This week, the AP Top 25 College Football Poll was released – showing a preview of what this season’s College Football Playoffs could potentially look like.
#1 University of Georgia
12-0
SEC
Once again, UGA tops the poll, as it has every week this season. Led by junior tight end and future first-round pick Brock Bowers as well as his classmate at quarterback Carson Beck, the Bulldogs have yet to be defeated. Blowout wins over no. 18 Tennessee, no. 9 Ole Miss, and no. 20 Kentucky as well as a convincing victory over no. 12 Missouri tells the story of a confident juggernaut of a team looking to bring home its third championship in a row. Their final game of the season is a conference championship versus no. 8 Alabama – a game that the College Football Playoff Selection Committee will have to watch very closely. Despite the result, Georgia should be a lock for the playoffs, but if the cards match up in just the wrong way in the event of a home loss to no.8 Alabama, Georgia could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
#2 University of Michigan
12-0
Big Ten
Michigan travels up one spot after a tough win against Ohio State in which Blake Corum, the RB1 on-pace for over 1,000 yards on the ground, was able to get in the endzone not once but twice. Due to that win, Michigan should be a lock for the playoffs and should be able to obtain an easy win over no. 17 Iowa. Overall, Michigan is a team with a strong offense, averaging 38 points per game, and a powerful defense, allowing an average of 10.25 points per game. Michigan will end the year having played only three ranked opponents, winning two of them by slim, single digit point differentials.
#3 University of Washington
12-0
Pac-12
The story of Washington this year has been all about senior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He places second in College Football in passing yards, only behind Oregon’s Bo Nix. He’s led the Huskies to an undefeated record, dropping four ranked opponents along the way. Barring the game against no. 11 Oregon State, in which Penix threw for 162 yards, he’s had eight games with over 300 and three with over 400. He’s thrown to a myriad of receivers but seems to have picked out his favorite, junior Rome Odunze, who has over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. This is in addition to the approaching 1,000-yard rusher Dillon Johnson, who has 12. Washington should be in a very good place on Sunday, against Oregan. If they win, I see no way that the committee omits Washington from the top four. With a loss, however, the situation could get bad.
#4 Florida State Unviersity
12-0
ACC
Florida State is the final undefeated team within the Power Five conferences. With senior quarterback Jordan Travis, the Seminoles refused to be stopped, putting down two ranked opponents and averaging almost 39 points per game while allowing only 16.75. The twist in the tale came when Travis went down with a leg injury following a hit in the win versus North Alabama. Enter junior Tate Rodemaker. Rodemaker was a former 3-star recruit, according to 247Sports, and had previously seen the field only five times and had attempted only eight passes. The Georgia native threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns and followed it up with a win versus Florida in which he threw for 134 yards. The stats won’t wow fans, but Rodemaker has led the Seminoles to two straight wins and will look to continue this streak versus no. 10 Louisville at home. With a win, the committee simply could not ignore them, but with a loss, I think that Florida State would find itself omitted once again.
#5 University of Oregon
11-1
Pac-12
Oregon leads the pack of the CFB playoff “prospective” teams. The Ducks enter the week with an 11-1 record, boasting wins against three ranked opponents, as well as almost coming out on top versus a formidable squad in the Washington Huskies. Because of this, Oregon looks strong. Senior quarterback Bo Nix has thrown for at least 247 yards in every competition and is a candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy. On top of that, junior running back Bucky Irving has amassed over 1,000 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns. Overall, the offense is rolling as they have sported at least one 100+ yard receiver in half of their games, including in every matchup with a ranked opponent except for against Utah, in which Troy Franklin led all receivers with 99 yards. Oregon’s biggest test will come for a second time this year when they face Washington, this time at home. The winner of this game will surely earn an entry to the playoffs, with the loser almost certainly missing out.
#6 Ohio State University
11-1
Big Ten
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., has totaled over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns on 67 catches. The future NFL first-round pick has accumulated over 100 yards in eight games this year, leading a talented wide receiver group that contains multiple former 5-star players. So far, the only teams that have even come close to competing against the Buckeyes have been ranked opponents, though every ranked opponent has either come close or fully defeated them see Michigan, with no. 9 Notre Dame coming within three, no. 7 Penn State losing by seven, and eventually no. 3 Michigan winning by six. Unlike some other teams on this list, Ohio State’s season is over, and the patient wait for the selection has begun. The Buckeyes will have to wait for other results to see their chances. In my eyes, it could easily go either way, but they seem to be out of the mix.
#7 University of Texas at Austin
11-1
Big 12
The Longhorns’ biggest heartbreak this year was the 34-30 loss they sustained versus Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Without this, UT Austin would be a shoo-in for the playoffs. Now, starting quarterback Quinn Ewers has what seems like a must-win rematch versus the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Championship. Statistics wise, Texas looks pretty good. They dropped Alabama in Tuscaloosa, annihilated no. 24 Kansas and took down no. 23 Kansas State in overtime. Their 11-1 record includes a 2-0 stretch in which backup quarterback Maalik Murphy had to take over. It seems that former Southlake High School rock-slinger Ewers has finally come into himself as a solid quarterback, and junior receiver Xavier Worthy has continued his successful career with a 13.2 average yards per catch. Without a win against Oklahoma, the Longhorns are certainly not making the playoffs.
#8 Alabama
11-1
SEC
Alabama has come back from what was considered somewhat mediocrity, despite a win in every game besides an early matchup with Texas. Since then, the Crimson Tide has won 10 straight, knocking out three ranked opponents, as well as three who were ranked at one point during the season. Jalen Milroe has been the story for Alabama this season. The sophomore quarterback has stepped into Bryce Young’s former spot fairly smoothly, throwing for just over 2,500 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He has also added 439 yards on the ground with 12 touchdowns. Despite the lack of star power that usually flows throughout the Alabama roster, the Crimson Tide has defeated several strong teams and will require a win in the SEC Championship versus no. 1 Georgia to earn entry into the CFB playoffs for the first time since they lost to the Bulldogs in the 2021 CFB Championship.
