2021 Week 12 College Football Playoff Rankings
For the third time of the college football season, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee has released its weekly Top 25 rankings. There was much fuss over last week's poll and not much has changed in regard to that this week.
Here's where things stand with just two weeks left in the regular season:
Georgia (10-0)
Alabama (9-1)
Oregon (9-1)
Ohio State (9-1)
Cincinnati (10-0)
Michigan (9-1)
Michigan State (9-1)
Notre Dame (9-1)
Oklahoma State (9-1)
Wake Forest (9-1)
Baylor (8-2)
Ole Miss (8-2)
Oklahoma (9-1)
BYU (8-2)
Wisconsin (7-3)
Texas A&M (7-3)
Iowa (8-2)
Pittsburgh (8-2)
San Diego State (9-1)
North Carolina State (7-3)
Arkansas (7-3)
UT San Antonio (10-0)
Utah (7-3)
Houston (9-1)
Mississippi State (6-4)
The top seven remain unchanged. Wake Forest and Michigan State rebounded after bad losses. MSU stays put and Wake rejoins the top ten. As I pointed out in this week's podcast, it is completely ludicrous that Michigan is still ahead of MSU after losing head-to-head. Yes, there are other factors involved in the decision-making process, but this system was implemented in part to increase the relevance of those games. The committee honors that with everyone else (Baylor over Oklahoma, Oregon Over Ohio State, Cincinnati over Notre Dame, etc) even in some cases where the winner has a worse record than the loser. What are they thinking?
As long as Cincinnati keeps winning, the Bearcats may have a legitimate shot to make the playoff as a Group of Five team. They are sitting just outside the field and the scenario would give them a good win over No. 24 Houston in the AAC Championship. If Ohio State loses, it is likely that whoever beat them takes that spot, but an Oregon loss would put many teams in the conversation, and Cincinnati is at the head of that pack.
Oklahoma State is now the top team in the Big 12 after Oklahoma's loss to Baylor. The Cowboys now sit tied atop the conference with the Sooners and have the head-to-head matchup looming next weekend. That game will likely be for a spot in the conference championship with the winner likely taking on No.11 Baylor.
Houston and Mississippi State join the new Top 25 while Purdue (19) and Auburn (17) drop out after losses last week.