2024 Week Three 12-team College Football Playoff rankings prediction
Tennessee football earned its second-ranked win of the season after a dominant performance in Norman, Oklahoma. The Vols took down the Sooners 25-15 on the road in a game in which the defense allowed virtually zero yards through three and a half quarters.
The rest of the top five ahead of the Vols remains the same. Texas, Ohio State, and Miami continue to run through their schedule like their hair is on fire, while Utah edged out Oklahoma State on the road for what could be the Big 12 regular season championship.
While the top half of the rankings remained the same, the bottom half saw a pretty big shakeup, including two teams re-entering the rankings after dropping out of the top 12 in previous weeks.
Georgia and Alabama were both idle ahead of their massive matchup this Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will look to get their first big-time win of the season while also cementing themselves as the SEC front-runners and leapfrogging Texas in the rankings.
Penn State and Louisville re-enter the top 12 as they look to become title contenders on their way to a conference championship. Oregon remains in the top 12 but drops one spot, and UNLV remains the top Group of Five Champion, earning the final spot in the CFP.
Before we dive into the Week Four College Football Playoffs rankings prediction, here's a reminder of how the new-look Playoff will look: P4 conference champions receive automatic bids and the top four rankings. The top Group of Five champion is the fifth team to receive an automatic bid, while seeds six through 12 are all at-large bids. Seeds five through eight will host seeds nine through twelve in the first round.
Rank | Team | Why They Are Here | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Texas Longhorns | SEC Champion | 1 (-) |
2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | Big Ten Champion | 2 (-) |
3 | Miami Hurricanes | ACC Champion | 3 (-) |
4 | Utah Utes | Big 12 Champion | 4 (-) |
5 | Georgia Bulldogs | At-Large | 5 (-) |
6 | Tennessee Volunteers | At-Large | 6 (-) |
7 | Ole Miss Rebels | At-Large | 8 (+1) |
8 | Alabama Crimson Tide | At-Large | 7 (-1) |
9 | Penn State Nittany Lions | At-Large | Not Ranked |
10 | Oregon Ducks | At-Large | 9 (-1) |
11 | Louisville Cardinals | At-Large | Not Ranked |
12 | UNLV Rebels | MW Champion | 12 (-) |
On The Bubble
Michigan earned its biggest win of the season against USC, which places them back in the bubble and right where they need to be to be College Football Playoff contenders as they begin conference play.
Notre Dame hasn't looked great, but they have been good enough to be one of the top 16 teams in the country, at least until they put together another unimpressive outing against an inferior opponent.
USC might have lost to Michigan in its first Big Ten conference game, but its season is far from over. The Trojans' offense will have to find a way to overcome the stout defenses they will face in conference play, but they still have a chance to make the top 12.
Missouri survived the Vanderbilt Commodores at home and kept their undefeated season alive. The Tigers are competing in a tough conference this year loaded with College Football Playoff contenders, which is why they sit on the outside looking in.
Week Five of College Football
Week Five is going to give us at least one premier matchup. Georgia and Alabama face off to set themselves apart from the other early in the season. Louisville-Notre Dame, Ole Miss-Kentucky, and Penn State-Illinois are matchups that could shake the rankings.
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