College Football Playoff Ranking Projections: Top 25 for Week 11

NC State entered the weekend atop the ACC Atlantic standings, but a 38-31 loss at home to No. 4 Clemson hurt their chances of playing for a conference title. Even then, the Wolfpack acquitted themselves well in defeat and should hold on to a spot in the College Football Playoff Top 25 when the new rankings are released on Thursday.

Ryan Finley carved up the Tigers through the air, finishing with 338 yards and three touchdowns on 31-of-50 passing. Kelvin Harmon hauled in eight of those passes for 155 receiving yards and a score. NC State’s defense held Kelly Bryant under 200 passing yards, but they had few answers for jack-of-all-trades Ray-Ray McCloud.

Now Dave Doeren’s team is left to pick up the pieces in the coming weeks. They hit the road over the next two weeks for showdowns with Boston College and Wake Forest before returning home for the regular-season finale on Thanksgiving Saturday against rival North Carolina. A New Year’s Six game is still in play for the Wolfpack, but the College Football Playoff is now out of reach.