Only two remain in the undefeated ranks of college football (Georiga/Cincinnati), and Michigan threw its hat into the conversation for the College Football Playoffs for the first time this season after their dominating victory over the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor.
Rivalry week lived up to the hype as Mike Gundy finally defeated Lincoln Riley at Bedlam, and Auburn gave everything they had without their starting quarterback against Alabama. That game ended in a four-overtime thriller that saw the Crimson Tide rally from a 10-0 hole to win 24-22. Minnesota spoiled Wisconsin's dream of making it to the Big Ten Championship with a victory that also snatched Paul Bunyan's Axe from the Badgers. The biggest blow outside the Power 5 came when North Texas shellacked UTSA to end their perfect season and the Mean Green now qualify for a bowl game.
There are currently 84 teams that have qualified for the 82 spots for bowl games. That won't change going into next week because both Cal and USC lost this weekend, making them ineligible despite playing each other next week. Hawai'i is one of those teams that qualified at 6-7, but a rule allows them to be bowl eligible and they very well could claim a spot in the Hawai'i Bowl depending on how things play out. East Carolina is the first team to accept a bowl bid as they will appear in the Military Bowl. With all those bowl teams out there and the conference championships coming up, let's take a look at the Conference Power Index (Top 50 schools - Bottom 30 schools, bold denotes teams in conference championship).
SEC: +6 (Top 50: Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State; Bottom 30: Vanderbilt)
Big Ten +5 (T50: Michigan, Iowa, Ohio St, Michigan St, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, Penn St; B30: Nebraska, Northwestern, Indiana)
ACC: +3 (T50: Pitt, Wake Forest, Clemson, NCST, Miami; B30: Georgia Tech, Duke)
Big 12: +3 (T50: Oklahoma St, Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas St; B30: Kansas)
Mountain West: +3 (San Diego St, Fresno St, Air Force, Utah St, Nevada, Boise St; B30: Colorado St, New Mexico, UNLV)
Pac 12: +1 (T50: Oregon, Utah, UCLA, Arizona St, Oregon St; B30: Colorado, Washington, Stanford, Arizona)
Sun Belt: +1 (T50: Louisiana, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina; B30: Georgia Southern, Arkansas State)
American: 0 (T50: Cincinnati, Houston, SMU, UCF; B30: Navy, Temple, USF, Tulane)
CUSA: -1 (T50: UTSA, UAB, Western Kentucky; B30: Rice, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, FIU)
MAC: -2 (T50: Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Kent St (No. 56), B30: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Ohio, Akron)
Top 25:
1. Georgia (12-0, 56.9 WP, 0 LP)
Last Week: 1
The Bulldogs took care of business in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, and will stay in Atlanta, but move indoors to take on Alabama for the SEC Championship game. Even with a loss to the Crimson Tide, it seems almost a sure bet that Georgia is headed to the CFP.
Up Next: Alabam (11-1, No. 3)
2. Cincinnati (12-0, 76.4 WP, 0 LP)
LW: 2
The Bearcats took care of ECU and now set up a showdown for the American Athletic Conference Championship with Houston. The good news for Cincinnati is that the Cougars come into the game as a ranked opponent, which is the first that Cincinnati has faced since Notre Dame. A win all but guarantees a spot in the CFP for UC, but a loss likely spells doom on a magical run.
Up Next: Houston (11-1, No. 10)
3. Alabama (11-1, 63.6 WP, 48 LP)
LW: 6
The Crimson Tide nearly sealed their fate with a loss in the Iron Bowl, but they rallied and stayed alive in the CFP conversation. It'll be interesting to see if they lose to Georgia what will happen to them since their lone loss is to a Texas A&M team that now has 4 losses this season.
Up Next: Georgia (12-0, No. 1)
4. Michigan (11-1, 69.5 WP, 5 LP)
LW: 9
Jim Harbaugh can finally erase the zeroes off his ledger when it comes to wins over Ohio State and appearances in the Big Ten Championship. A win over Iowa would also mean the Wolverines' first-ever appearance in the CFP. The Hawkeyes will need an answer for Hasan Haskins, who scored 5 times on the ground against the Buckeyes.
Up Next: Iowa (10-2, No. 11)
5. Oklahoma St (11-1, 70 WP, 51 LP)
LW: 10
The Cowboys rallied to knock off the Sooners and avoided a rematch with their in-state rivals in the Big 12 Championship. They'll take on a Baylor team that they defeated 24-14 earlier this season. Oklahoma State will need a lot of help to make the CFP because the committee doesn't seem to respect the quality of wins in the Big 12.
Up Next: Baylor (10-2, No. 16)
6. Notre Dame (11-1, 70.4 WP, 19 LP)
LW: 7
Speaking of teams the committee doesn't respect, the Fighting Irish keep winning big, but the quality of their opponents is rather lacking thanks to a subpar Pac 12 and ACC schedule. 8 of their wins came against teams that finished .500 or worse.
Up Next: New Year's Six Bowl Game
7. Louisiana (11-1, 73.1 WP, 30 LP)
LW: 8
The Ragin' Cajuns haven't lost since Week 1 at Texas, but have played with fire throughout the season, including a 21-16 escape in the Battle of the Bayou. They'll face Appalachian St in the Sun Belt Championship, a team they walloped 41-13 earlier in the season.
Up Next: App St (10-2, No. 21)
8. San Diego State (11-1, 80.7 WP, 26 LP)
LW: 11
The Aztecs used their defense to swarm Boise State and secure their spot in the Mountain West Championship. That win knocked out the Broncos and then a win by Utah State over New Mexico placed the Aggies in the Championship ahead of Air Force. The Aggies and Aztecs did not meet during the regular season.
