CFP rankings: What's next for top contenders, plus a 12-team field and the Anger Index

The College Football Playoff enactment committee volition ne'er inquire coaches to tally up the score, and the protocol specifically states that comparing games against a communal hostile is done "without incenting borderline of victory."

That doesn't mean they don't admit a bully old-fashioned drubbing.

With nary changes to the apical 5 of the 3rd ranking connected Tuesday nighttime -- No. 6 LSU and No. 7 USC earned tiny promotions astatine the disbursal of two-loss Oregon, which sank to 12 -- Week 12 volition supply respective opportunities for the apical contenders to permission nary uncertainty they're the amended team.

In the lawsuit of No. 7 USC, present the committee's top-ranked Pac-12 team, the one-loss Trojans tin marque a connection against a ranked rival successful No. 16 UCLA -- oregon destruct the Pac-12 wholly with a loss. No squad is amended positioned to decorativeness successful the apical 4 than No. 1 Georgia, which clinched the SEC East and volition look LSU successful the league rubric game. A resounding triumph astatine Kentucky, though, would beryllium different item the committee could constituent to if Georgia finishes arsenic SEC runner-up.

No. 3 Michigan has a accidental to proceed to asseverate itself against unranked Illinois, a three-loss squad that dropped retired of the CFP Top 25 but could inactive triumph the Big Ten West. Tennessee and TCU, meanwhile, should cruise against unranked, unheralded league opponents.

With lone 2 weeks remaining successful the regular season, here's however Week 12 could perchance power the committee's valuation connected Selection Day, ranked successful bid of biggest impact:

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Anger Index | 12-team bracket | Résumés |

1. USC astatine UCLA

Why it's important: USC has nary borderline for error, and the roadworthy crippled against the ranked vicinity rival is the adjacent measurement successful padding a résumé that could yet trump one-loss Tennessee. USC is the Pac-12's champion anticipation astatine the playoff, and portion galore look to presume No. 5 Tennessee volition decorativeness successful the apical 4 due to the fact that the Vols are presently ranked up of USC, it volition beryllium overmuch much analyzable for the committee erstwhile the league titles are added to the résumés and Tennessee doesn't person one. USC could decorativeness the play with 3 consecutive wins against ranked opponents -- UCLA, Notre Dame and the Pac-12 rubric crippled hostile -- which would enactment it squarely successful the speech for the apical four.

2. TCU astatine Baylor

Why it's important: No. 4 TCU didn't get a bump this week, adjacent though it played its champion defence of the season, earned a roadworthy triumph against what utilized to beryllium a CFP Top 25 squad successful Texas, and clinched a spot successful the Big 12 rubric game. That indicates the Horned Frogs inactive don't person overmuch if immoderate borderline for error, and a nonaccomplishment connected Saturday to an unranked Baylor (6-4) squad that K-State conscionable hammered 31-3 would beryllium hard to flooded connected Selection Day. If TCU finishes arsenic an undefeated Big 12 champion, the Horned Frogs volition decorativeness successful the apical four, but a nonaccomplishment to either Baylor oregon Iowa State on the mode volition enactment them successful a precarious position. It helped TCU that No. 22 Oklahoma State popped backmost into the Top 25, giving the Frogs 2 wins against ranked opponents, on with Kansas State. That would astir apt lucifer Clemson, if it finishes arsenic a one-loss ACC champ, but they could some beryllium looking up astatine USC oregon Tennessee -- oregon both.

3. Tennessee astatine South Carolina

Why it's important: If you're not playing connected title weekend, you're praying. Without a part oregon league title, Tennessee needs to impressment the committee each accidental it gets, and a roadworthy triumph against a bowl-bound SEC hostile is different boost for the Vols -- adjacent if South Carolina isn't ranked. Assuming the SEC and Big Ten champions are successful the apical four, Tennessee needs to beryllium acrophobic astir undefeated TCU and one-loss USC. The Vols volition request their wins against LSU and Alabama to flooded not having a league title. Where it could get absorbing is if LSU wins the SEC, due to the fact that Tennessee could past assertion a resounding 40-13 triumph implicit the SEC champs -- successful Baton Rouge. The Vols can't power immoderate of that, though, truthful finishing the play successful benignant is their champion bet.

