The SEC’s misfortunes reshaped the College Football Playoff rankings, benefiting SMU and Indiana. SMU climbed four spots to No. 9, while Indiana retained a spot at No. 10 despite a heavy 38-15 loss to No. 2 Ohio State.
The latest 12-team bracket kept undefeated Oregon at No. 1 for the fourth consecutive week, excluding Alabama and Ole Miss after their third losses of the season. These setbacks allowed the ACC to place two teams—No. 6 Miami and No. 9 SMU—into playoff contention, with a potential title clash looming. Clemson, ranked No. 12, remains in the hunt as well.
Indiana faced scrutiny for its first loss, but the selection committee, chaired by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, acknowledged their solid performance overall, dropping them only five spots. “Their body of work warranted a top-10 spot,” Manuel explained.
In contrast, the Big 12 saw major declines, as losses by BYU and Colorado opened a path for No. 16 Arizona State to claim the final bracket position. Boise State secured the fourth seed as the Mountain West’s top representative.
Alabama fell to No. 13, and Ole Miss to No. 14, raising questions about three-loss teams’ playoff viability. “We rank teams based on merit,” Manuel noted, citing the CFP’s precedent of including 22 three-loss teams in its top 12 rankings over a decade.
Key matchups include Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, potentially setting a Big Ten title rematch with Oregon. No. 3 Texas faces No. 20 Texas A&M, with SEC stakes at hand, while No. 15 South Carolina battles No. 12 Clemson in the Palmetto Bowl.
Projected first-round games feature Arizona State facing No. 5 Ohio State and No. 9 Tennessee revisiting No. 8 Georgia. Indiana and Penn State, both Big Ten contenders, would clash at No. 6, and SMU meets No. 7 Notre Dame in a rare showdown.
Final rankings on Dec. 8 will determine playoff pairings, leading to the national championship in Atlanta on Jan. 20.
