Top college football resumes: Ohio State falls; Texas in striking distance
As we approach December, this resume ranking has begun to look mostly like every other ranking. This makes sense. Whether you start from preseason hype or from the limited data of the early season, we all end with a full season of data.
But what I find interesting is that the voters and College Football Playoff selection committee members don’t seem to have adjusted to all the data. They seem stuck at about when the committee started ranking teams.
This is a top 10, but I consider any team I think might have a shot at the top 10. Pay close attention this week to Nos. 9-12 when the committee issues its ranking. If you stack up the resumes, they probably should look more like this than a continuation of what the committee had last week.
1. Georgia
The Bulldogs weren’t at full strength Saturday and certainly didn’t play as if they were at full strength against Georgia Tech. Expect a much different group when Georgia returns to Atlanta this week. (But also don’t expect the Alabama that played in the Iron Bowl, either.)
2. Michigan
An Iowa-Michigan Big Ten title game probably won’t be competitive, but if you’re into awkwardness, commissioner Tony Petitti — who suspended Jim Harbaugh for three games earlier this month — probably will have to hand Harbaugh the conference title trophy.
3. Washington
The Huskies lived very dangerously in the Apple Cup, and the trend lines suggest that they won’t survive a rematch with Oregon unscathed. But that’s why they play the actual games instead of simulating them. If Washington wins, it’s in the CFP.
4. Florida State
The Seminoles struggled to put away a desperate-but-undisciplined Florida team Saturday, but the offense did whir to life after about a half. Perhaps Tate Rodemaker — the backup QB who took over when Jordan Travis got hurt — and coach Mike Norvell needed that acclimation period. Now they’ll face a Louisville team that just faceplanted against Kentucky with the ACC title on the line. Win, and Florida State should be in. (As long as Alabama doesn’t beat Georgia. Then it might get weird.)
5. Texas
The Longhorns team that played Texas Tech on Friday looks like a group that could beat anyone on this list on the right day. Unfortunately, Texas hasn’t been that team consistently enough this year. And that’s why a win against Oklahoma State isn’t a given and why the Longhorns could still be left out if the top four teams on this list win their games.
6. Oregon
Vegas has been predicting since the Ducks lost to Washington that they would win in a rematch. Now Oregon gets that rematch in Las Vegas. Time for Dan Lanning and company to prove it on the field.
7. Alabama
The Crimson Tide needed a miracle Saturday to get out of Jordan-Hare Stadium 11-1. They got it. Of course, the last time they squeaked by at Auburn, they beat a better Georgia team the following week in Atlanta.
8. Ohio State
Unlike last year, the Buckeyes don’t have a clearly visible path back into the top four. So there probably won’t be a CFP game against the eventual national champ to reframe the narrative. Ohio State will have to wear its loss to Michigan throughout the offseason.
9. Oklahoma
This is a resume ranking, so that’s how I evaluated Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Missouri and Penn State. Oklahoma’s win against Texas is far and away the best, and the win against SMU is looking better and better as the Mustangs prepare for the American title game. Plus, Oklahoma seems to have hit another gear as the season closed.
10. Ole Miss
Penn State was easy to push to the bottom of that 10-2 group. Ole Miss and Missouri were more complicated. Both lost at Georgia, but Missouri was competitive. Ole Miss beat LSU and Missouri didn’t. Missouri’s win against Kansas State took a hit with the Wildcats’ snowy Farmageddon loss to Iowa State. Meanwhile, the Rebels’ win against Tulane could look even better if the 11-1 Green Wave beat SMU for the American title. So we’re going with Ole Miss today.