The College Football Playoff committee released their second top-25 ranking during tonight's selection show on ESPN. After BYU’s upset loss to Kansas and Georgia's dominant win over Tennessee, many came into tonight's show expecting a significant shift from last week's rankings as two top-10 teams lost. Also talks of Oregon’s ranking as the number one team in the nation after a close 16-13 win in Maddison Saturday night. Let's look deeper into this week’s College Football Playoff rankings.
Boise State gets the bye over BYU
The most significant news of the night was that Boise State came in ranked fourth in this week's edition of the College Football Playoff rankings. Boise State is coming off an impressive road win vs San Jose State this past Saturday. Ashton Jeanty rushed for 159 yards on 32 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns to bolster his Heisman odds heading into the season's final weeks. Boise State is now fourth in the rankings due to BYU‘s upset loss to Kansas, marking the Jayhawk's second straight win versus a top-10 team. The path for Boise State is clear: win out, and they will have a first-round bye. BYU and the rest of the Big 12 conference would need a Boise State loss and perhaps a Notre Dame win over Army this weekend to see a conference representative selected for a first-round bye.
Oregon remains at one though concerns arise
To no one's surprise, the undefeated Oregon Ducks remained number one in this week's College Football Rankings, but this past weekend’s 16-13 win over Wisconsin in Madison raised concerns. The undefeated Ducks struggled offensively all night, especially their Heisman candidate quarterback, Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel only managed to throw for 218 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception on the night. This performance by Gabriel won’t do his Heisman any favors, as Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty are starting to separate themselves from the pack. Although Gabriel struggled, Oregon relied on a solid run game and an excellent defensive performance to secure a win. With the Ducks being undefeated, it would’ve been hard to drop them from one, especially with the number two team in Ohio State, who Oregon has already defeated, would be the most likely chain to replace them if so.
Texas vs Texas A&M will change the landscape
With the return of the rivalry game between Texas and Texas A&M in College Station on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, the stars are aligning for this game to be the most crucial game of the college football season. If Texas and Texas A&M win this weekend, the matchup between those two teams will decide who goes to the SEC championship and potentially have a chance at a first-round bye. Texas, who came in at number three in this week's College Football Playoff rankings, faces Kentucky this weekend at home, while Texas A&M faces Auburn on the road. For Texas, losing to A&M won’t ultimately hurt their chances at making the playoffs, but Texas A&M, ranked 15th in this week’s rankings, will most likely need to win out to have a way into the newly expanded playoff. With this rivalry game being the first time these two teams have faced each other since 2011, this potential scenario could have boosted the stakes significantly for both teams.
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