First CFB Playoff Rankings Released, Includes Several Surprises
There's a lot of football left to be played this season, but the first College Football Playoff Rankings of the season provide a path for several teams looking to get into it.
The 13-member CFP (college football playoff) Committee did not follow the Coaches or AP top 25 poll, surprising some.
Tennessee, ranked 2nd in the AP Poll and 3rd in the Coaches Poll opened up as the #1 team in the CFP rankings.
"When you look at the [top] three teams, the two wins with Alabama and at LSU really sealed the day for Tennessee," CFP committee chairman Boo Corrigan said on ESPN.
It won't take long for the top of the rankings to be shaken up.
The Volunteers will face off this Saturday on the road against the Georgia Bulldogs, who came in at 3rd in the CFP rankings, one spot behind Ohio State, one spot ahead of Clemson, and two spots ahead of Michigan.
All 5 schools in the top 5 are undefeated.
Alabama (7-1) is ranked 6th, followed by TCU (8-0) at 7th, Oregon (7-1) at 8th, and USC (7-1) at 9th.
#10 LSU is the highest ranked two-loss team, cracking the top 10.
The Tigers are ranked 15th in the AP Poll and 17th in the Coaches Poll, but with a strong strength of schedule, impressed the committee enough to land at #10.
LSU will have a chance to climb even higher as they host #6 Alabama this Saturday night at Death Valley in Baton Rouge.
The highest ranked G5 (Group of 5) schools is Tulane (7-1) at #19.
Only one other G5 school cracked the rankings in UCF (6-2) who came in at #25.
Tulane's ranking puts the Green Wave in the drivers seat on earning a spot in a New Year's Six Bowl.
College Football Playoff Rankings, Nov. 1
1. Tennessee (8-0)
2. Ohio State (8-0)
3. Georgia (8-0)
4. Clemson (8-0)
5. Michigan (8-0)
6. Alabama (7-1)
7. TCU (8-0)
8. Oregon (7-1)
9. USC (7-1)
10. LSU (6-2)
11. Ole Miss (8-1)
12. UCLA (7-1)
13. Kansas State (6-2)
14. Utah (6-2)
15. Penn State (6-2)
16. Illinois (7-1)
17. North Carolina (7-1)
18. Oklahoma State (6-2)
19. Tulane (7-1)
20. Syracuse (6-2)
21. Wake Forest (6-2)
22. NC State (6-2)
23. Oregon State (6-2)
24. Texas (5-3)
25. UCF (6-2)