CFB Playoff Rankings: UofM #2, OSU #6

Submitted by wildbackdunesman on November 28th, 2023 at 7:13 PM

Released on ESPN

1, UGA, 2 Michigan, 3 Washington, 4 FSU, 5 Oregon, 6 OSU, 7 Texas, 8 Bama.

OSU could back in again.

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Jordan2323

November 28th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^

My point is that the committee knows Ohio St has no more chances at a win and they still put them in front of those two. Why? I think there is obvious Ohio St bias in play here. The goal posts have been moved all year for how Ohio St is viewed vs Michigan. They were number one for a few weeks because they beat Penn St, we beat them and they suck. I’m not saying they will get in over these teams but to think the committee isn’t at least entertaining it, I feel is shortsighted. 

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Bosch

November 28th, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^

Except switching 1 and 2, that is how I'd rank the top 8 going into this next weekend.

What will be interesting is if there is some chaos this weekend and the committee has to decide between a 1 loss OSU or 1 loss conference champions. 

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NJblue2

November 28th, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^

I know Iowa is hard to watch, but I'm surprised they're not in that 12-15 range, especially since they should be 11-1.

The B1G West is truly an anchor on the conference. 

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Wolverine 73

November 28th, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^

Makes little sense.  Texas beat a very good Alabama on the road.  OSU’s best wins were over an offensively inept PSU at home, I believe, and over a 7-3 ND team that gave up the winning score with ten defensive players on the field.  Plus, why wouldn’t you want a broader participation by leagues, all things being more or less equal?

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Jordan2323

November 28th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^

I can see an argument for it based on strength of  schedule and who we beat vs them but Ga is going to get the benefit of the doubt until someone knocks them off their perch. I honestly feel like Michigan is the only one who can do that this year. 

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Caesar

November 28th, 2023 at 7:33 PM ^

How Texas is ranked below Ohio State is beyond me, but I'm happy that 'Bama is at the bottom of the 11-1 pile. I think this implies that even a win against Georgia will not be enough, assuming all other games are chalk. 

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WolverineHistorian

November 28th, 2023 at 8:00 PM ^

I brought this point up last year.  OSU gets their asses handed to them in their own stadium in their final game and they still back in to the playoff.  But if Michigan had lost by a point at the Horseshoe, no way in hell they would have taken us in the playoff.  

Also, two years ago #1 Georgia lost the SEC championship game badly to Alabama 41-17 and they were still in the playoff.  Kind of makes me think Georgia will be in regardless of what happens Saturday.  

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MH20

November 29th, 2023 at 9:32 AM ^

Last year was much different. The only other P5 1-loss team going into champ week was USC. Once they lost and showed how flawed they were, OSU was the obvious choice to slide into the top-4.

This year, you have 8(!) P5 teams with zero or one loss going into champ week. The calculus for OSU to back in requires a lot of things to happen that weren't necessary last year.

Lastly, in 2021, ND was the only other P5 team with fewer than two losses after champ week. UGA's resume was much better than ND's and that's why UGA was kept in the CFP despite their loss to Bama in the SEC title game.

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bo_lives

November 28th, 2023 at 7:40 PM ^

Based on past years and common sense, a 12-1 Big 12 Champ Texas is easily jumping 11-1 OSU sitting at home. As if the committee is going to snub mf-ing TEXAS to let OSU backdoor their way in for a Georgia rematch.

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ska4punkkid

November 28th, 2023 at 7:42 PM ^

No they won’t. Texas and Alabama would jump them as 1 loss conference champions in the final rankings if both those teams win. 
 

root for Alabama, Texas, Washington, FSU and let chaos reign

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bronxblue

November 28th, 2023 at 7:43 PM ^

I do wish people would stop freaking out about OSU backing in.  Yes, it could happen but them being behind Oregon actually surprised me a bit and points to some weakness in their candidacy.  Basically they need FSU, Alabama, and Texas to all lose because I think Georgia beats them out as 1-loss schools and depending on how UW lost they might be in a fight there as well.  So we'll have to see.

But I suspect Texas beats the brakes off Okie St. and FSU looked fine against Florida even with a backup while Louisville gacked it up against a mediocre Kentucky team.  

