College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Top 25 after Week 13
In the last College Football Rankings of the regular season, let’s sort out the chaos that was Week 13.
Week 13 marked the final week of the college football season and the last opportunity to evaluate the College Football Rankings before moving into Championship Week. As always, things changed in the nation’s landscape, including No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Miami falling and shaking up the College Football Playoff picture.
Outside of these schools, others put on impressive performances that improved their chances of making the postseason. One of them will even become the new No. 1 in college football.
With that said, let’s look at the final top 25 projections of the college football season:
No. 25: Fresno State
To close its 2017 season, Fresno State knocked off No. 24 Boise State, 28-17. Along with the top spot in one of the Mountain West divisions, this sets up the Bulldogs for a spot inside the College Football Rankings. It may not be higher than No. 25, but an indication of how well this team has played to close its campaign.
No. 24: NC State
NC State looked sharp for the first half of the season. The second half has been a struggle, however, with three losses in four games heading into Saturday’s matchup. A win over North Carolina brings the Wolfpack to 8-4, with an outside shot at breaking into the top 25. It’s no guarantee but previous wins over ranked teams may help their case.
No. 23: Mississippi State
For the second time in three weeks, Mississippi State dropped a game. The first time was No. 1 Alabama, while the other loss was to Ole Miss of all teams, who finished the season at 6-6 and barely became bowl eligible. The Bulldogs put up 22 fourth-quarter points in an attempted comeback but to no avail.
No. 22: Virginia Tech
In one of the multiple Friday night games, Virginia tech blanked Virginia, 10-0. It wasn’t a highlight win for the Hokies, who were dealt a rough hand near the season’s end, but this brought them to 9-3 and painted this as a successful 12-game stretch. Let’s see what’s next for them in the postseason.
No. 21: Northwestern
Northwestern delivered one of its most dominant games of the season, and at a quality time for the team to boost its bowl resume. It was against Illinois, but a 35-point difference should matter. Given the Wildcats’ spot in the Big Ten and the tumultuous end to the season for the higher-ranked teams, let’s see what Pat Fitzgerald’s team does this winter.