Welcome to another week of college football, another week of madness. In the top 10, two teams fell to lower-ranked opponents. Oklahoma tackled the previously unbeatable (since week one, anyway) Alabama Crimson Tide. Georgia stifled the overmatched and overrated (yeah, I said it) Texas Longhorns to force an enigmatic three-way relationship between Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. The Longhorns beat the Sooners, but the Sooners beat the Tide.
So who stays on top, and what does this mean for the likes of BYU and Utah, two teams standing on the outside looking in from the Big 12? BYU, now quietly 9-1 for the second straight season, stood behind three two-loss squads in last week's rankings. This week, they dominated against TCU to the tune of 44-13 and now have a nation-leading five wins against bowl-eligible teams. The problem with the Cougars revolved around their inability to put their opponents down and put a finalizing stomp on their victims.
Related: BYU football's playoff resume is stronger than their 2-loss superiors
But is one game enough to change the mind of the selection committee? The Cougars sunk thanks to a blowout at the hands of the 6th-ranked Red Raiders -- does the criteria remain consistent and help BYU lift back to the top?
The committee's vision is a mystery, and with Ole Miss leapfrogging Texas Tech in the AP Poll despite narrowly escaping 3-7 Florida, it's hard to remain optimistic about the Big 12's chances to have 2+ additions to the final bracket with the inherent SEC and Big 10 bias infesting the fibers of college football.
All the same, the selection committee has the unenviable task of organizing their list, finalizing the ladder, and opening a glimpse into the postseason with just two weeks remaining for most teams in the nation.
College Football Playoff Rankings Prediction: Week 13
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Georgia
5. Texas Tech
6. Ole Miss
7. Oklahoma
8. Alabama
9. Notre Dame
10. Oregon
ACC: Georgia Tech
Group of 5: James Madison
Last teams out:
11. BYU
12. Utah
13. Vanderbilt
14. Miami