auburn Tigers 28-14 in last Saturday’s Iron Bowl, and after the Miami Hurricanes fell 42-38 in an upset loss at Syracuse.
But one question seems to be lingering: what happens to Alabama if Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers knock off the SMU Mustangs in the ACC title game Saturday night in Charlotte?
Currently, SMU is the projected ACC champion and No. 3 seed in the committee’s bracket. The Mustangs are No. 8 in the current CFP rankings. But if SMU loses to Cade Klubnik and a Tigers offense that has shown flashes of explosiveness this season, and the debate comes down to a three-loss Alabama team vs. a two-loss SMU team, who would get the nod by the selection committee?
USA TODAY Sports columnist Paul Myerberg called a Clemson win over SMU a “doomsday scenario” for the selection committee. It’s also the only scenario, Myerberg says, that could keep Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide from reaching the playoff.
Myerberg explains:
“The Mustangs argument rests on just two losses, both to ranked teams; a nine-game winning streak featuring six wins against bowl teams; only two Power Four wins decided by single digits; and being one of two Power Four teams, along with Oregon, to go unbeaten in conference play.
“Alabama’s case rests on beating Georgia, South Carolina, Missouri and LSU. Being Alabama also helps.”
Myerberg concluded that Alabama would likely get into the CFP over SMU. “While impossible to predict with any certainty, here’s guessing the 12-team committee continues a tradition set during the four-team era and gives the Crimson Tide the benefit of the doubt,” he said.
Fox Sports’ analyst Joel Klatt agrees. Klatt said on the Thursday edition of his podcast that he saw Clemson beating SMU, with Alabama holding on to the final playoff spot over the Mustangs.
“I think in a direct comparison, SMU is going to lose the argument to Alabama. I really do,” Klatt said. “That’s why I told you (earlier) in the rankings reaction that Alabama was going to be in regardless.”
There’s a chance that things go straight chalk Saturday and a debate between Alabama’s resume vs. SMU’s never comes to fruition. That would be the preferred outcome for the committee.
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How does the bracket for the 12-team College Football Playoff look after Miami, Ohio State and Clemson lost, and is Alabama now a lock for the CFP?
The new 12-team College Football Playoff picture looks a lot different after yet another chaotic Saturday closed the regular season.
The playoff picture might also look a little more clear.
The Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3 overall) moved up two spots to No. 11 in Tuesday’s updated CFP rankings after their 28-14 win over the Auburn Tigers, and after the Miami Hurricanes fell 42-38 at Syracuse with a trip to the ACC Championship Game on the line.
Miami (10-2) was ranked one spot below Alabama at No. 12 in the new rankings, with the Ole Miss Rebels (9-3) at No. 13 and the South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3) at No. 14. With Miami’s loss, the Hurricanes’ playoff hopes are essentially dead, at least based on comments from CFP chairman Warde Manuel.
In an appearance on ESPN after Tuesday’s rankings reveal, Manuel said that the order of Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss and South Carolina was “set” and would not change Sunday when the final rankings are announced and the full 12-team playoff field is revealed.
Manuel also explained why Alabama edged out Miami in the eyes of the selection committee.
“What it came down to is, Alabama is 3-1 against current Top 25 teams, and Miami is 0-1,” Manuel told ESPN’s Rece Davis. “Alabama is 6-1 against teams above .500, and Miami is 4-2. Both have had some losses that weren’t what they wanted out of those games. But in the last three games, Miami has lost twice. So for us, in evaluating their body of work, we felt that Alabama got the edge over Miami.”
There will be the usual array of carnival-barkers over the committee’s decision to back Alabama over Miami here, but the bottom line is that the Hurricanes won’t jump the Crimson Tide at this late juncture if what Manuel says is true.
A week ago, the Crimson Tide were on the outside looking in following their 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. While Alabama fell six spots in last week’s rankings to No. 13, the Tide were one of the “first teams out,” meaning there was still a path to the playoff with a little help.
Sure enough, Alabama’s win over Auburn, coupled with Miami’s loss, moved the Tide into the final at-large berth.
Does that mean Alabama is etched in stone for a playoff spot? No. If Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers (9-3) knock off the SMU Mustangs (11-1) in the ACC Championship Game Saturday in Charlotte, Clemson would win the league’s automatic playoff berth as a Power Four conference champion.