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Jordan2323

November 28th, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^

I honestly don’t think anyone is freaking out about it, not any more than people are just hammering anyone who thinks they might back in again. My point is that Ohio St has nothing left to gain, they are the only team in top 8 not playing in their champ game, and the committee put them at 6 in front of TX and Bama. They could’ve sent the message that those conf champ games mean something. If Tx, Bama, Oregon and FSU all lost then so be it. I just don’t like where the committee put them when they shouldn’t have anything to gain from it. 

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Jordan2323

November 28th, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^

But they should be. They’ve openly said conference championship games mean something, here was a chance to prove that. Maybe they do that in the end?  OSU should be 8 based on the fact they cannot play in, or win a conf title. To think Ohio St has no pull and can’t back in there is wrong in my opinion. 

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bronxblue

November 28th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^

I think the committee will send a message when those teams win; their resumes aren't complete yet while OSU's is.  Sure, if time stopped now and no more games were to be played I'd agree OSU has about as good a resume as TX and Bama.  To me their ranking is a bit of a no-man's land.  Yes they could back in but it would take a bunch of upsets and then a lot of 2-team comparisons where you're arguing, say, 1-loss UW with a win over their conference champion vs. 1-loss OSU with no wins over their conference champion.  

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MH20

November 29th, 2023 at 9:44 AM ^

The committee is ranking teams based on their current resumes. That's always what they've done in the lead-up to the final rankings. At this time, they think OSU has a better resume than Alabama or Texas. If one or both of those teams wins this weekend, they will have a superior resume to OSU and jump them based on a 12th victory and a conference championship.

It's pretty simple, IMO.

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KSmooth

November 28th, 2023 at 7:44 PM ^

This would make a great field and I'll be rooting for all four teams to win their conference championships and make the playoffs in this order.

Michigan-Washington would be a great traditional Rose Bowl PAC-BIG matchup, and FSU-UGA in the Sugar Bowl would be lots of fun too.

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swc_92

November 28th, 2023 at 7:44 PM ^

However it plays out (and assuming that we are victorious against Iowa on Saturday), hoping that we end up matching with either FSU or Washington for the semifinals. Don't think those squads match up well with us. Have a hard time seeing OSU backdoor into it this year, more than a USC upset to Utah would need to happen for that this time, although it's not impossible. Happy that Iowa is up to #16, another opportunity for a "quality win". Why Tennessee is still ranked is beyond me, they are NOT a top 25 squad, the W/L record and eye test confirms it! Still a lot of variance for this final top 4, really everyone 1-8 is still technically in it, should make for an interesting Saturday

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Bo Harbaugh

November 28th, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^

If Bama beats UGA it's a clusterfuck.

They'd have to put the SEC champ in, no?

Will they really keep out the 2 time defending national champs because of a conference championship game loss?  

And if Texas wins?  Leaving them out despite beating Bama head to head on the road?

And if FSU and Washington win and are undefeated?

That would be 3 undefeated teams, a Texas team with a win over Bama on the road, and then 2 - 1 loss SEC teams that just played in the SEC title game.  LOL.  Good luck Pete Finebaum.

In this scenario the SEC should be boxed out of the playoff.  Would be a wild week of speculation.

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three_honks

November 28th, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^

I think in that scenario, you have three teams for two spots and a tough choice.

Texas > Bama > Georgia.  --> Georgia's out, Texas is in.  I could see Texas getting screwed, but this is head-to-head.  At Tuscaloosa by 10 points.

Then it's the unblemished but everybody's perceived weaker champ FSU vs one-loss Bama.

I could see the committee putting in  Bama over FSU.  They shouldn't, but it might happen.

 

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greymarch

November 28th, 2023 at 7:53 PM ^

I wrote a post here a few days ago about how The Great Evil can still get into the CFP.  I got blasted, but I didnt mind.  Michigan men are intellectually honest, and consider all possibilities.

 

We are heavily rooting for Washington, Bama, FSU and Texas.  Especially FSU and Texas.  If either FSU or Texas wins, OSU cannot make the CFP.

 

If FSU and Texas lose, then Bama must defeat GA, then we pray to the football god(s) that the CFP takes two 12-1 SEC teams ahead of 11-1 OSU into the CFP.

 

#GoBlue

 

#Bet

 

 

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