4. Miami astatine Clemson

Why it's important: Clemson and the ACC stay successful the worst playoff presumption of immoderate of the Power 5 conferences, truthful the Tigers cannot spend to conflict astatine location against a mediocre Miami team. Clemson hasn't precisely dominated anyone this season, either. The Tigers are 2-1 against teams presently ranked successful the CFP, and person a constituent borderline of minus-5 successful those 3 games (wins against NC State and FSU, nonaccomplishment to Notre Dame). If the SEC, Big Ten and undefeated TCU are in, Clemson needs to interest astir one-loss Tennessee. The Vols' wins against LSU and Alabama would beryllium much awesome than Clemson's wins against NC State, Florida State and UNC. The Tigers could besides suffer a résumé statement with one-loss USC. Their bigger problem, though, is that they're already looking up astatine 2 two-loss teams, including Alabama.

5. Illinois astatine Michigan

Why it's important: No, Illinois isn't ranked, but the three-loss Illini are astatine slightest supra .500, and that's much than you tin accidental for astir of Michigan's opponents. Because the lone ranked triumph truthful acold is against Penn State, and lone the Nittany Lions, Maryland, Iowa, Illinois and UConn person winning records, Michigan needs to marque the astir of each accidental it has against a respectable squad successful lawsuit it doesn't bushed No. 2 Ohio State. It's not intolerable for the loser of The Game to decorativeness successful the apical four, but it would beryllium much hard for the Wolverines. The enactment committee isn't thrilled with Michigan's schedule, which astatine No. 82 is easy the worst of immoderate CFP contender. Michigan could look Illinois doubly if they triumph their respective divisions and conscionable successful the Big Ten title game.

6. Ohio State astatine Maryland

Why it's important: The Buckeyes haven't clinched the East yet, and if they don't bushed Michigan successful the regular-season finale, there's zero accidental Ohio State volition decorativeness successful the apical 4 if it can't triumph successful College Park. Ohio State has already struggled this play successful atrocious upwind against 1-9 Northwestern. Another disfigured triumph could rise immoderate eyebrows successful the committee gathering country if Ohio State doesn't triumph its division. Saturday volition besides springiness a glimpse into the wellness presumption of their 2 prima moving backs, TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, who person been injured and volition beryllium cardinal to making a superior playoff run. Ohio State manager Ryan Day told reporters helium wouldn't cognize their statuses until Thursday. The enactment committee considers injuries to cardinal players, but truthful far, the Buckeyes person continued to portion it unneurotic but person relied heavy connected their passing game.

7. Georgia astatine Kentucky

Why it's important: What if LSU wins the SEC? It's apt Georgia besides finishes successful the apical four, but it's not a warrant -- particularly with Tennessee sitting determination with a triumph implicit the SEC champs. The enactment committee considers communal opponents, and determination is nary illustration much captious than this one. Would the committee enactment successful the squad that mislaid to the SEC champs, and not the 1 that bushed them? It's not the lone component, though. Head-to-head results besides matter, and Georgia owned Tennessee successful a crippled that was acold much lopsided than the last people indicated. Georgia could proceed to boost its lawsuit with a roadworthy triumph against a part opponent, and wouldn't beryllium a large look if the Bulldogs struggled against a squad Vanderbilt conscionable recovered a mode to beat.

Anger index

There are conscionable 2 weeks remaining successful the regular season, which means we've got conscionable 3 much sets of rankings to spell earlier the committee retires to its underground lair to statesman plotting against the Group of 5 for different offseason. This week's CFP Top 25 offered fewer surprises. If anyone expected the committee to situation accepted wisdom, they were sorely disappointed. But that doesn't mean nary 1 has origin for vexation successful the aftermath of the release. This is assemblage football, aft all. Anger is the default setting. So, let's get to this week's Anger Index.

1. Washington Huskies (8-2)

We speech a batch astir résumé erstwhile it comes to the College Football Playoff rankings, but we seldom specify what precisely a bully résumé looks like. So, here's 1 suggestion:

• At slightest 1 triumph vs. a precise bully to large hostile (in the apical 10% of FBS teams) to beryllium you tin play with the champion of the best.

• Three oregon much wins against bully teams (in the apical one-third of FBS teams) to beryllium you tin past the week-in, week-out grind.

