The fifth College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings have been released, and there are some significant changes from the previous week. Alabama football remains atop the rankings, but the Crimson Tide now has a new No. 1 challenger: Georgia.
The Bulldogs moved up one spot to No. 2 after their dominant win over LSU in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama held on to the top spot despite narrowly defeating Florida in the SEC Championship Game.
Here is the complete CFP Top 25:
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Georgia |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | Cincinnati |
| 5 | Michigan |
| 6 | Baylor |
| 7 | Oklahoma State |
| 8 | Notre Dame |
| 9 | Ole Miss |
| 10 | Oklahoma |
| 11 | Utah |
| 12 | Pittsburgh |
| 13 | Wake Forest |
| 14 | Brigham Young |
| 15 | Oregon |
| 16 | Kentucky |
| 17 | Texas A&M |
| 18 | Houston |
| 19 | San Diego State |
| 20 | Texas |
| 21 | Wisconsin |
| 22 | North Carolina State |
| 23 | Louisiana |
| 24 | Boise State |
| 25 | Florida |
The CFP selection committee will release its final rankings on December 5th. The top four teams in the final rankings will qualify for the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Alabama is still in a strong position to make the College Football Playoff, but the Crimson Tide will need to continue to perform at a high level in their remaining games. Georgia, Ohio State, and Cincinnati are all playing well and will be looking to challenge Alabama for a spot in the playoff.
The CFP rankings are a fluid and ever-changing landscape. Each week, the selection committee takes into account a variety of factors when ranking teams, including team record, strength of schedule, and head-to-head results.
This week, the committee clearly placed a high value on Georgia's win over LSU in the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs' victory gives them a strong case for being the No. 1 team in the country heading into the College Football Playoff.
Alabama's narrow win over Florida in the SEC Championship Game also had an impact on the rankings. The Crimson Tide still hold the top spot, but they now have a smaller margin of error. If Alabama loses another game, they could fall out of the top four and miss out on the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State and Cincinnati remain in the top four, but both teams could still be in jeopardy of missing out on the playoff. Ohio State has a tough final game against Michigan, while Cincinnati must face Houston in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.
The College Football Playoff picture is still very much up in the air with several teams vying for a spot in the final four. The last three weeks of the regular season will be crucial in determining who will make the playoff.
- Alabama's game against Auburn
- Ohio State's game against Michigan
- Cincinnati's game against Houston
- The CFP selection committee's final rankings
The fifth CFP rankings have set the stage for an exciting finish to the regular season. Several teams are still in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff, and the final three weeks of the season will be crucial in determining who will make it to the playoff.