Georgia takes first place in the second CFP rankings
Georgia moved to first in the College Football Playoff committee’s second rankings, ahead of unbeaten Utah. Notre Dame climbed to fifth after beating Miami. The rankings provide a snapshot of the race rather than a final bracket: conference champions have guaranteed places, and remaining games can change the field before the committee’s final selection on 6 December.
Sports··Midday
Georgia leads ahead of unbeaten Utah
Georgia took first place in the College Football Playoff selection committee's second rankings of the season. The Bulldogs held an eight-win, one-loss record when the list was announced on Tuesday. Utah, unbeaten through nine games, ranked second, followed by Alabama in third and UCLA in fourth in the latest assessment of the national field.[1], [2]
Alabama stood at seven wins and two losses, while UCLA had won all nine of its games. Notre Dame made a six-place climb to fifth after beating Miami 31-24 and improving to eight wins and one loss. Texas occupied sixth place, immediately ahead of Miami, which fell six spots following that defeat.[1]
The top 12 do not yet form the playoff field
Tennessee ranked eighth, followed by Indiana, which dropped five places to ninth. BYU slipped one spot to tenth, with Kentucky and Texas Tech completing the top 12. Those positions describe the committee's current ordering. They do not establish the final 12-team playoff bracket, because five conference champions are guaranteed places in the competition.[1]
Using the present rankings, a projected field would give the final place to 24th-ranked Boise State ahead of Texas Tech. The top four teams would receive first-round byes. The projected opening pairings are Boise State at Notre Dame, Kentucky at Texas, BYU at Miami and Indiana at Tennessee, subject to the results still to come.[1]
Final selection comes on 6 December
The committee's final rankings are scheduled for 6 December. Until that selection, remaining games and conference championship outcomes can alter the eventual field. Georgia's position at the head of this list therefore reflects the committee's assessment at the second ranking release, with the decisive selection still several rounds of competition away.[1]
First-round playoff games are scheduled for 18 and 19 December. The quarterfinals follow on 30 December and 1 January, before semifinals on 14 and 15 January. The championship game is scheduled for 25 January in Las Vegas, completing the route from the committee's December selection to the game that decides the national title.[1]