• Two oregon much wins successful existent roadworthy games to amusement you tin spell into a hostile situation and clasp your own.

Add those 3 things up, bundle them with a sterling win-loss record, and you've got a resumé worthy of playoff consideration.

So, who fits that measure close now?

As of this week, determination are 9 teams. Eight of them are ranked among the apical 9 teams successful the state (No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 TCU, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 Clemson).

The ninth team? That'd beryllium the Washington Huskies, who cheque successful astatine a less-than-exciting No. 17 successful this week's rankings, down 4 different Pac-12 teams, including two-loss Utah astatine No. 10 and two-loss UCLA astatine No. 16 arsenic good arsenic two-loss Oregon, ranked 5 spots higher, contempt losing past week astatine location to... Washington!

So, wherefore does the committee disregard the Huskies? It's each astir benignant points.

Washington led Michigan State 39-10 successful the 2nd half, but the crippled finished 39-28.

The Huskies were up 30-7 connected Stanford astatine the extremity of the 3rd quarter, but the Cardinal rallied precocious for a 40-22 loss.

They were up 42-24 connected Arizona successful the 2nd half, too, but that crippled ended 49-39.

Essentially, Washington has gone up large past gone connected autopilot, and the extremity effect is simply a fistful of wins against lackluster opponents that look wholly mediocre.

Well, that and the nonaccomplishment to Arizona State. How tin anyone explicate that one? A prime six? Three turnovers connected downs? Some benignant of voodoo curse? Your conjecture is arsenic bully arsenic ours.

The archetypal 8 teams we included present are 23-0 against the bottommost fractional of FBS teams (per FPI) and person an mean borderline of triumph of 40 points.

Washington is 4-1 and has won by an mean of 10 points.

But is it tenable to justice Washington by what it did against Arizona State erstwhile we've witnessed the Huskies toppled Oregon successful Eugene?

The Pac-12 is fundamentally a five-team stalemate close now, truthful a batch tin change. But there's truly precise small lawsuit for Washington arsenic the 4th of those 5 teams, and if we simply look astatine the credits alternatively than the debits connected the Huskies' resumé, there's really a reasonably beardown lawsuit for putting them astatine the apical of the heap.

2. The ACC

Clearly the committee is not a instrumentality of the ACC, contempt the league's 9 teams with six wins oregon amended already. That pesky Notre Dame deal, which keeps starring to disfigured losses for the league and nary salvation from realignment from the Irish is simply a existent problem.

This week's rankings enactment the ACC successful a spot of a bind. Clemson is ranked No. 9, the lowest by immoderate of the expected playoff contenders, a spot down two-loss Alabama. Yes, Clemson's résumé is acold superior to, say, No. 7 USC. And yes, Clemson bushed a Florida State squad that bushed two-loss LSU (ranked 3 spots higher). And yes, the Tigers rebounded nicely from the Notre Dame nonaccomplishment past week with an emphatic triumph implicit Louisville. But the committee isn't buying, which means the Tigers tin triumph retired and inactive beryllium astatine the bottommost of the league champion pecking order.

That's doubly existent for North Carolina. Here's a speedy comparison:

Team A: 9-1, No. 11 spot of record, No. 75 spot of schedule, roadworthy nonaccomplishment to ranked team, Heisman contender QB, shaky defense, erstwhile Big 12 coaching large astatine the helm, benignant of a wine-and-cheese instrumentality base.

Team B: 9-1, No. 10 spot of record, No. 65 spot of schedule, roadworthy nonaccomplishment to a ranked team, Heisman contender astatine QB, erstwhile Big 12 coaching large astatine the helm, benignant of a wine-and-cheese instrumentality base.

Not overmuch separating the two, right? And yet, six spots abstracted Team A (North Carolina) from Team B (USC) successful the rankings.

3. Everyone extracurricular the Big Ten

Ohio State is No. 2. Michigan is No. 3. Both, by immoderate oculus trial oregon statistical metric, are precise bully teams.

And yet, look astatine the résumés.

Michigan bushed Penn State. It's adjacent champion triumph is by a touchdown astatine location vs. Maryland. Seven of its 10 wins are against teams .500 oregon worse (and the different is Iowa, which... sorry, we fell dormant portion typing Iowa.)

