College Football Playoff rankings: SEC losses mean big gain for SMU and a cushion for Indiana

The Southeastern Conference’s losses were almost everyone else’s gain in the College Football Playoff rankings, with SMU nudging its way into the top 12 and Indiana staying in the mix at No. 10 despite a lopsided loss of its own.

The 12-team bracket released Tuesday placed undefeated Oregon on top for the fourth straight week. It did not include Alabama or Mississippi of the SEC, both of which suffered their third losses of the season last week.

That helped place SMU in the ninth spot, joining No. 6 Miami to give the Atlantic Coast Conference two teams in the bracket.

“We’ve been in that position where, so far, our resume hadn’t been good enough, so we needed some help,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said a few hours before the rankings were released.

All eyes were on Indiana and how harshly the committee would penalize the Hoosiers for their first loss of the season, a 38-15 thumping by No. 2 Ohio State. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti scoffed at the idea the Hoosiers weren’t a playoff team. The selection committee agreed, bumping the Hoosiers down only five spots.

The committee wasn’t nearly as generous to the Big 12. Losses by its top two teams last week — BYU and Colorado — vaulted Arizona State, which beat BYU, into the bracket.

The Sun Devils were ranked 16th, giving them the 12th and final spot in the bracket as a projected conference champ but giving the Big 12 the distinct feel of a one-bid league.

Another bid would belong to Boise State of the Mountain West. The Broncos were ranked 11th but got the fourth seed in the projected bracket as the fourth-best projected conference champion.

SEC leader Texas was ranked third.

Alabama dropped six spots to No. 13 and Ole Miss dropped five spots to No. 14. Both are out of the mix currently but not completely out of the question as the committee wrestles over the next two weeks with whether a three-loss team belongs in the playoff.

Other rankings: No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee.

There are two more rankings to come out — next week, then the last one on Dec. 8, which will set the pairings for the playoffs that start Dec. 20.

Games to watch

Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State: A Buckeyes win sets up a rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten title game, with a third meeting possible in the playoffs.

No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M: The winner plays Georgia for the SEC title. The Longhorns presumably would make the 12-team bracket either way.

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: The Palmetto Bowl for a chance to stay on the fringes of CFP consideration.

Originally Published: November 26, 2024 at 8:02 PM CST