The College Football Playoff committee’s first rankings didn’t even make it through one wild Saturday before they started looking shaky. After a week loaded with top-10 matchups and results that shook up the sport’s upper crust, Tuesday night’s second rankings should tell us a lot more about where the committee really stands.
One of the first issues on the board is Alabama and Tennessee. Last week’s rankings left a huge gap between the two, even though Tennessee had already hammered Alabama in October.
The committee got some cover when the Crimson Tide beat LSU at Death Valley, but Tennessee answered by blowing the doors off Kentucky. That sets up the obvious question: does the gap finally narrow enough for the head-to-head result to matter?
The SEC had a chance to tighten its grip on the rankings, especially with Ole Miss and LSU both in position to help the conference crowd out the rest of the field. Instead, Georgia and Alabama won comfortably, which pushed the Rebels and Tigers out of playoff contention unless something dramatic happens. That outcome may have opened the door a little wider for the Big 12.
Texas Tech, which was 15th last week, picked up a thrilling win over a solid West Virginia team, while BYU lost by just eight to Utah despite turning it over four times. The Cougars’ win over Notre Dame also looks even better now after the Fighting Irish beat No.
1 Miami. That raises a real possibility: could the Big 12 place three teams in this week’s rankings?
Notre Dame, meanwhile, was handed a clear message by the committee when it landed at No. 11 last week. The Irish responded with a signature win over Miami, and they should climb sharply because of it.
But that game wasn’t as clean as the final score might suggest. Notre Dame jumped out to a 17-3 halftime lead, then Miami outscored the Irish 21-14 in the second half and nearly pulled off the comeback.
The Hurricanes also lost star receiver and Heisman Trophy candidate Malachi Toney for the rest of the regular season, a development that could affect how the committee views both teams.
Ohio State may have already felt the sting of not having starting quarterback Julian Sayin against USC, in a situation that brought back memories of the Florida State-Jordan Travis debate. But the committee now has to deal with the other side of that argument too.
Wake Forest and Boise State both won convincingly with backup quarterbacks, and that kind of depth should matter in their favor. Whether it actually does is another matter.
UCLA is another team that should be on the move. The Bruins were one of just three undefeated teams last week, yet the committee slotted them all the way down at eighth behind Miami and Utah.
With both of those teams losing, UCLA is set to rise. The more interesting question is how far.
That leads to the Big Ten wrinkle. UCLA beat Minnesota by 14 on the road, while Indiana beat the same Golden Gophers by seven at home in overtime.
The committee could use those common-opponent results, along with Indiana’s bye week, to shift the conference’s internal pecking order when the new rankings come out. It’s one of the more intriguing calls the committee will have to make Tuesday night.
In Other News...
Boise State Fans Already Have A GameDay Debate On Their Hands
ESPNs College GameDay is headed back to Boise for the Broncos matchup with Oregon State, and the announcement has already given fans something else to argue about besides the game itself. The show will air on USA Network with a 4 p.m. start time, setting up another high-profile Saturday in a city that has become a familiar stop for one of college footballs biggest traveling showcases.
The bigger conversation now is who will take the guest picker spot when the crew arrives. The list of possibilities includes former players, local celebrities and other notable figures tied to Boise State and the region, which gives the selection plenty of directions to go. For a fan base that knows how to turn a big weekend into a scene, the debate over the face of the broadcast may end up drawing nearly as much attention as the game. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State's Defensive Struggles Put Danielson's Faith Under Pressure
Boise States recent defensive slide has become impossible to ignore, even with the Broncos still stacking wins in conference play. Head coach Spencer Danielson and defensive coordinator Erik Chinander both pointed to execution rather than play calling when asked about the issues, a sign that the staff believes the answer is less about scheme and more about getting the current one carried out cleaner on the field.
The concern is obvious in the numbers the defense has been allowing, with too many points and too many explosive plays showing up in games the Broncos have otherwise managed to win. Danielson and Chinander both took responsibility for the performance, and while the results have not derailed Boise States four-game Pac-12 winning streak, the pressure is now on the defense to show that the fixes are real before the margin for error gets any thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Faces A Real Quarterback Dilemma Before Oregon State
Boise States quarterback picture has become one of the more interesting subplots heading into Oregon State, and it all starts with Maddux Madsens knee. Head coach Spencer Danielson made it clear this week that if Madsen is healthy, he will be the starter, a straightforward answer on the surface but one that carries plenty of weight given how the backup situation has developed.
Max Cutforth has played well enough in recent games to make the conversation unavoidable, especially if Madsens mobility is limited. Danielsons stance leaves little mystery about the pecking order when Madsen is ready, but it also underscores how much Boise State needs clarity at the position before a matchup that could hinge on who is best equipped to handle the full load. [Read more 🡒]