The second installment of the 2024 College Football Playoff rankings were released and the committee got it 100% right. As the season heads into week 12, let's analyze on what the commitee got right this time around.
Here's a look at the full College Football Playoff selection committee rankings for games played through Saturday, November 9.
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) November 13, 2024
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First of all, Week 11 was an eventful weekend to say the least. The Georgia Bulldogs were outmatched against Ole Miss on the road in a one-sided affair. Furthermore, the Alabama Crimson Tide went into Baton Rouge and steamrolled the LSU Tigers.
Lastly, the then-undefeated Miami Hurricanes fell to the four-loss Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the road in a massive upset. Week 11 brought a ton of turmoil to the College Football Playoff mix and the committee, led by Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel, made as good of a rankings list as anyone could make.
The committee having placed Oregon, Ohio State and Texas in the top three spots are no-brainers without question. All three of those teams have looked dominant for the better part of the season and have earned their respective places.
Indiana made a bit of a jump this week, as the Hoosiers were ranked No. 8 in the inaugural rankings a week ago. Curt Cignetti's team is currently placed in the fifth spot after having defeated the defending national champion Michigan last weekend. As the Hoosiers head into their bye week, they will have the Buckeyes waiting for them on the other side in Columbus for a monumental and season-defining showdown.
Miami star quarterback Cam Ward and the Hurricanes dropped five spots (previously No. 4) after having suffered arguably one of the biggest upsets of the season against Georgia Tech. The Hurricanes are placed in the ninth spot and are still firmly in both the ACC and the College Football Playoff hunt. However, with games against a lowly Wake Forest team and a reeling Syracuse squad to close out the season, Miami can't afford another loss whatsoever.
It's fair to say the only reason the Hurricanes are ranked above Alabama and Georgia is because the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide each have two losses (both in-conference), while Miami only has one in-conference and one overall loss.
The SMU Mustangs are currently at the No.14 spot, but Rhett Lashlee's team is in prime position to make the ACC title game. The Mustangs are the only undefeated (5-0) team in ACC play in the program's first season in the conference.
SMU shouldn't worry about their current ranking as of now, as all the Mustangs have to do is win out the rest of the season and compete in the ACC title game. If they win the conference, they will automatically make the Playoff per the rules. Moreover, the Mustangs could be an at-large selection depending on how the conference title game goes and how the rest of the field plays out.
Manuel and the rest of the commitee made a strong, respectable rankings list as the season reaches its conclusion. As Week 12 approaches, college football fans should continue to expect mind-boggling upsets in this wild campaign.