That would leave SMU with two losses — severely damaged, yes, but perhaps not necessarily out of the playoff picture. For the committee, a possible debate between a three-loss Alabama team and a two-loss SMU team that made its conference championship game could be a different story than when comparing Alabama’s resume to Miami’s (more on that a little further on).
For now, here’s a look at what the bracket for the full 12-team field would look like if the playoff started today, as well as who Alabama and other playoff teams would face.
Projected Conference Champions, First-Round Byes
No. 1 seed: Oregon Ducks
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Oregon College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 1
Oregon Current College Football Playoff Seed: No. 1
Oregon 2024 Record: 12-0 overall, 9-0 Big Ten
Oregon has been the No. 1 team in the rankings all along. The Ducks are in the driver’s seat and will face Penn State in the Big Ten title game Saturday night in Indianapolis hoping to maintain their spot atop the rankings as well as the No. 1 overall seed.
No. 2 seed: Texas Longhorns
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Texas College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 2
Texas Current College Football Playoff Seed: No. 2
Texas 2024 Record: 11-1 overall, 7-1 SEC
Texas defeated Texas A&M, 17-7, in the first meeting between the two bitter rivals since 2011. The Longhorns now face the Georgia Bulldogs in a rematch for the SEC championship in Atlanta after falling 30-15 to Kirby Smart’s team on Oct. 19 in Austin. Both Texas and Georgia are a lock for the playoff regardless of who wins Saturday.
No. 3 seed: SMU Mustangs
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
SMU College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 8
SMU Current College Football Playoff Seed: No. 3
SMU 2024 Record: 11-1 overall, 8-0 ACC
The Mustangs can stamp their ticket to the playoff with a win over Clemson in the ACC title game. Here’s where things could get sticky. If the committee decides that conference title game losers outside of the SEC and Big Ten deserve special consideration for playing in games that leagues (and TV executives) want to maintain, will that impact Alabama’s hold on the last at-large berth? It’s anyone’s guess, but Tide fans might be wise to cheer for an SMU win Saturday.
No. 4 seed: Boise State Broncos
Loren Orr/Getty Images
Boise State College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 10
Boise State Current College Football Playoff Seed: No. 4
Boise State 2024 Record: 11-1 overall, 7-0 MWC
Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos survived a way-too-close call against a two-win Wyoming team on Nov. 23 but closed the regular season with a 34-18 victory over Oregon State. How’s this for some real chaos? If UNLV (10-2, No. 20 CFP) were to slip past Boise State in this week’s Mountain West title game, do the Broncos have enough to stay in the playoff field? And if so, who would be squeezed out?
First Round CFP Matchups
No. 12 seed Arizona State Sun Devils at No. 5 seed Penn State Nittany Lions
Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Arizona State College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 15
Arizona State 2024 Record: 10-2 overall, 7-2 Big 12
Penn State College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 3
Penn State 2024 Record: 11-1 overall, 8-1 Big Ten
This would be a true home-field advantage for Penn State, pitting a storied college football program against a team the Nittany Lions would never bother to schedule in a regular season affair. Iowa State gets the Sun Devils’ spot in the playoff if they win the Big 12 title game out in “Jerrywood” (AT&T Stadium in Arlington).
Jalen Milroe celebrates after defeating Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium, 28-14. Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
Alabama College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 11
Alabama 2024 Record: 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC
Notre Dame College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 4
Notre Dame 2024 Record: 11-1 overall
Of all the potential first-round matchups, none would draw the attention this one would. Two college football blue bloods squaring off in South Bend (with possible Snowmageddon)? I’m getting ahead of myself and being a bit selfish here, but this is a matchup I’d love to see just due to the rich tradition and history of both programs.
Notre Dame fans would love to see their team knock the Crimson Tide out of a national title race after two Alabama beatdowns of the Irish since 2012. For Alabama fans old enough to remember the Tide’s somewhat torturous past in bowl games against Notre Dame teams of yesteryear, they’d love to see a win in South Bend for the first time after falling there in 1976 and 1987.
With Ohio State and Miami losing Saturday, Georgia re-enters the top five of the CFP rankings after a thrilling and equally exhausting 8-OT win over Georgia Tech that wrapped up a playoff spot.
