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College Football Playoff 2017: Initial rankings revealed

By Cody Williams

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 09: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 09: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The initial 2017 College Football Playoff rankings were announced on Tuesday, Oct. 31 and here are the teams in the running for a National Championship.

Really, we are all just biding time until after Week 9 of a given college football season at this particular point and time as it pertains to rankings. The AP Poll and Coaches’ Poll are both great barometers of where things stand. But in actuality, they don’t matter all that much. What does matter is what the selection committee and the 2017 College Football Playoff Rankings have to say about it all.

On Tuesday, Oct. 31, the initial College Football Rankings were revealed. And admittedly, we were fairly certain about how the top part of the rankings would ultimately play out. Two of the SEC’s elite, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs, are both proven and unbeaten at this point. Thus, having them not be 1-2  in some orderwould’ve been a great shock.

However, it was what lied behind them that was really in question. There are other undefeated teams still in the running, like the Miami Hurricanes and Wisconsin Badgers. Yet, it remains to be seen if they are better than teams like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes and several others. After all, who have the Hurricanes and Badgers beat? The answer is no one.

Thus, these were all of the questions that were being asked coming into Tuesday night. But then the initial College Football Playoff Rankings were revealed on ESPN and we got some clarity. Take a look at what the first poll of the 2017 had to say about the season to date:

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Notre Dame
4. Clemson
5. Oklahoma
6. Ohio State

7. Penn State
8. TCU
9. Wisconsin
10. Miami (FL)
11. Oklahoma State
12. Washington
13. Virginia Tech
14. Auburn
15. Iowa State
16. Mississippi State
17. USC
18. UCF
19. LSU
20. NC State
21. Stanford
22. Arizona
23. Memphis
24. Michigan State
25. Washington State

Next: College Football's 25 Best Rivalries

With a full month and then conference championship games still lying ahead, there is plenty left to be decided. However, teams now know whether they need to further prove themselves, keep doing what they have been, or something in between. That knowledge in itself is valuable, but how they react will determine their position for the College Football Playoff.

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