1. Oregon Ducks (11-0)
Two weeks ago, the Ducks were challenged for the first time since their victory over Ohio State in October but they remained perfect on the season. Playing under the lights at Camp Randall in Madison is never an easy task, and it took the Ducks all 60 minutes to top Wisconsin. Oregon trailed 13-6 entering the fourth quarter as the offense struggled — including QB Dillon Gabriel who threw a poor interception in the red zone. However, the No. 1 team came through when it mattered most by scoring 10 points in the fourth. With less than two minutes on the clock, Matayo Uiagalelei intercepted a pass to clinch the victory.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1)
With their convincing win over Indiana, the Buckeyes improved to 2-1 this season against top-5 opponents. The first quarter wasn’t anything to write home about as Ohio State was held in check as Indiana took a 7-0 lead. However, the rest of the game was completely one-sided. The Buckeyes went on a 31-0 run before the Hoosiers scored a late touchdown. Now, Ohio State needs to beat the rival Michigan Wolverines to set up a rematch against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship.
3. Texas Longhorns (10-1)
While the rival Texas A&M Aggies were caught looking ahead to this week’s showdown in College Station, the Longhorns took care of business. Texas ran away with a comfortable win after going on a 17-0 run to close the second quarter. Kentucky was limited to 14 first downs and 232 total yards. Defensively, the Longhorns forced two turnovers — the first of which led to a touchdown. Texas can likely secure a spot in the CFP with a win over A&M this weekend.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions (10-1)
While all eyes were on Indiana and Ohio State squaring off, Penn State was lucky to leave Minnesota with a win. The Nittany Lions entered the week knowing that two wins would result in a CFP berth. However, the Golden Gophers weren’t going to make life easy for James Franklin’s team. The Gophers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and eventually took a 19-17 lead into halftime. Down 22-16, State rattled off 10 points in a row to set the stage for a wild finish. After seeing their lead cut to 26-25, the Lions were faced with a 4th & 1 on their 34-yard line with 3:47 remaining. Punting the ball back to Minnesota would put the team at risk of losing. So, State opted to run a fake punt and gained 32 yards. The Lions would go on to burn the rest of the clock and preserve their CFP hopes.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1)
Barring a horrible loss this weekend at Southern Cal, the Fighting Irish will be in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Notre Dame extended its winning streak to nine games with its one-sided victory over Army at Yankee Stadium. Previously undefeated, the Black Knights were thoroughly overmatched by the Irish. Riley Leonard threw for 148 yards and two TDs on 13 attempts. Jeremiyah Love led the team with 130 rushing yards and two TDs on seven carries. Overall, the Irish averaged 9.8 YPC and scored five TDs on the ground.
6. Boise State Broncos (10-1)
The Broncos survived a close call for the second time in three games. Playing a two-win Wyoming team on the road, the Broncos struggled to complete drives. Ashton Jeanty found the end zone on a 61-yard burst in the first quarter, but the Broncos were kept out of the end zone over the next 43 minutes. Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Boise put together a 75-yard drive — led by Jeanty — and scored the game-winning touchdown with 5:02 remaining. Jeanty overcame an injury and finished with 169 yards on 19 carries.
7. Georgia Bulldogs (9-2)
The Bulldogs saved their season with a big win over Tennessee two weeks ago and will now find themselves playing for the SEC Championship once again. Last week, the Bulldogs welcomed UMass to town in a classic, late-season SEC vs. overmatched opponent showdown. Georgia surrendered the first touchdown of the game and entered the second quarter tied 7-7. Then, the Bulldogs took the 2-win Minutemen to school. Carson Beck threw three TDs in the second quarter as his team built a 28-14 lead. Georgia outscored UMass 31-7 after the intermission.
8. SMU Mustangs (10-1)
With its dominant win over Virginia, SMU clinched a spot in the ACC Championship. Kevin Jennings shredded the Cavaliers for 323 passing yards and three total scores (two passing, one rushing), and the Mustangs built a 26-0 lead in the fourth quarter. Regardless of this weekend’s result against California, SMU will have an opportunity to secure a CFP bid with a win over either Miami or Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
9. Miami Hurricanes (10-1)
Don’t be fooled by the final score, Miami struggled to put away Wake Forest for more than three quarters last weekend. The Hurricanes never trailed, but their lead entering the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter was just 20-14. Then, Miami scored 22 points over the final 7:58. Cam Ward accounted for three touchdowns overall, while Jordan Lyle led the team with 115 yards and one TD on the ground. With a win over Syracuse this weekend, Miami would clinch a spot in the ACC Championship Game against SMU.
10. Tennessee Volunteers (9-2)
Following their loss to Georgia, the Volunteers returned home for a battle with UTEP. Predictably, Tennessee improved to 9-2 with a 56-0 victory over the Miners. Nico Iamaleava threw four touchdown passes and the Vols scored another four TDs on the ground. More importantly, losses by Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas A&M helped Tennessee’s chances of earning an at-large bid to the CFP. A win at Vanderbilt this weekend would likely be enough for the Vols to earn a spot.
11. Indiana Hoosiers (10-1)
Well, everyone who entered the week with doubts about Indiana’s ability had a good time watching Ohio State thump the previously undefeated Hoosiers. Indiana opened the scoring with an impressive 70-yard touchdown drive, but the offense was completely stifled the rest of the game. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke finished with eight completions for 68 yards and the team combined to rush for 85 yards on 40 carries. A win over Purdue would likely clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff, but there is clearly room for improvement.
12. Clemson Tigers (9-2)
Clemson’s hopes of reaching the ACC Championship Game remain alive, but it will need some help this weekend in order to play SMU. Not only will they need to knock off a red-hot South Carolina group, but the Tigers will also need Syracuse to beat Miami. The Tigers hosted The Citadel last week — taking a page out of the SEC’s playbook — and cruised to a 37-point win. Clemson has lost to its two best opponents this year, so we don’t have a ton of confidence entering this battle with the Gamecocks.
13. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-2)
Don’t look now, but the Arizona State Sun Devils control their destiny in the Big 12. ASU has won four games in a row with its last two victories coming against ranked opponents. Last weekend, the Sun Devils built a 21-0 lead over BYU behind three touchdowns from Cam Skattebo. The wheels fell off a bit in the second half as the Cougars outscored ASU 20-7, but the Sun Devils held on for a five-point win following a premature field storming and an unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt.
14. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3)
Can the Gamecocks make a late surge into the 12-team College Football Playoff? After starting the year 3-3, South Carolina has won five in a row while playing like one of the best teams in the nation. Clemson has won eight of the last nine meetings against Carolina including last year’s 16-7 victory. The Gamecocks would need some additional help to reach the CFP, but a convincing win over Clemson would be a huge boon to their chances.
15. Ole Miss Rebels (8-3)
A few weeks ago, Ole Miss handled Georgia with relative ease and appeared to be two wins away from earning a berth in the College Football Playoff. Then, the Rebels entered The Swamp and left with a third loss and a bruised ego. In a back-and-forth affair, Ole Miss and Florida entered the fourth quarter deadlocked at 17. After Florida scored to take the lead, Jaxson Dart had three opportunities to tie the game. Drive No. 1 ended with a punt. Then, drives No. 2 and 3 ended with Dart throwing an interception. The Rebels had the CFP in their sights and now they are hoping for absolute chaos.