Indiana took a woeful Purdue (1-11) team to the woodshed, 66-0, in Bloomington on Saturday, but IU-Georgia could be one of the more lopsided matchups in the playoff field.
No. 9 seed Tennessee Volunteers at No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes
Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tennessee College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 7
Tennessee 2024 Record: 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC
Ohio State College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 6
Ohio State 2024 Record: 10-2 overall, 7-2 Big Ten
A big cheer erupted inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday when Alabama fans learned of the Buckeyes’ loss to Michigan. That might seem a bit odd, given that the Wolverines were the ones who ended Alabama’s 2023 season back on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. Regardless, Ryan Day officially has a Michigan problem.
One of the worst Michigan football teams we are likely to see in the NIL era came into Columbus as a 19.5-point underdog and won their fourth straight over Ohio State, who previously seemed a lock for the Big Ten title game.
For their part, Tennessee looked like it might fall prey to the upset bug early on at Vanderbilt when they fell behind 14-0. The Vols then out-scored the Commodores 36-9 the rest of the way to earn their spot in the playoff field.
First Teams Out
Cam Ward walks off the field following a 42-38 loss against Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome. Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
No. 12 Miami Hurricanes (10-2)
No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels (9-3)
No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3)
CFP Quarterfinals
Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon Ducks vs. 8/9 Winner
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Texas Longhorns vs. 7/10 Winner
Peach Bowl: No. 3 SMU Mustangs vs. 6/11 Winner
Fiesta Bowl: No. 4 Boise State Broncos vs. 5/12 Winner
Georgia climbs to the No. 7 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket and would play a Big Ten team in the first-round
The Georgia Bulldogs are rising in the College Football Playoff bracket after a thriller eight overtime 44-42 win against Georgia Tech. Georgia rises to the No. 7 seed and are ranked No. 5.
Miami and Ohio State lost their respective games last week in the very intense, emotional rivalry week. These losses helped Georgia rise up two spots to be within the thick of the playoff picture.
Georgia has three wins against top-25 teams (No. 2 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee, and No. 17 Clemson).
College Football Playoff ranking: Who’s out
First teams out: Miami Hurricanes, Ole Miss Rebels
No. 12: Arizona State Sun Devils (projected conference champion)
UGA’s projected CFP opponent
Georgia is slated to host the Indiana Hoosiers, the No. 10 seed, in the first round on Dec. 20 or 21. With a win this Saturday in the SEC championship the Bulldogs have a chance to take the No. 2 seed in the bracket. A loss would likely see UGA drop a few spots.
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
For the first time, 12 teams will participate in the College Football Playoffs. There are automatic bids for each of the Power Four conference champions and to the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. The remaining seven slots are given to at-large teams.
When next College Football Playoff rankings come out?
Buckeye Nation is still reeling and depressed from Ohio State football and yet another loss to Michigan — its fourth-straight in the rivalry. However, as a bit of a silver lining, the most recent CFP Rankings were released on Tuesday night, and the Buckeyes only dropped from No. 2 to No. 6, well inside the cut line of what would be needed to make the College Football Playoff.
Even more, if the ranking would stand, Ohio State would be able to host a first-round game, right now with the opponent being Tennessee who is ranked No. 7.
With OSU’s loss, there was a jumbling near the top. Oregon remained No.1 followed by Texas (2), Penn State (3), Notre Dame (4), and Georgia (5) ahead of the Scarlet and Gray. Rounding out the top ten behind OSU was Tennessee (7), (8) SMU (8), Indiana (9), and Boise State (10).
Before we get ahead of ourselves, these rankings could change, and there could be some things happen to where Ohio State still drops (but not much). There are still the conference championship games to play and the most likely result that could move the Buckeyes down one spot is if SMU wins the ACC Championship Game. However, that remains to be seen. Here is how the entire CFP Top 25 appeared when unveiled on ESPN.
The last set of CFP Rankings will come out next Sunday the day after the conference title games are complete. At that point, we’ll know OSU’s College Football Playoff fate for sure.
But hey, there won’t be a conspiracy. It appears Ohio State will be in no matter what happens next weekend.
Athletic Director pleads the case for why Alabama should make the College Football Playoff.
It’s officially politicking season in college football. With less than a week remaining until the final 12-team College Football Playoff field is set, University of Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne is making his pitch for why the Crimson Tide should make the playoff.
