Predicting College Football Playoff rankings, bracket for Week 14

(Ricky Gervais) Ah, the College Football Playoff rankings, where the excitement of American football meets the thrill of a committee deciding who gets to play and who gets to go home. It’s like the Hunger Games, but with more concussions.

(Jimmy Carr) And less decent trousers, if you’re going by the pictures. I mean, have you seen some of the outfits these guys wear? They look like they raided a thrift store and put together a blind date.

(Rowan Atkinson) Ah, but the suspense! Will Oregon stay at the top? Will Alabama’s three losses sink their chances? It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and I am here. For. It.

(Lee Evans) You know, I was looking at the rankings, and I saw that SMU is finally in the playoff bracket. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, that they made it in or that they have a team.

(Ricky Gervais) Ah, SMU, the school that’s like a badge of honor for people who got rejected by every other decent university. “I didn’t get into Texas, but I got into SMU!” is not exactly the most impressive boast, is it?

(Jimmy Carr) And let’s talk about the SEC. It’s like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, except instead of a league, it’s a conference, and instead of gentlemen, it’s a bunch of screaming Americans with concussion protocols.

(Rowan Atkinson) Ah, but I must say, the suspense is killing me! Will Georgia get back in the bracket? Will Tennessee’s shutout of UTEP be enough to propel them to the top? It’s like watching a delicious soap opera, only with more… Well, actually, it’s just like a soap opera.

(Lee Evans) And what about the poor teams that are just out of the bracket? Alabama, Ole Miss, Clemson – it’s like they’re stuck in some kind of college football limbo. “Sorry, guys, you’re not good enough to be in the playoffs, but you’re not bad enough to be ignored.”

(Ricky Gervais) Ah, but that’s the beauty of it all. The desperation, the drama, the crushing disappointment – it’s all part of the excitement! And if you don’t like it, you can always just watch some regular football, where the players are guaranteed to lose and the teams are guaranteed to be rubbish. Now, that’s what I call real entertainment!

(Author voice) And that’s our take on the College Football Playoff rankings. Tune in next week for more thrilling updates on the teams that might get to play in the big game and the teams that will probably just go home and cry into their nachos.

NCAA Football Rankings Predictions and Bracket for Week 14

The fourth College Football Playoff rankings of 2024 are set to be announced on Tuesday, November 26, following a weekend of upsets that saw seven ranked teams suffer losses. Ahead of the CFP committee’s reveal, we predict the top 25 teams and bracket.

Predicting the Top 25

Our predictions are based on head-to-head results, schedule strength, and performance against ranked teams. The official CFP committee protocols can be found here.

Top 10

1. Oregon (11-0) LW: 1: The Ducks maintain their top spot after a bye week.
2. Ohio State (10-1) LW: 2: Ohio State strengthens its hold on the second spot with another top-five win.
3. Texas (10-1) LW: 3: Texas secured a win over Kentucky and remains the highest-ranked SEC team.
4. Penn State (10-1) LW: 4: Penn State narrowly escaped with a win over Minnesota, but retains its fourth-place ranking.
5. Notre Dame (10-1) LW: 6: Notre Dame puts forward a strong case for the top four after a dominant win over Army but remains at fifth.
6. Miami (Fla.) (10-1) LW: 8: Miami moves up after defeating Wake Forest and leapfrogs teams that suffered losses last week.
7. Georgia (9-2) LW: 10: Georgia secured a win over UMass and rises in the rankings.
8. Tennessee (9-2) LW: 11: Tennessee re-enters the playoff picture with a shutout win over UTEP.
9. Indiana (10-1) LW: 5: Indiana drops to ninth after its first loss of the season, falling behind some two-loss teams with more impressive wins.
10. Boise State (10-1) LW: 12: Boise State narrowly beat Wyoming, keeping it behind Indiana due to the close victory.

Rankings 11-25

1. SMU (10-1) LW: 13: SMU enters the playoff bracket with two more SEC teams suffering three losses.
2. Alabama (8-3) LW: 7: Alabama remains the highest-ranked three-loss team, thanks to its prior win over South Carolina.
3. Ole Miss (8-3) LW: 9: Ole Miss maintains its position due to a head-to-head win over South Carolina.
4. Clemson (9-2) LW: 17: Clemson rises in the rankings following losses from other teams.
5. South Carolina (8-3) LW: 18: South Carolina retains its playoff bubble status with a win over Wofford.
6. Arizona State (9-2) LW: 21: Arizona State knocks off the No. 14 team in the country but remains behind South Carolina.
7. Tulane (9-2) LW: 20: Tulane had a bye week and should move into the teens this week.
8. Iowa State (9-2) LW: 22: Iowa State kept its Big 12 hopes alive with a win over Utah.
9. Texas A&M (8-3) LW: 15: Texas A&M drops but stays ahead of Missouri, a team it dominated head-to-head.
10. Missouri (8-3) LW: 23: Missouri should move into the top 20 with a win over Mississippi State.
11. BYU (9-2) LW: 14: Back-to-back losses drop BYU to No. 20; the Cougars fell eight spots last week.
12. UNLV (9-2) LW: 24: UNLV moves up after a win over San Jose State.
13. Illinois (8-3) LW: 25: Illinois stays ranked following an improbable win over Rutgers.
14. Colorado (8-3) LW: 16: Colorado falls this week but remains a Big 12 title contender.
15. Syracuse (8-3) LW: NR: Syracuse enters the rankings as a three-loss team from the ACC with a win over UNLV.

Bracket Predictions

The first teams out this week are Alabama, Ole Miss, Clemson, and South Carolina. Notable College Football Playoff rankings questions surround Indiana’s position, the chances of three-loss teams making the playoffs, and the Big 12’s hopes of securing a playoff spot.

• Indiana’s Ranking: where will Indiana land after losing to Ohio State? The Hoosiers will likely remain in the playoff field, but their position compared to two-loss SEC teams remains uncertain.
• Three-Loss Teams’ Chances: Alabama and Ole Miss now have three losses. How far will they drop, and can they still make the playoffs?
• Big 12’s Playoff Hopes: The Big 12’s highest-ranked team, Arizona State, may not be ranked in the top 15 this week. With no ranked teams playing each other in Week 14, the conference faces challenges in securing a playoff spot.