After a tremendous rivalry week, we are poised for more thrilling action for conference championship games ahead of the College Football Playoff reveal on Sunday.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (12-0) | Last week: 1
Rival Georgia Tech gave them a fight, but the Bulldogs took care of business to remain unbeaten heading into the SEC Championship Game. However, Kirby Smart will want to get the run defense figured out after giving up 205 of their 363 yards to the Yellow Jackets on the ground. Georgia should have a rested Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey (if healthy) when taking on Alabama.
2. Michigan Wolverines (12-0) | Last week: 2
Michigan beat Ohio State for the third consecutive year for the first time since the 1990s, and they escaped Jim Harbaugh’s three-game suspension to be in firm position for a College Football Playoff spot—with Iowa in the Big Ten title game as their only remaining obstacle. After a couple of down weeks, quarterback J.J. McCarthy made key plays in the win over the rival.
3. Florida State Seminoles (12-0) | Last week: 4 (+1)
Overcoming a slow start, Florida State got a tough win in a raucous Gainesville environment in their first game without Jordan Travis to improve to 12-0 ahead of the ACC Championship versus Louisville. Tate Rodemaker showed tremendous toughness at quarterback, and Trey Benson ran for three touchdowns in the hard-nosed rivalry game.
4. Oregon Ducks (11-1) | Last week: 5 (+1)
Getting a little vengeance from last season’s loss to Oregon State, Bo Nix (three total touchdowns) and Oregon won comfortably at home to avoid a slip-up and put themselves in position to make the CFP if they can beat Washington in the rematch this Friday night. The Ducks have appeared to be on a major mission this year, and they arguably outplayed the Huskies in the first matchup on the road.
5. Washington Huskies (12-0) | Last week: 6 (+1)
Washington barely won the Apple Cup over Washington State, but the bottom line is they are finding ways to win games and keep the perfect season going ahead of an obvious win-and-in Pac-12 Championship between two of the schools heading to the Big Ten in 2024. Michael Penix Jr. has not been lighting it up as of late, and it’ll be a challenge to defeat Oregon on the neutral field at Allegient Stadium.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) | Last week: 3 (-3)
The three consecutive losses for Ohio State in “The Game” is a tough pill to swallow, with their rival doing a better job of grinding it out at the end of games. We’ve felt Michigan was the better team this season and have ranked it as such. However, who knows how the game would have turned out if this Roman Wilson touchdown was ruled an interception on the field?
Was this a TD catch for Michigan or nah? pic.twitter.com/cBzycDrlQa
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 25, 2023
7. Texas Longhorns (11-1) | Last week: 7
This weekend should be another wild one, and Texas is one of the teams in the center of it. The Big 12 title game against Oklahoma State should be a battle, and a win will have Longhorns fans screaming that they belong in the College Football Playoff—and it’d be hard to blame them. Texas beat Alabama on the road and would have a conference championship to their name with a victory.
8. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) | Last week: 8
TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA ON 4TH AND A MILE!
UNREAL! pic.twitter.com/rX5XPRsuzV
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 26, 2023
Jalen Milroe delivered with a 31-yard dime of a touchdown to Isaiah Bond on fourth-and-goal in the Iron Bowl to keep Alabama’s CFP hopes alive, and it was awesome to see how ice-cold the reaction from the dual threat quarterback was. If things go chalk aside from the SEC title game and Alabama wins, there’s going to be outroar one way or another with the final four teams—but we don’t think there’s any way the SEC champion should be left out.
9. Missouri Tigers (10-2) | Last week: 10 (+1)
It’s unfortunate that Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson left with an injury and couldn’t finish what could be his final game for the program, but Missouri was rolling regardless. Running back Cody Schrader stayed red-hot with 27 carries for 217 yards and a touchdown, and the Tigers have earned a New Year’s Six bowl game.
10. Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) | Last week: NR
Penn State blew out Michigan State, 42-0, at Ford Field, capping a second straight ten-win regular season and a likely New Year’s Six bid. The Nittany Lions just haven’t found a way to beat Ohio State or Michigan in the conference.