Byrne, who became Alabama’s athletic director in January 2017, took to social media on Monday night to plead the Crimson Tide’s case.
While not mentioning any other schools vying for a playoff spot directly by name, Alabama will hope to reach the 12-team field over the Miami Hurricanes (10-2), the Ole Miss Rebels (9-3), and the surging South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3).
Byrne used a familiar line while touting Alabama’s strength of schedule: “Not all schedules and conferences are created equal.”
Added Byrne:
“We’ve worked diligently to add more challenging non-conference home-and-homes, which is good for college football, not to mention the week-in and week-out of the SEC and it being the toughest in the country.”
Here’s a good look at the numbers/rankings for @AlabamaFTBL. Recognize there’s lots of chatter out there about 2 vs. 3 loss teams, however that is just one factor. When you look at the @CFBPlayoff Principles for its Selection Committee, the first bullet point on the list of… pic.twitter.com/EGrp7pVbaA
Alabama defeated South Carolina, 27-25, back on Oct. 12 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, a nail-biter of a game that ended when Domani Jackson picked off LaNorris Sellers in the end-zone with the Gamecocks driving at the Crimson Tide 40-yard line.
Alabama and Ole Miss did not play this season, marking the first time since 1991 that the two schools didn’t meet on the gridiron. Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State, 26-14, in the Egg Bowl on Friday at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.
The Rebels’ three losses came to the LSU Tigers, Florida Gators and, perhaps most damning, a 20-17 upset at home against the Kentucky Wildcats, who closed the regular season at 4-8 overall. At 1-7 in conference play, Kentucky finished second to last in the SEC standings.
South Carolina won six straight games to close the season at 9-3. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 12 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll after a 17-14 road win over the Clemson Tigers. Coach Shane Beamer’s team, led by freshman quarterback Sellers, lost head-to-head games against both Alabama and Ole Miss, as well as LSU.
Alabama finished the regular season 9-3 overall and 5-3 in SEC play following their 28-14 win over the Auburn Tigers. Jalen Milroe was 18-of-24 for 256 yards through the air, with 104 yards and three touchdowns on the ground on 17 carries.
Among its best victories this season, Kalen DeBoer’s team has wins over the Georgia Bulldogs (10-2), who were ranked No. 1 when Alabama beat them 41-34 on Sept. 28 in Tuscaloosa, plus a 42-13 blowout victory over LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Nov. 9, and South Carolina.
The Crimson Tide roses two spots to No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. Last week, they fell six spots to No. 13 in the CFP rankings following an ugly 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. Two teams ranked ahead of Alabama then suffered losses in Week 14.
Previously sixth-ranked Miami (10-2 overall) fell 42-38 at Syracuse, squandering a 21-point lead against the Orange during a game in which the Hurricanes could have wrapped up a spot in the ACC Championship Game against the SMU Mustangs.
Clemson (9-3) was ranked one spot ahead of Alabama in last week’s CFP rankings at No. 12 before their loss to South Carolina. Dabo Swinney and the Tigers can wrap up a berth in the playoff with a win over SMU Saturday night in the ACC title game in Charlotte.
The updated CFP rankings will be unveiled Tuesday night beginning at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. The final rankings will be revealed Sunday, Dec. 8 beginning at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN following the conclusion of Championship Saturday this weekend.
Georgia climbs to the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket and would have a first-round rematch
The Georgia Bulldogs are rising in the College Football Playoff bracket after a blowout 59-21 win against UMass Minutemen. Georgia rises to the No. 8 seed and are ranked No. 7.
Alabama, Indiana and Ole Miss lost their respective games last week. These losses helped Georgia rise up three spots to be within the thick of the playoff picture.
Georgia has three wins against top-12 teams (No. 3 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee, and No. 12 Clemson).
Georgia is slated to host the Tennessee Volunteers, the No. 9 seed, in the first round on Dec. 20 or 21. Of course, Georgia would avoid having to play in the first round if the Bulldogs can beat Georgia Tech and win the SEC championship.
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
For the first time, 12 teams will participate in the College Football Playoffs. There are automatic bids for each of the Power Four conference champions and to the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. The remaining seven slots are given to at-large teams.
When next College Football Playoff rankings come out?
