CFB: AP Top 25, Precursor to Playoffs

Conference championships made for a thrilling weekend as three of the Power Four title tilts ended in one-score games, including the first overtime bout in SEC Championship history. Oregon, Georgia, Clemson, Boise State and Arizona State were the big winners of the weekend, locking up College Football Playoff berths with conference championship wins.

The updated AP Top 25 rankings reflected these results and more as we wait to see the white smoke from the College Football Playoff selection committee.

It was win or go home for Clemson, which beat back a charging SMU squad for its second straight ACC Championship and its first College Football Playoff berth since 2020. Oregon improved to 13-0 for the first time in school history with a nail-biting 45-37 win over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship. Georgia secured its third SEC Championship under Kirby Smart with a 22-19 win over Texas in Atlanta

Boise State is the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the polls after clobbering UNLV for a Mountain West crown. The Mustangs will make the CFP behind a monster run from Heisman Trophy candidate running back Ashton Jeanty.

1. OREGON DUCKS (13-0) | First-Place Votes: (62)

 

Oregon won the Big Ten Championship and improved to 13-0 for the first time in school history with a thrilling 45-37 win over Penn State in Indianapolis on Saturday night. The Ducks secured the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs.

"I don't know what to say except for how proud I am of these guys," coach Dan Lanning said after the win. "We've talked about moments this year where guys had to put each other on their backs. The offense did an unbelievable job. The defense made a critical stop when it mattered most. But I'll say this, the belief in our team throughout the game, it never wavered.

2. GEORGIA BULLDOGS (11-2)

 

Georgia secured its third SEC Championship under Kirby Smart with a 22-19 win over Texas in Atlanta and clinched a first round bye in the College Football Playoff. Cornerback Daylen Everette picked off Quinn Ewers twice en route to MVP honors.

"Well it means rest for a team that (SEC commissioner) Greg Sankey and his staff sent on the road all year long, we get to take a little bit of a break and get ready for the College Football Playoff," Smart said postgame with Sankey a few feet away on the same stage. "This team needs some rest mentally, need a little time."

3. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (11-1)

 

Notre Dame rattled off 10 straight victories after falling at home to Northern Illinois in Week 2. The program isn't eligible for a first round College Football Playoff bye due to its status an independent.

"Could we be ranked in the top four? Absolutely," Freeman said during an appearance "The Rich Eisen Show," Thursday. "Do we deserve a bye week? There are sacrifices you make when you're an independent football program. That's something we knew when this College Football Playoff format was created. We understand it. There are sacrifices that you have to make. This is one of those things."

4. TEXAS LONGHORNS (11-2)

 

Texas moved the play well against Georgia but key penalties, stalled drives and turnovers were the difference as the Longhorns fell 22-19 to Georgia in the first overtime game in SEC Championship history.

"The beauty for us is this stings, it's hard, but we get a chance to regroup in a couple weeks and get into the College Football Playoff and go compete for a national championship," coach Steve Sarkisian said after the loss. "We're plenty good enough to go win that, but we're going to need to get healthy so we can put our best foot forward to make that happen."

5. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (11-2)

 

Penn State put up a valiant effort against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship but ultimately two interceptions from quarterback Drew Allar proved too much for the Nittany Lions to overcome. Still, James Franklin and Co. have plenty of momentum as they roll into their first College Football Playoff.

"We're going to learn from it, we're going to flush it, we're going to move forward," coach James Franklin said after the win. "We're going to get better because of it. We will get better because of this, and we'll be ready to play whoever they tell us we're playing Sunday."

6. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (10-2)

 

Ohio State sat out championship weekend after suffering an embarrassing 13-10 loss to rival Michigan to end the regular season. The Buckeyes aim for redemption with a deep College Football Playoff run.

"I get the frustration," coach Ryan Day said of the Michigan loss. "I know it comes with this job. However, we've won a lot of games around here, too. We've lost some key ones, I know, but we're right there. We've got to keep swinging at it. We've got to keep cracking it. Sometimes, when you're really close and you feel frustrated, you just have to push through. That's what we're going to do."

7. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (10-2)

 

Tennessee thumped Vanderbilt in the last week of the regular season, helping head coach Josh Heupel become the third Tennessee head coach to record multiple 10-win regular seasons, joining Phillip Fulmer and General Robert Neyland.

"It's the next step for us as a program," Heupel said of the College Football Playoff. "Proud of these guys for executing and putting us in the position to be there. Now the next season starts – what are we going to do with it?"

8. BOISE STATE BRONCOS (12-1)

 

Boise State clinched back-to-back Mountain West Championships for the first time in program history with a 21-7 win over UNLV in Boise. Star running back Ashton Jeanty turned in another stellar performance, rushing 32 times for 209 yards and a touchdown.

"The Heisman should be not only the best player, but one of the best teammates in my opinion," coach Spencer Danielson said after the win. "That's Ashton Jeanty. He works hard. He treats people right in everything he does. He showcases week in and week out that he's the best football player in the country."

9. INDIANA HOOSIERS (11-1)

 

Curt Cignetti led Indiana to a program-record 11 wins and has the Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff in his first season at the helm.

"It's a tremendous win," Cignetti said after the 66-0 win over Purdue to close the regular season. "We certainly made a statement again. Can't say enough about what this team has done between the white lines. But they are not satisfied. They are not done yet. They want more. They are going to get more."

10. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (11-2)

 

Arizona State capped its first season in the Big 12 with a blowout, 45-19, win over Iowa State for the conference championship. Star running back Cameron Skattebo rushed 21 times or 177 yards and three touchdowns. The Sun Devils are 4-0 against the AP Top 25 this season.

"Last year, [the selection committee] kept Florida State out of the CFP because their quarterback didn't play," coach Kenny Dillingham said after the win. "We're 11-1 with our quarterback. We're Big 12 champs. We should be treated like an 11-1 team."

11. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (9-3)

 

Alabama sat out championship weekend for just the third time since 2018 after suffering three losses in the regular season, it's most since 2010. Still, the Crimson Tide's nine wins under Kalen DeBoer tied Frank Thomas' record in 1931 for the most by a first-year coach in program history.

"I feel like we have all that makeup of being not just a top-12 team but a team that could win it all," DeBoer said this week on SEC This Morning. "We are very deserving with what we did, we're one of those 12 teams."

 

12. SMU MUSTANGS (11-2)

13. CLEMSON TIGERS (10-3)

14. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (9-3)

15. MIAMI HURRICANES (10-2)

16. OLE MISS REBELS (9-3)

17. BYU COUGARS (10-2)

18. IOWA STATE CYCLONES (10-3)

19. ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS (11-1)

20. COLORADO BUFFALOES (9-3)

21. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (9-3)

22. SYRACUSE ORANGE (9-3)

23. MISSOURI TIGERS (9-3)

24. UNLV REBELS (10-3)

25. MEMPHIS TIGERS (10-2)

Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M 75, Louisville 37, Duke 29, Kansas St. 9, Marshall 8, LSU 8, Florida 5, Ohio 2, Tulane 2, Baylor 2, Louisiana-Lafayette 1.