What will the 2020 College Football Playoff top 25 rankings be when the second round is released on Tuesday night?
The first go-round of the 2020 College Football Playoff rankings were fine. There was one massive misfire that called into question the entire process, but for the most part there wasn’t a whole lot to get into a twist over.
Remember, 1) these rankings are just a snapshot – they get thrown out and the process starts over next week. 2) Every spot is debated and agreed to, and 3) there aren’t any rules – the committee can pick anyone it wants to.
With that said, don’t get into a twist over where the teams are for now. Win your Power Five conference championship, go unbeaten or lose one game along the way – unless you’re the Pac-12 this year, or potentially the Big Ten champ – and you’ll be in.
One last thing – these are College Football Playoff ranking predictions. This isn’t how we’d do it – that’s what the CFN rankings are for – so don’t honk at us if you have. beef.
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction Top 25 Projection
25. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 8-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: Not Ranked
The Case For This Spot: The committee totally blew it in its first rankings. Louisiana ripped Iowa State 31-14 in Ames in the opener, its only loss is 30-27 against Coastal Carolina, and it’s coming off a 70-10 win over ULM. The Ragin’ Cajuns should be ranked higher than Iowa State and Oklahoma, but won’t be. This will be a token ranking in case the committee has to boost them higher after next week.
Up Next: at Appalachian State
24. Oregon Ducks 3-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 15
The Case For This Spot: The committee won’t want to push the Ducks totally out of the top 25, but it could be close considering the loss at Oregon State isn’t all that great. The CFP will still like the talent level and the 3-0 start – the win over UCLA, though, isn’t enough to warrant too much more respect than this.
Up Next: at Cal
23. Colorado Buffaloes 3-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: Not Ranked
The Case For This Spot: Colorado will suffer from brand name. The unbeaten Buffaloes have a better body of work than USC, but it won’t matter too much since the committee probably hasn’t payed enough attention to any of their games. The 20-10 win over San Diego State in a last-minute matchup should receive more credit than it’ll get.
Up Next: at Arizona
22. Tulsa Golden Hurricane 5-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 25
The Case For This Spot: It should actually be higher, but this is about as high as the committee will likely be prepared to go. The Gulden Hurricane beat UCF and SMU, and the only loss was 16-7 to Oklahoma State on the road.
Up Next: at Navy
21. Washington Huskies 3-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: Not Ranked
The Case For This Spot: The committee will make sure all the unbeaten teams are in the mix, and Washington’s good start, strong comeback win over Utah, and opening day better-than-it-looked-then win over an Oregon State team that just beat Oregon is enough to push for close to the top 20.
Up Next: Stanford
NEXT: Top 20 College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction Top 20 Projection
20. Iowa Hawkeyes 4-2
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 24
The Case For This Spot: It took a wee bit too much to get by a bad Nebraska team at home, but the Hawkeyes are on a four-game winning streak, the close 21-20 loss to Northwestern is fine, and the 49-7 victory over Michigan State now looks great.
Up Next: at Illinois
19. Wisconsin Badgers 2-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 16
The Case For This Spot: It’ll be interesting to see just how much respect the committee continues to give a team that got trucked by Northwestern, can’t seem to play any games, and whose only wins are against Michigan and Illinois. The Badgers will drop, but they’ll stay in the top 20.
Up Next: Indiana
18. Northwestern Wildcats 5-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 8
The Case For This Spot: The win over Wisconsin will get a bit more credit than it should, but the Iowa win is looking more and more impressive. The loss to Michigan State on the road hurts, but the committee won’t want to rank the Badgers higher than the Wildcats.
Up Next: at Minnesota
17. Oklahoma State Cowboys 6-2
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 23
The Case For This Spot: The 50-44 win over Texas Tech wasn’t all that impressive considering the defense had a rough time, but the win over Iowa State a month ago will matter a bit more in these rankings. Handing Tulsa its only victory will get more credit.
Up Next: at TCU
16. USC Trojans 3-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 18
The Case For This Spot: This is probably very very, wrong. The Trojans couldn’t play last week, they haven’t shown anything all that impressive – the three teams they beat are a combined 0-6 – and they’re being discussed for the top 15 on branding alone.
Up Next: Washington State
NEXT: Top 15 College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction Top 15 Projection
15. Marshall Thundering Herd 7-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 16
The Case For This Spot: It’ll be a record ranking, but there’s more to the schedule than what USC has been able to do. The Thundering Herd beat Appalachian State and handed Florida Atlantic its only loss – that’s enough to be close to the top 15. Winning every game by a double-digit blowout gets them there.
