November 20th 2024.
In the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, the top five teams have remained consistent. The undefeated Oregon Ducks are still in the lead, followed by Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, and Indiana - a mix of Big Ten and SEC teams. However, there have been some notable changes in the rankings below, with Brigham Young University (BYU) taking a significant hit.
The Cougars have dropped eight spots to No. 14 after suffering their first loss of the season to unranked Kansas by just four points. Interestingly, despite having one loss compared to BYU's undefeated record, SMU has now surpassed them in the rankings. This could have a significant impact on the Big 12 conference and potentially even Boise State.
Boise State has moved up to No. 12, putting them in a position to potentially gain a bye in the opening round of the Big 12 conference. In the new 12-team CFP format, the top five conference champions automatically receive bids, with the top four getting byes. If the current rankings hold, Boise State would finish ahead of all four of the Big 12's ranked teams: BYU, Colorado, Arizona State, and Iowa State. This would mean that the Big 12 winner would have to play a road game in the opening round, which was not expected when the new format was created.
However, with two weeks of regular season games remaining and championship weekend still to come, the situation is subject to change. The biggest question to monitor leading up to the CFP reveal on Dec. 8 is whether any of the Big 12 teams ranked below Boise State will be able to overtake them.
One factor that could contribute to this is the quality of opponents faced in the conference championship. While Boise State is currently on track to face unranked Colorado State in the Mountain West title game, the Big 12 winner will likely face a ranked team, giving them a potential quality win to boost their resume.
It's also worth noting that not all Big 12 teams are equal. For example, it's uncertain if Iowa State would have the same chance of passing Boise State as Colorado.
Another potential threat to the Big 12 is Army, who is currently undefeated and ranked No. 19. If they can defeat Notre Dame this weekend and win the American conference championship, they could potentially finish the season ranked above the Big 12 champion. However, it's worth mentioning that Notre Dame is heavily favored to win by two touchdowns.
As always, there is a lot to consider and many variables at play. It will be interesting to see how the rankings shift in the coming weeks and what impact it will have on the CFP. For updates and analysis, you can follow me on social media @WilnerHotline or send suggestions and tips to
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