USATSI The time for speculation is over for now. The regular season has concluded, conference titles have been secured, and the only thing remaining is for the College Football Playoff Selection Committee to unveil their final rankings prior to the inaugural 12-team bracket reveal. Recently, there has been significant discussion among conferences and teams regarding […]
The time for speculation is over for now. The regular season has concluded, conference titles have been secured, and the only thing remaining is for the College Football Playoff Selection Committee to unveil their final rankings prior to the inaugural 12-team bracket reveal.
Recently, there has been significant discussion among conferences and teams regarding the possible repercussions of a defeat in a league championship game under the new setup. However, the reality is: Every game matters, and outcomes are key.
It is clear that the teams inactive this week won’t shift their standings relative to one another. They may change positions depending on the outcomes of teams that did compete.
Before diving into this week’s rankings forecast, here are some criteria the College Football Playoff Selection Committee takes into account beyond a team’s win-loss record:
- Conference championships – This factor only becomes relevant during the final weekend when champions are established.
- Direct matchups
- Games against common foes
- Outcomes versus ranked teams.
References to “rankings” pertain to last week’s CFP Rankings, which is the only one the committee consults when evaluating performance against ranked squads, though it is not always a major consideration. Should a team have numerous such contests, it will be indicated in the strength of schedule.
College Football Playoff Rankings forecast
Next out (in alphabetical order): Duke, Kansas State, Navy, Texas A&M, Tulane