Ohio State bushed Penn State. It's adjacent champion triumph was a alternatively unimpressive matter successful the opener against Notre Dame. In Big Ten play, the champion squad the Buckeyes person beaten is... sorry, we nodded disconnected again reasoning astir Iowa.

So the lynchpin for some teams to beryllium ranked successful the apical 3 is Penn State. And yet, Penn State's champion wins are Purdue, Auburn and Minnesota -- each unranked.

None of this is to suggest Michigan and Ohio State aren't 2 of the 3 champion teams successful the country. They whitethorn good be. But adjacent earlier the play began, it was evident the way to get present was conscionable a two-step process: Beat Penn State, conscionable up successful Columbus connected Nov. 26.

Must beryllium nice.

How a 12-team playoff would look

Everyone with the powerfulness to grow the College Football Playoff wants the tract to turn to 12 teams successful clip for the 2024 season.

But currently, enlargement is scheduled to statesman successful 2026. So portion discussions proceed connected however to determination up the timeline, we're taking a look astatine however a 12-team playoff would look contiguous based connected the already-determined exemplary released by the commissioners and presidents.

The tract volition beryllium composed of the enactment committee's six highest-ranked league champions and its adjacent six highest-ranked teams. The 4 highest-ranked league champions volition gain the apical seeds and a first-round bye. The different 8 teams volition play successful the archetypal round, with the higher seeds hosting the little seeds connected field oregon astatine different tract of their choice.

Here's what the playoff would look similar if the 12-team format were successful spot today:

Seeds with byes

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. USC

Remaining seeds
(conference champs successful bold)

5. Michigan
6. Tennessee
7. LSU
8. Alabama
9. Clemson
10. Utah
11. Penn State
12. UCF

First-round games

No. 12 UCF astatine No. 5 Michigan
No. 11 Penn State astatine No. 6 Tennessee
No. 10 Utah astatine No. 7 LSU
No. 9 Clemson astatine No. 8 Alabama

Quarterfinal games

No. 9 Clemson-No. 8 Alabama victor vs. No. 1 Georgia
No. 10 Utah-No. 7 LSU victor vs. No. 2 Ohio State
No. 11 Penn State-No. 6 Tennessee victor vs. No. 3 TCU
No. 12 UCF-No. 5 Michigan victor vs. No. 4 USC

Top résumés

1. Georgia

Record: 10-0 | SOS: 44 | SOR: 2
Biggest win: Nov. 5 vs. Tennessee 27-13
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Saturday astatine Kentucky
Last playoff appearance: 2022 CFP National championship, No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18

No. 2 Ohio State

Record: 10-0 | SOS: 60 | SOR: 4
Biggest win: Oct. 29 astatine Penn State 44-31
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Nov. 26 vs. Michigan
Last playoff appearance: 2021 CFP National Championship, No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24

No. 3 Michigan

Record: 10-0 | SOS: 82 | SOR: 5
Biggest win: Oct. 15 vs. Penn State 41-17
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Nov. 26 astatine Ohio State
Last playoff appearance: 2022 Playoff Semifinal astatine the Orange Bowl, No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11

No. 4 TCU

Record: 10-0 | SOS: 38 | SOR: 1
Biggest win: Oct. 22 vs. Texas 17-10
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Saturday astatine Baylor
Last playoff appearance: Never

No. 5 Tennessee

Record: 9-1 | SOS: 3 | SOR: 3
Biggest win: Oct. 8 astatine LSU 40-13
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Saturday astatine South Carolina
Last playoff appearance: Never

No. 6 LSU

Record: 8-2 | SOS: 11 | SOR: 7
Biggest win: Nov. 5 vs. Alabama 32-31
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Nov. 26 astatine Texas A&M
Last playoff appearance: 2020 CFP National Championship: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25

No. 7 USC

Record: 9-1 | SOS: 65 | SOR: 10
Biggest win: Sept. 24 astatine Oregon State 17-14
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Saturday astatine UCLA
Last playoff appearance: Never

No. 8 Clemson

Record: 9-1 | SOS: 55 | SOR: 8
Biggest win: Oct. 1 vs. NC State 30-20
Biggest remaining regular-season game: Nov. 26 vs. South Carolina
Last playoff appearance: 2021 Playoff Semifinal astatine the Sugar Bowl, No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. 2 Clemson 28