FSU rejoins UGA, U-M, Washington in CFP top 4
-
Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
Florida State moved back into the top four and Ohio State dropped four spots to No. 6 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night.
Georgia remained No. 1, while Michigan moved up one spot to No. 2 and Washington is No. 3. The Wolverines beat the rival Buckeyes 30-24 on Saturday to clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game and deal a big blow to Ohio State’s playoff hopes.
“As we look at it, it was a really good weekend, rivalry weekend, you get a little bit of everything,” CFP committee chair Boo Corrigan said on ESPN’s rankings release show. “What a great season it’s been so far.”
The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in the first CFP rankings Oct. 31. Ohio State also lost to Michigan last year but made it into the playoff after USC lost in the Pac-12 championship game. There is one key difference from last year: Ohio State dropped to No. 5 after the loss to Michigan. This year, the Buckeyes will need more help to finish in the top four.
That would include a Florida State loss to Louisville in the ACC championship game Saturday night in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Seminoles played their first game without starting quarterback Jordan Travis on Saturday against rival Florida, and while new starter Tate Rodemaker looked shaky at times, Florida State found a way to win 24-15.
“Different team without Jordan Travis,” Corrigan said of the Seminoles. “It’s more than one player, but obviously, they are a different team without Jordan Travis.”
The big question headed into Tuesday night’s rankings was how the committee would view the Seminoles with Rodemaker behind center. After dropping to No. 5 last week — based on what the committee said was Washington’s stronger strength of schedule — Florida State was able to get back into the top four with the Ohio State loss and stay ahead of the four one-loss teams stacked behind. That is seemingly good news for its playoff hopes should it remain undefeated.
Every conference championship game this weekend is bound to have playoff implications — starting with the SEC championship between Georgia and No. 8 Alabama in Atlanta on Saturday.
The Pac-12 championship game between Washington and No. 5 Oregon on Friday night is likely to produce one playoff team as well. The Huskies beat the Ducks earlier this year at home 36-33 in a game that went down to the final play. Oregon has had far more decisive wins than Washington down the stretch. If the Ducks win, as the highest-ranked one-loss team, they would all but assuredly be in.
“Oregon has continued to dominate,” Corrigan said. “With the season that [Ducks quarterback] Bo Nix is having, they have continued to impress with both the offense and the defense.”
Michigan plays No. 16 Iowa in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday. A win and the Wolverines would have their third straight CFP appearance.
As for the Big 12 championship game Saturday between No. 7 Texas and No. 18 Oklahoma State, the Longhorns need to win and hope for some help above them, too.
Tulane remains the top-ranked Group of 5 school at No. 22. The Green Wave play SMU in the AAC championship game Saturday. A win would all but ensure a spot in a New Year’s Six game for the second straight season.
The final CFP rankings will be announced Sunday (noon ET, ESPN).
Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.
O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.
Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.
With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.
Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.
Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.
Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.
Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.
With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.
He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024