Projected College Football Playoff rankings: Does Oregon loss benefit Alabama or Oklahoma most?

With Oregon losing to Arizona State, the door is wide open for Alabama and/or Oklahoma to sneak into the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff.

Another week of college football is done, and the list of potential College Football Playoff participants continues to get a little smaller. We have two victims this week as the contenders are quickly thinning.

It’s happy trails for the Oregon Ducks, as they fall in an improbable upset, to the Arizona State Sun Devils. The offense got the running game early, but lost momentum and trailed 13-7 at the half. Flash forward to the middle of the fourth quarter, and the Ducks trailed 24-7. They made a valiant comeback, but a late 81-yard touchdown for the Sun Devils sealed it, despite another desperate attempt by the Ducks. They fell 31-28.

Say farewell to the Penn State Nittany Lions as well. After their loss to Minnesota two weeks ago, they weren’t completely eliminated. If they could find a way to beat Ohio State, then get revenge in the Big Ten title game, they could make the playoff. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be, as they fell to the Buckeyes 28-17.

Here’s how the College Football Playoff rankings could look like on Tuesday night.

Projected College Football Playoff rankings entering Week 14

1. LSU Tigers

The LSU Tigers will stay in the top spot of the College Football Playoff rankings after a 56-20 drubbing of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Things started out slow for the Tigers, as they only led 7-3 in the second quarter, but they found their rhythm as both Joe Burrow and Clyde Edwards-Helaire had huge nights.

Edwards-Helaire had just six carries, but made them count, with 188 yards on the ground, including three touchdowns. Burrow threw for three touchdowns on just five incompletions and finished with 327 yards passing. The defense held Arkansas to just six points through three quarters. The Tigers get Texas A&M next week before the SEC title game.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Buckeyes today, as they faced their first true test of the season. Ohio State built a 21 point lead early in the third quarter thanks to two rushing touchdowns from J.K. Dobbins and a Justin Fields touchdown pass to K.J. Hill. After Penn State cut it to 21-7, the Buckeyes fumbled on back-to-back possessions and let the Nittany Lions right back in it at 21-17.

The defense locked things up the rest of the way, allowing just 48 total yards. Chase Young was a big factor in his return, getting three sacks and four tackles for loss on the day. Fields found Chris Olave for a score to pad the lead, and the Buckeyes stayed perfect with a 28-17 win. They get that team up north next week.

3. Clemson Tigers

Clemson had a bye this week after drubbing Wake Forest last week. They won’t move in the rankings and get in-state rival South Carolina next week, who has a top-five win over Georgia earlier this season.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

It took them right to the end, but the Georgia Bulldogs held on against an upset-minded Texas A&M team, winning 19-13. The offense continued to struggle to find a rhythm in this game. Jake Fromm completed just 11-of-23 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown, but the touchdown was a big one, where he found George Pickens for the score. Pickens had a couple of key plays on the afternoon. D’Andre Swift once again carried the offense, topping 100 yards for the second straight week. It was a grind it out type game for the Bulldogs in this one. The defense continues to be spectacular, forcing a turnover in this game and allowing -1 yards rushing to the Aggies.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Crimson Tide took care of business against an inferior Western Carolina team, but they are all business as they knock on the door of a sixth straight College Football Playoff. They beat Western Carolina 66-3. Mack Jones looked pretty sharp, throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Taulia Tagovailoa even threw for a score in this one. Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith led the way in receiving.

The defense forced four interceptions, two of which went to Shyheim Carter, and one that Xavier McKinney took back for a touchdown. They need some help, but if this team goes and puts a wallop on Auburn, they could find themselves in come December.

6. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners suffered a bit of a scare against TCU, surviving 28-24 at home. The game felt in control for most of the way, despite a couple of fumbles, until Jalen Hurts threw a pick-six in the red zone that let the Horned Frogs cut the game to four. The defense came up with a big interception and picked up a key first down to hang on.

Hurts had a pedestrian day as a passer, but he and running back Kennedy Brooks combined for 322 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. The defense got key stops and forced a big turnover late in the game. Oklahoma is ahead of the Utes because their conference is better. They draw Oklahoma State next week.

7. Utah Utes

Utah is now the lone Pac-12 team with a path to the playoff but Oregon losing hurts their bid too because a potential win over the Ducks in the Championship Game won’t be as strong now. They will get to the Pac-12 title game with a win over Colorado next week. Their defense and running back Zack Moss have been the key cogs for the Utes all season, but quarterback Tyler Huntley has got better as the season’s been rolling on. Utah gets Colorado to finish the regular season s they look to avoid a late-season stumble like the Ducks.

8. Minnesota Golden Gophers

After the loss to Iowa, the Golden Gophers were left in playoff purgatory. They took care of business against Northwestern Saturday, and are set to duel Wisconsin next week for the Big Ten West title. Should they win that game, it sets up a title game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. If they win that game, it will be tough for the committee to say no. Two games for the Gophers for all the glory in what has been an epic season. Can they do it? We shall see. They need to get past the Badgers first.

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