Titans have clashed and the playoff picture has shifted over the past week. Ohio State shockingly fell to Oregon in those programs' first meeting as conference members, Alabama nearly suffered a second straight defeat, and the Big 12's unbeaten Iowa State and BYU teams remained perfect.
Many SEC giants have begun to disappoint over the course of the year, with the likes of 'Bama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and LSU all limping as a result of SEC cannibalism. But a major question for conferences facing the dreaded "circle of suck" is does a competitive conference make for a strong league, or do self-inflicted wounds only serve to tarnish its teams' reputations?
With that in mind, let's open the curtain on how the playoff picture changed from last week's projection. Which teams have broken onto the scene, and who may tumble into obscurity?
Rank | Team | Reason | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Texas | SEC Champion | 1 |
2 | Oregon | Big 10 Champion | 6 |
3 | Clemson | ACC Champion | 3 |
4 | BYU | Big 12 Champion | 4 |
5 | Penn State | At-Large | 5 |
6 | Iowa State | At-Large | N/A |
7 | Georgia | At-Large | 7 |
8 | Boise State | MWC Champion | 9 |
9 | Kansas State | At-Large | 8 |
10 | Alabama | At-Large | 10 |
11 | Ohio State | At-Large | N/A |
12 | Tennessee | At-Large | N/A |