Cincinnati, Oklahoma State are clear winners in Week 13 CFP Rankings

The Week 13 CFP Rankings had two clear winners: Cincinnati and Oklahoma State as each saw their playoff standing improve. 

A few college football fans might have been surprised by the Week13 CFP Rankings but there shouldn’t have been much of a shock.

The College Football Playoff committee has consistently ranked Cincinnati ahead of Michigan and others so when Oregon lost last week to Utah, it was natural that the Bearcats would ascend to the top four.

Of course, you had to wonder if the committee was actually going to give the Bearcats the respect they deserved but as we learned Tuesday night, Cincinnati now controls its own destiny for the College Football Playoffs as the Bearcats were fourth in the Week13 CFP Rankings.

Cincinnati, Oklahoma State on the rise in Week13 CFP Rankings

Georgia was first and the other mild surprise or at least difference was that Ohio State jumped Alabama. The Buckeyes deserved it after dominating seventh-ranked Michigan State last week, jumping in front 49-0.

Michigan was fifth, followed by Notre Dame (6th) and Oklahoma State (7th). While Michigan fans might be disappointed that they didn’t jump the Bearcats it really doesn’t matter.

As long as Michigan wins out, just like Alabama, Ohio State, and Cincinnati, it will make the playoff. Every team in the top five controls its destiny — it’s as simple as that.

And yes, Cincinnati is in that group, meaning for the first time ever a Group of Five team controls its playoff destiny.

You may notice that I didn’t mention Georgia. That’s because the Bulldogs don’t need to win out to reach the playoff — that will take just one more win.

If Georgia heads to the SEC title game 12-0, a loss at the hands of Alabama won’t deny the Bulldogs a playoff berth. The Big Ten is sending just one team and if Alabama wins the SEC title it would go, along with the Bearcats if they win out.

That leaves one spot left and it would go to 12-1 Georgia over 12-1 Oklahoma State/Oklahoma or 11-1 Notre Dame in my estimation.

Notre Dame needs Alabama to lose and then the Big 12 to wind up with a two-loss champion. Otherwise, we’ll be debating between one-loss Notre Dame, a one-loss Big 12 champion, and a two-loss Alabama team for the final playoff berth.

So while Oklahoma State is seventh and Oklahoma is 10th, both can notch impressive wins in back-to-back weeks, and sorry Irish fans, but a 12-1 Big 12 champion feels like a good bet to pass Notre Dame which has just one quality win (Wisconsin) on its resume.