DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Two-time defending national champion Georgia is back in the role of favorite after becoming the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The Bulldogs (10-0) jumped ahead of Ohio State (10-0) in the latest rankings unveiled Tuesday night from Grapevine, Texas.
No. 3 Michigan (10-0) and No. 4 Florida State (10-0) remained in their previous spots.
The Buckeyes were the No. 1 team in both of the first two Tuesday rankings. However, the 13-person committee decided this time around that Georgia is the nation’s top team.
CFP committee chairman Boo Corrigan, the athletic director at North Carolina State, cited Georgia’s strong showings the past two weeks as big factors. The Bulldogs beat Missouri 30-21 two Saturdays and Ole Miss 52-17 last weekend.
“You look at the win last week over Missouri and the Mississippi game was tied 14-all and they go out on a 38-3 run and showed their dominance both on offense and defense,” Corrigan said. “Looking at the resume and everything combined, we thought Georgia was the best team this week.”
Washington (10-0) remains on the outside at No. 5 despite owning the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 17 games. Only Georgia (27) has reeled off more consecutive victories.
“Washington continues to win and had a really good defensive second half against Utah.” Corrigan said, referencing the Huskies’ 35-28 win. “But as we looked at it and evaluated … we ended up with Florida State at 4 and Washington at 5.”
Oregon (9-1) again checked in at No. 6 as its October loss to Washington remains the team’s lone blemish. The Ducks and Huskies could meet again in next month’s Pac-12 title game.
Texas (9-1) was again No. 7, just ahead of Alabama (9-1). The Longhorns defeated the Crimson Tide in September. Both teams need some of the teams ahead of them to lose contests.
Alabama will face Georgia in next month’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game, and a victory over the Bulldogs would greatly enhance the Crimson Tide’s resume.
Missouri (8-2) and Louisville (9-1) round out the top 10.
No. 11 Oregon State (8-2) is a real long shot but could create havoc if it upsets visiting Washington this Saturday.
Also this week, Georgia visits No. 18 Tennessee and Ohio State hosts Minnesota.
Michigan, without suspended coach Jim Harbaugh, will visit Maryland. Florida State hosts North Alabama of the FCS ranks.
Oregon visits Arizona State, Texas travels to Iowa State and Alabama will host FCS foe Chattanooga.
Tulane (9-1) of the American Athletic Conference is the only ranked team from a non-power league.
Penn State (8-2) is No. 12, followed by Ole Miss (8-2), Oklahoma (8-2) and LSU (7-3).
Iowa (8-2) sits at No. 16, followed by Arizona (7-3). Notre Dame (7-3) is No. 19, just ahead of North Carolina (8-2).
At No. 21 is Kansas State (7-3), ahead of Utah (7-3) and Oklahoma State (7-3). Kansas (7-3) is No. 25.
–Field Level Media