DISCLAIMER: I work for a national media affiliate but do not have a vote in the Associated Press poll so my opinion means virtually nothing. These rankings have nothing to do with preseason polls or last season’s results; they’re based on games that have been played this year only. The rankings will be volatile, especially early in the season.
This weekend’s rankings will be a bit different than the previous nine. Since the College Football Playoff Committee has released their first poll of the season, my rankings will be a 1-12 team playoff if the playoffs began right now. I’ll also include a few teams that I think will be in the mix for those 5-12 spots come season’s end.
In terms of teams that I have in, not a lot of movement at the top. A few quality teams were given a run for their money last weekend. Looking at scores you’d think Florida had Georgia on the ropes but the Bulldogs were a possession ahead the entire game and ran the clock out on the one yard line as time expired, keeping it a one score game.
Ohio State and Indiana continue to dominate while Texas A&M and Alabama were both on bye. The games played have to mean something so I’m taking out one-loss Alabama and putting undefeated BYU in the four spot. That can change quickly as BYU heads to Lubbock for a monumental showdown with Texas Tech that could potentially decide the fate of the Big 12 in the playoff.
Georgia Tech took their first loss of the season to NC State so Georgia slides up to take their spot while Vanderbilt also falls out of the playoff picture after a Texas loss that got out of hand right out of the gate.
The final poll will almost certainly not look like this, winning your conference should be essential to getting a top three spot and a bye while the top four consist of two SEC and two Big Ten teams. Teams that have a chance to grab one of those top four are undefeated BYU and the loser of the Big Ten championship if both Ohio State and Indiana come in unbeaten.
Brutal weekend for Vandy, GT and Houston; three one-loss power four teams with conference championship aspirations that are now in all-likelihood gonna miss out of the playoff.
My top four seeds
- Ohio State (B1G) – undefeated power four.
- Indiana (B1G) – undefeated power four.
- Texas A&M (SEC) – undefeated power four.
- BYU (Big 12) – undefeated power four.
My five through twelve:
- Alabama (SEC) One loss and have killed everyone they’ve played since the FSU loss. They can grab a top four spot if they win out and win the SEC.
- Georgia (SEC): Needs Alabama to lose another game because of their head-to-head loss.
- Oregon (B1G): The third best team in the B1G and without a doubt a playoff team if they handle their business the last three games. The Indiana loss and no chance at Ohio State means they won’t sniff the conference championship game.
- Texas Tech (Big 12): Was hurt big by losing to Iowa State but can jump right back into a bye if they beat BYU this weekend and go on to win the Big 12.
- Ole Miss (SEC): Similar to Oregon; high end team in one of the two premiere conferences but won’t have a shot at the SEC championship because of the Georgia loss and no chance at Bama.
- Virginia (ACC): One loss power four with a win over Louisville. That NC State team is pesky, having knocked off Georgia Tech and UVA.
- Louisville (ACC): One loss power four but loss was to UVA.
- Memphis (American): Best resume of any G5 team with wins over USF and Arkansas with a chance to take down two-loss Tulane this weekend.
Teams with a chance to crack the top twelve constitute any ten-win power four team or eleven-win G5.
From the power four we have Utah, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Miami, Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Tennessee, Mizzou, Iowa, Michigan, Washington, Pitt and independent Notre Dame.
The group of five programs that can get in if they run the table include Navy, North Texas and San Diego State.
mitchlinsley.com 
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