The 2023 season comes right down to convention championship weekend. We may have the only and most spectacular School Soccer Playoff subject within the 10-year historical past of the occasion, we may have full chaos or we may have one thing in between, with a little bit little bit of last-minute drama.
Michigan’s win towards Ohio State strikes the Wolverines as much as No. 2 on this week’s rankings and leaves 4 undefeated Energy 5 groups getting into the weekend. If Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State win, it’s a straightforward choice. However the SEC, Pac-12 and ACC video games might be very aggressive and see undefeated groups lose, giving the committee its hardest choices since 2014.
Oregon nonetheless possible has the strongest case amongst one-loss groups. The Geese had been the top-ranked one-loss workforce by the committee final week, and in the event that they beat Washington, they’ll avenge their solely lack of the season. Oregon entered the week as a 9.5-point favorite on BetMGM. An Alabama win towards Georgia would create probably the most chaos, however can you place the Crimson Tide forward of a Texas workforce that received in Tuscaloosa?
It’s unimaginable to foretell what the outcomes can be and what the committee will do. Let’s simply recognize probably the most consequential convention championship weekend we’ve had in a very long time.
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Behind the AP Prime 25 poll: Oregon-Washington making Pac-12 historical past and extra takeaways
The common season has come to a detailed, which means groups with dropping seasons have primarily locked of their remaining positions in these rankings, pending some small strikes resulting from bowl video games. However there can nonetheless be a variety of change within the higher half. Right here is that this week’s Athletic 133.
1-10
The one query within the prime 9 was the place to put Ohio State, despite the fact that it could be in the end irrelevant to the Playoff image with the opposite one-loss groups enjoying in championship video games. Right here, the Buckeyes fall a couple of spots however stay as the highest one-loss workforce as a result of they’ve two good wins (Penn State, Notre Dame) plus a one-score loss to the No. 2 workforce. Oregon has dominated opponents in victory however has no wins over present top-20 groups and a one-score loss to No. 3 Washington. Texas beat Alabama and has a one-score loss to Oklahoma however doesn’t have a second top-25 win. Alabama, after all, misplaced to Texas and nonetheless has an unpleasant efficiency towards USF on the resume to go together with some good wins (Ole Miss, LSU).
All of these groups may soar Ohio State (and get into the CFP) in the event that they win their convention championship video games, and so they’ll nonetheless possible end in New 12 months’s Six video games in the event that they lose. Do I believe Ohio State would beat these groups proper now? Maybe not. However we attempt to emphasize resume and head-to-head in these rankings.
The No. 9 and 10 spots are vital for NY6 functions. Ole Miss truly jumps Missouri right here due to its wins towards LSU and Tulane (although the Inexperienced Wave had been enjoying with their backup QB). Whereas Missouri performed Georgia shut, its finest win was both Tennessee, Kansas State or Memphis, none of that are in my prime 25, and the Tigers additionally misplaced to LSU, whom Ole Miss beat.
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Emerson: Georgia’s three-peat hopes depend upon beating acquainted nemesis
11-25
| Rank | Group | Document | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
11 |
10-2 |
14 |
|
|
12 |
10-2 |
12 |
|
|
13 |
9-3 |
13 |
|
|
14 |
9-3 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
10-2 |
9 |
|
|
16 |
9-3 |
17 |
|
|
17 |
11-1 |
20 |
|
|
18 |
12-0 |
22 |
|
|
19 |
11-1 |
21 |
|
|
20 |
9-3 |
18 |
|
|
21 |
8-4 |
16 |
|
|
22 |
9-3 |
23 |
|
|
23 |
10-2 |
24 |
|
|
24 |
11-1 |
25 |
|
|
25 |
10-2 |
26 |
Oklahoma slides as much as No. 11 after beating TCU. Though No. 12 Penn State has higher losses (Ohio State, Michigan), the Sooners have higher wins (Texas, SMU, better margin of victory towards West Virginia), and it’s doable Oklahoma may stand up to No. 10 if Texas wins the Huge 12 and SMU wins the AAC. Louisville slides right down to No. 15 after dropping to Kentucky, one spot forward of Notre Dame resulting from their head-to-head consequence.
Tulane beat UTSA and stays the highest Group of 5 workforce at No. 17, forward of a conflict with No. 25 SMU. Liberty is 12-0, and the early-season win towards now-10-win New Mexico State is a top quality win. James Madison is 11-1 and going bowling, but it surely’s not eligible for the New 12 months’s Six. The large query is whether or not the CFP committee would put a two-loss AAC champion SMU over a doubtlessly 13-0 Liberty.
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Sampson: Notre Dame’s largely profitable season cannot signify a peak
26-50
Not a lot change on this group. Kansas State drops out of the highest 25 after a loss to Iowa State. New Mexico State is as much as No. 31 after beating Jacksonville State to maneuver to 10-3. Kentucky’s win towards Louisville strikes the Wildcats as much as No. 43, whereas No. 48 Northwestern and No. 49 Maryland transfer into the highest 25 after wins towards Illinois and Rutgers, respectively. Northwestern has the head-to-head over the Terps. No. 45 Iowa State beat Kansas State however stays behind 9-3 Ohio resulting from their head-to-head consequence. Appalachian State whipped Georgia Southern 55-27 to maneuver as much as No. 50 with 5 consecutive wins to shut the common season.
51-75
Georgia Tech slides as much as No. 51 after battling Georgia to an eight-point loss. Cal jumps as much as No. 55 after beating UCLA however stays behind Auburn because of the head-to-head. Fresno State drops to No. 61 after ending its common season with losses to New Mexico and San Diego State, however the Bulldogs keep forward of Boise State due to their head-to-head win. San Jose State strikes as much as No. 70 after beating UNLV and shutting its common season with six consecutive wins.
76-100
Colorado ended its season dropping eight of its final 9 video games after a 3-0 begin, and Deion Sanders’ group sits at No. 79. Bowling Inexperienced rises to No. 83 after beating Western Michigan and profitable 5 of its final six video games, with the lone loss towards Toledo. No. 87 USF obtained to 6-6 after beating Charlotte 48-14, and Alex Golesh put collectively probably the most spectacular seasons for a first-year coach this season. Previous Dominion beat Georgia State on the buzzer to complete 6-6 and transfer as much as No. 88. The Monarchs performed 10 one-score video games this season. Utah State beat New Mexico in double-overtime and Louisiana beat ULM, as each obtained to bowl eligibility.
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Feldman’s candidates to switch Dana Holgorsen at Houston
101-133
No. 103 Northern Illinois and No. 106 Japanese Michigan each received to get to bowl eligibility, however EMU stays behind Western Michigan and Central Michigan resulting from losses towards each. Vanderbilt finishes because the lowest-ranked Energy 5 workforce at No. 114; Baylor is the subsequent closest at No. 109. Sam Houston closed its season with a walk-off subject objective towards Center Tennessee, profitable three of its final 4 video games after an 0-8 begin. UConn received its remaining two video games towards Sacred Coronary heart and UMass to maneuver as much as No. 120. Tulsa’s win towards East Carolina sees the Golden Hurricane end at No. 125 and the Pirates end at No. 128. Kent State finishes as No. 133, having gone 0-11 towards FBS competitors.
The Athletic 133 Rankings collection is a part of a partnership with AllState.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Companions haven’t any management over or enter into the reporting or enhancing course of and don’t evaluation tales earlier than publication.
(Picture: Steph Chambers / Getty Photos)
