Nine top-25 teams lose on Saturday, which could help USC beyond the playoff
The College Football Playoff landscape just shifted drastically after Saturday’s wild slate of games.
Tennessee lost the top spot after falling to the Georgia Bulldogs (the Vols shouldn’t have been No. 1 anyway, or so one could argue). Alabama fell to LSU, and Clemson lost to Notre Dame in a series of games that will alter the next set of rankings drastically.
The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins both won and should move up, although they might not move up all that much after not playing good games.
The new top 25 will change a lot, and it will be interesting to see how the newest CFP rankings change in a couple of days.
There is more to say about the changes in the rankings, which will affect a number of teams below the Trojans. This could mean something important for USC in the postseason, as we’ll explain below:
SHAKEN UP
Absolute chaos top 25 today, huh?
So it's Georgia, osu and tcu and then no one cares unless those teams lose
— The Pasquale Trolley (@patricksaxton) November 6, 2022
DOMINOES TUMBLING
With No. 9 USC/No. 12 UCLA still in action, we've had Nos. 1, 4, 6, 13, 16, 18, 20, 21 and 23 lose this week.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 6, 2022
BOOM
Not only did Clemson lose, but it went from three top-25 wins to likely only one by the next rankings.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 6, 2022
DOUBLE BARRELED
No. 4 Clemson falls, and Notre Dame rushes the field
No. 6 Alabama falls, and LSU rushes the field
There is nothing — nothing — like college football.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 6, 2022
PAC-12 GOT HELP
No. 10 LSU upsets No. 6 Alabama 32-31 in OT and No. 4 Clemson falls 35-14 to Notre Dame.
Two huge assists for Pac-12 Playoff contenders if they take care of business in the next three weeks.
— SuperWest Sports (@SuperWestSports) November 6, 2022
TCU HOPE
TCU fans watching Notre Dame, LSU, and Rutgers right now pic.twitter.com/PbDgeSkZQg
— Dusty Baker (@DustyBakerTV) November 6, 2022
BUT TCU HAS A HARD PATH
The Playoff Committee is reportedly considering canceling the CFP and simply giving the natty to Georgia, citing growing concerns that they might have to put TCU in.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 6, 2022
MAYBE
2 LOSS LSU WILL BE RANKED ABOVE USC & WILL BE ONE BEHIND UNDEFEATED TCU AFTER THIS WEEKEND! MARK MY WORDS 😂
— Su’a (@iammsuzy) November 6, 2022
NO DOUBT
PAC-12 has major life heading into week 11 barring any slip up’s by Trojans and Bruins in late night action tonight- and I’m not talking conference title- I’m talking CFP
— Joseph Lisi (@GOFORTHE2) November 6, 2022
THE PATH IS THERE
#USC has work to do but losses from No. 4 Clemson and No. 6 Alabama will help the Trojans move up in the CFP rankings Tuesday assuming they beat Cal.
Trojans play at No. 12 UCLA Nov. 19 and then at home vs. Notre Dame, which beat Clemson tonight. Then maybe P12 title game?
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) November 6, 2022
BETTER ODDS
Only good thing is that maybe we get more new teams in the CFP.
TCU/Oregon/Tennessee/USC/UCLA have a legit chance at playoff now.
— Jake Lebahn (@JakeLebahn) November 6, 2022
HMMMMM
A 2 loss SEC Champion LSU would make a very interesting CFP convo.
FSU laying it on Miami today helps LSU's case.
Top 4 rn has to be UGA, Michigan, TCU & Ohio St.
Tenn. at 5? Oregon & USC at 6/7? LSU ahead of all three?
UCLA possibly lurking w/1 loss?
Many possibilities.
— Braden Ramsey (@braden_ramsey) November 6, 2022
SCENARIOS
Current CFP possibilities:
-Georgia
-Ohio St/Michigan winner
Two of these:
-TCU if they have 0 or 1 losses and win Big 12
-Oregon/USC/UCLA if they win Pac12 and have 1 loss
-Clemson if they win ACC Champ with 1 loss
-1 loss Tenn or OSU/Mich loser if above don’t happen
— StraightTalkSports (@StraightTalkSp1) November 6, 2022
PROBABLY
… did Clemson and Alabama just both get eliminated from the CFP on the same November night?
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 6, 2022
TRUTH
Notre Dame is about to save us all from watching Clemson get blown out in a CFP semifinal.
A good-but-not-elite team this year.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 6, 2022
NOT NECESSARILY, BUT MAYBE NOT TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE
Alabama & Clemson just made a Michigan & Ohio State CFP very realistic
— Brandon Justice (@BrandonJustice_) November 6, 2022
FAIR ENOUGH
New CFP rankings come Tuesday better look something like this:
1) Georgia
2) OSU
3) Michigan
4) TCU
First two out: Tennessee & Oregon
Bama and Clemson drop out of top 10 (especially Clemson)— Orion Cosce (@GalaxyCosce) November 6, 2022
INCREDIBLE
Still a long ways to go… but Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix helping get the Pac-12 into the Playoff was not on my 2022 bingo card.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 6, 2022
THIS IS VERY REALISTIC
If I had to guess, the playoff will be:
Georgia
Undefeated big 10 champ
Tennessee
1-loss Pac 12 champIf TCU wins out they obviously get in but I think there’s no chance that happens.
And if OSU-Mich is a 1-score game, the loser has a shot.
— Brandon Walker (@BFW) November 6, 2022
THIS IS ENTIRELY REASONABLE
Today was a very good day for the Pac-12's hopes of making the CFP. Just need USC to win tonight, but there's a *chance* the Pac-12 title game next month could be for a playoff berth.
— Femi Abebefe (@FemiAbebefe) November 6, 2022
TRUE ENOUGH
pac 12 gotta capitalize on the SEC cannabilization this year.
if we can’t get a team into the playoff this year … 😵💫😵💫
— Jordan Kiss (@jordkiss) November 6, 2022
BEYOND THE PLAYOFF
People are understandably thinking about the playoff and wondering what the odds are for USC and the Pac-12, but there’s an angle to all of this which goes beyond the playoff:
The New Year’s Six.
Let’s explain this:
WATCH THE TOP 12
At-large teams need to finish in the top 12 to be first in line for that at-large berth, which is in the Cotton Bowl this year.
Bama and Clemson losing helps USC’s playoff cause, but the losses to teams 13-23 (six different teams) create a vacuum below USC in the rankings. Teams battling USC for a top-12 ranking have tough games left.
COTTON BOWL
USC could lose one more time and still finish in the top 12, getting that Cotton Bowl invite. USC’s Cotton Bowl odds improved in Week 10 with all the carnage surrounding the Trojans.
WEEK 11: ALABAMA VS OLE MISS
One of these teams will lose on Nov. 12, further improving USC’s New Year’s Six position.
WEEK 11: UCF VS TULANE
One of these two ranked teams will lose on Nov. 12.
WEEK 11: NORTH CAROLINA VS WAKE FOREST
The Tar Heels, ranked inside the top 18, could lose this coming Saturday.
WEEK 11: TCU VS TEXAS
TCU could lose this coming Saturday, and since the Horned Frogs have Baylor one week after that, they could realistically finish with two losses this season.
So many dominoes have not fallen yet.
If USC finishes 10-2 or better, it could still end up with a Cotton Bowl bid.
Stay tuned.