Up Next: A
14. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 9-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 20
The Case For This Spot: Welcome to the big high riser in the rankings. The win at Louisiana will finally be recognized for being as strong as it is. Blowing out Texas State 49-14 doesn’t mean much, but being 9-0 and with several teams losing will be enough to get into the top 15.
Up Next: Liberty
13. BYU Cougars 9-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 14
The Case For This Spot: There wasn’t a whole lot of love in the first round of rankings, and that’s not going to change this week after not playing. Unless someone in the Pac-12 – or elsewhere – can figure out how to sign on to play the Cougars, the bottom of the top ten will be the ceiling.
Up Next: San Diego State (Dec. 12)
12. Oklahoma Sooners 6-2
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 11
The Case For This Spot: They’ll either be 10, 11 or 12 – it doesn’t matter. The Sooners will move up big if they keep on rolling to a Big 12 title. However, the home loss to Kansas State loss looks far, far worse now.
Up Next: Baylor
11. Indiana Hoosiers 5-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 12
The Case For This Spot: The call is here is that the Hoosiers move up a bit after beating Maryland – even if they looked lousy doing it. And why? The 24-0 win over Michigan State on the road looks a whole lot stronger now. At worst, IU is 11th. Beat the Badgers in Madison, and the ranking will skyrocket next week.
Up Next: at Wisconsin
NEXT: Top Ten College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction Top 10 Projection
10. Iowa State Cyclones 7-2
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 12
The Case For This Spot: A key glitch in last week’s rankings will be fixed – Iowa State will move ahead of Oklahoma. The Cyclones beat the Sooners in early October, but for come reason were ranked two spots lower. The 23-20 win over Texas on the road will change that.
Up Next: West Virginia
9. Miami Hurricanes 7-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 10
The Case For This Spot: It’s been a while since the team played, and there isn’t a good win to chirp about, but the only loss is at Clemson – that’s obviously okay. The schedule changes up a bit, and it’s a plus. The Wake Forest game was going to be canceled, but the Hurricanes will play Duke now.
Up Next: at Duke
8. Georgia Bulldogs 6-2
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 9
The Case For This Spot: There’s an off-chance the committee loves what’s happening with the Bulldogs. The emergence of JT Daniels at quarterback, the 45-16 win over South Carolina, and the improvement of the team overall might be enough to think about for a higher spot than this. The two losses to Alabama and Florida – both away from home – are as acceptable as it gets.
Up Next: Vanderbilt
7. Cincinnati Bearcats 8-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 7
The Case For This Spot: The great wins might not be there, but the committee isn’t going to change its mind all that much on the unbeaten and dominant Bearcats. There’s no chance to move into the top six, but they won’t be dropped behind a two-loss Georgia.
Up Next: at Tulsa
6. Ohio State Buckeyes 4-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 4
The Case For This Spot: Considering it a lucky break to get this spot, and consider it a big misfire by the committee if the Buckeyes are higher. That doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t finish in the top four if they get healthy and win out, but for now, the one good win is over Indiana. The other three teams they played are a combined 4-13 and are certain to finish with losing seasons.
Up Next: at Michigan State
NEXT: Top Five First College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction Top 5 Projection
5. Florida Gators 7-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 6
The Case For This Spot: The Gators continue to roll since the loss to Texas A&M. All seven wins were against SEC teams and by double-digits, including last week’s 34-10 victory over Kentucky. It’s simple – beat Tennessee and LSU, win the SEC championship over Alabama, and get in.
Up Next: at Tennessee
4. Texas A&M Aggies 6-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 5
The Case For This Spot: There isn’t much to get excited about after the listless – at least offensively – 20-7 win over LSU, but the win over Florida keeps looking amazing, and the one loss to Alabama on the road – even in a blowout – still acceptable.
Up Next: at Auburn
3. Clemson Tigers 8-1
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 3
The Case For This Spot: The committee liked the body of work enough to give the Tigers the No. 3 spot last week, and there’s no reason to think any differently after a 52-17 win over Pitt with Trevor Lawrence back.
Up Next: at Virginia Tech
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 2
The Case For This Spot: So the win over Clemson wasn’t good enough for you? Beating a strong North Carolina on the road cemented the No. 2 spot for now.
Up Next: Syracuse
1. Alabama Crimson Tide 8-0
Last Week College Football Playoff Ranking: 1
The Case For This Spot: There’s no other choice. There’s no more dominant team in college football, rolling through every game by double-digits against all SEC teams. The Tide won its last three games – including last week against Auburn – by a combined score of 146-16
Up Next: at LSU
