Yahoo Top 10: How will a wild rivalry weekend shake up the rankings?

Survive and advance.

The March Madness motto can be used this weekend by plenty of CFP contenders. Washington, Alabama, Florida State, Michigan and even Georgia fought off serious challenges in their respected rivalry games Saturday.

The Huskies needed a last-minute field goal, and Alabama only won by recovering a muffed punt and then converting a fourth-and-31. Florida State took its lead with less than eight minutes left in a battle against Florida in the Swamp, and Michigan stuffed a would-be game-winning drive against Ohio State.

Whew!

Let’s get to our final Top 10 of the season.

1. Georgia

This week: won 31-23 at Georgia Tech

Next week: vs. Alabama (SEC championship game)

Best win: vs. Ole Miss

A competitive Georgia-Georgia Tech game? It’s been a while. The Yellow Jackets kept it close and the final score — an eight-point margin — was the tightest game in the series since Tech won in 2016. What does this mean in the big picture? Who knows. The Bulldogs remain undefeated having won a 29th consecutive game. They can get to No. 30 against Alabama in the SEC title game next weekend and punch their ticket as the CFP’s No. 1 seed.

2. Washington

This week: won 24-21 vs. Washington State

Next week: vs. Oregon (Pac-12 championship game)

Best win: vs. Oregon

It was far from easy, but QB Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies proved why they’re undefeated. Penix led the offense on a 12-play, 65-yard march to a game-winning 42-yard field goal. Receiver Rome Odunze caught seven passes for 120 yards and had a 23-yard rush on that game-winning drive. The Penix-Odunze combination is one of the best in football.

3. Michigan

This week: won 30-24 vs. Ohio State

Next week: vs. Iowa (Big Ten championship game)

Best win: vs. Ohio State

QB J.J. McCarthy was efficient (just four incomplete passes), the running game was strong (88 big ones from Blake Corum) and Michigan’s defense slowed the Buckeyes just enough to win a third consecutive Game, this time without coach Jim Harbaugh, who will return from a three-game suspension next weekend in the Big Ten title game. Will Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti have to hand over the league title trophy to Harbaugh? It sure looks likely.

4. Florida State

This week: won 24-15 at Florida

Next week: vs. Louisville (ACC championship game)

Best win: vs. LSU

At one point needing their third-string quarterback, the Seminoles survived a night game in the Swamp with a go-ahead 19-yard field goal with 7:20 left in the game. The Noles are a very different team without starting quarterback Jordan Travis. But should that be used against them by the CFP selection committee? Though they survived on Saturday night, the performance casts more doubts on the Travis-less team.

5. Oregon

This week: won 31-7 vs. Oregon State

Next week: vs. Washington (Pac-12 championship game)

Best win: at Utah

QB Bo Nix had zero trouble carving through (former) Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith’s defense. He put together a spectacular line: 33 of 40 for 367 yards and two touchdowns. The former Auburn QB is amassing Heisman Trophy numbers. He’s completed at least 72% of his passes in each game this year, has thrown for at least 350 yards the last four games and 16 touchdowns with no picks.

6. Texas

This week: won 57-7 vs. Texas Tech

Next week: vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12 championship game)

Best win: at Alabama

The Longhorns returned a kickoff and an interception for touchdowns and got five field goals from kicker Bert Auburn, including a 54-yarder. QB Quinn Ewers didn’t have his best day, but it wasn’t needed against the Red Raiders. Texas used six runners to rush for 302 yards. The big uglies opened massive holes with a statement victory that is oh-so important this time of year. Winning big matters when in the jockeying for a CFP spot.

7. Ohio State

This week: lost 30-24 at Michigan

Best win: vs. Penn State

A third consecutive loss to the Wolverines will not sit well in Columbus. Neither will a missed playoff. The Buckeyes are highly unlikely to back into the CFP like they did last year without a conference title. The field is too stacked. Ryan Day’s club would need multiple upsets to happen, such as Texas and Florida State each losing their league title. Even that might not mean a CFP ticket.

8. Alabama

This week: won 27-24 at Auburn

Next week: vs. Georgia (SEC championship game)

Best win: vs. Ole Miss

Talk about surviving a rivalry game. No one got as close to losing as Alabama did, needing a fourth-and-31 conversion for a touchdown in the final seconds at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Isaiah Bond caught Jalen Milroe’s pass on the fourth down to keep the Crimson Tide unbeaten. It’s hard to see that Alabama team beating Georgia in Atlanta next week, but then again, you never know!

9. Missouri

This week: won 48-14 at Arkansas

Best win: vs. Kansas State

Is anyone more worthy of SEC Coach of the Year than Eli Drinkwitz? The Tigers, 6-7 the previous two seasons, completed the school’s first 10-win year in nine seasons. Drinkwitz has molded QB Brady Cook and former walk-on and D2 running back Cody Schrader into one of the country’s most explosive tandems. Incredible work. A New Year’s Six bowl awaits.

10. Ole Miss

This week: won 17-7 at Mississippi State

Best win: vs. LSU

Lane Kiffin’s Rebels survived the Egg Bowl in Starkville to achieve the school’s second 10-win season in three years. The school had two 10-win seasons from 1963-2020. It’s a remarkable run for Kiffin, who is 33-15 in his four seasons in Oxford. Armed with a new $9 million-a-year contract last year, Kiffin has built a contender at Ole Miss, using the transfer portal and a lucrative NIL movement to land 4 and 5-star talent.