Up Next: Utah State (9-3, No. 29)
9. UTSA (11-1, 87.3 WP, 88 LP)
LW: 3
The Roadrunners suffered a beatdown at the hands of North Texas as they finally fell off the tightrope they had been walking in CUSA play. They still earn their first appearance in the championship game and will face a high-scoring offense in Western Kentucky that hasn't scored less than 31 points this season. The two faced each other in a high-scoring affair that saw the Roadrunners win 52-46.
Up Next: WKU (8-4, No. 43)
10. Houston (11-1, 96.5 WP, 78 LP)
LW: 12
The Cougars lone blemish came in week one against Texas Tech, but they've been rolling ever since. A throttling of UConn ensured that Houston would head into their matchup with Cincinnati as a ranked opponent.
Up Next: Cincinnati (12-0, No. 2)
11. Iowa (10-2, 58.9 WP, 55 LP)
LW: 13
The Hawkeyes nearly fell into the trap that Nebraska has been setting for all their Big Ten opponents this year, but like they did against Michigan and Ohio State, the Cornhuskers failed to finish off Iowa. A loss by Wisconsin allowed them to sneak into the Big Ten Championship.
Up Next: Michigan (11-1, No. 4)
12. Ole Miss (10-2, 61.8 WP, 21 LP)
LW: 14
The Rebels won the Egg Bowl, but have to sit and watch Alabama play in the SEC Championship yet again. Ole Miss has a chance to play in perhaps the Sugar Bowl or the Peach Bowl.
Up Next: Bowl Game
13. Oklahoma (10-2, 61.9 WP, 15.5 LP)
LW: 4
The hits keep coming as Lincoln Riley not only lost to OKST for the first time but is now headed out west to fill the vacancy at USC. Rumors have Kliff Kingsbury leaving the NFL to take the job, but the fact is, the Sooners are out of the Big 12 Championship and out a head coach.
Up Next: Despair
14. Ohio State (10-2, 63.9 WP, 12 LP)
LW: 5
The Buckeyes are in disbelief after having the rear ends handed to them by the ground game of Michigan. Ryan Day lost to a Big Ten opponent for the first time in his career, but it seems like the Buckeyes aren't completely out of the conversation for the CFP, imagine a Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio State final to settle the old debate about which conference is better.
Up Next: Learning that removing the letter M from words is idiotic.
15. Michigan State (10-2, 65.5 WP, 29 LP)
LW: 16
The Spartans are stunned after watching Ohio State not score at will like they did against Sparty. Instead, they used what little players they had not battling the flu, to hold off Penn State. MSU will now await whatever bowl game welcomes them.
Up Next: Bowl Game
16. Baylor (10-2, 66.2 WP, 54.5 LP)
LW: 15
The Bears held off a late field goal from Texas Tech to edge out the Red Raiders and make their way into the Big 12 Championship. They'll look to avenge their loss to Oklahoma State and hope for a New Year's Six bowl.
Up Next: Bowl Game
17. Pitt (10-2, 76.3 WP, 90.5 LP)
LW: 17
The Panthers avoided any issues with Syracuse and are now focused on winning the ACC for the first time and their first conference title since they won the Big East in 2010. It'll be a battle of the QBs as Kenny Pickett battles Sam Hartman in a potentially high-scoring affair.
Up Next: Wake Forest (10-2, No. 18)
18. Wake Forest (10-2, 76.5 WP, 52 LP)
LW: 19
The Demon Deacons tried to blow their shot at the ACC Championship by losing twice in their last four games, but they won enough to make it. They are playing for their first ACC title since 2006.
Up Next: Pitt (10-2, No. 17)
19. Oregon (10-2, 77.5 WP, 48.5 LP)
LW: 20
The Ducks took care of the Beavers to earn their spot in the Pac 12 Championship, but Oregon must avenge an embarrassing loss to Utah. The Utes pounded Oregon 38-7 just two weeks ago. The winner likely earns a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Up Next: Utah (9-3, No. 25)
20. BYU (10-2, 78.2 WP, 52 LP)
LW: 19
The Cougars needed a late rally to defeat USC and keep the Trojans from becoming bowl eligible. BYU is likely set for an appearance in the Independence Bowl.
Up Next: Bowl Game
21. Appalachian State (10-2, 85.3, 47 LP)
LW: 21
The Mountaineers took care of Georgia Southern in their rivalry game and look to earn a victory over a Louisiana team that is in search of a new coach after having theirs poached by a Power 5 school, something App State is very familiar with the last 5 years.
Up Next: Louisiana (11-1, No. 7)
22. Coastal Carolina (10-2, 98.8 WP, 67 LP)
LW: 22
The Chanticleers needed overtime to thwart an upset by South Alabama and kept the Jaguars from becoming bowl eligible. Coastal will be headed to a bowl game, perhaps the Lending Tree Bowl?
Up Next: Bowl Game
23. Fresno State (9-3, 72.4 WP, 61 LP)
LW: 25
The Bulldogs will reflect on what might have been and will instead watch the Mountain West Championship from the comforts of their own homes. Fresno State might get a trip back to Hawai'i where they can relive the nightmare game they played against the Rainbow Warriors that kept them from the title game.
Up Next: Bowl Game
24. Clemson Tigers (9-3, 76.4 WP, 34.3 LP)
LW: 28
It's been a while, but Clemson is back in the Top 25 with a beatdown of South Carolina, 30-0. The Tigers finally saw their CFP run come crashing down, first with a loss to Georgia, and then defeats at NCST and Pitt led them to rely on Wake Forest to lose in order to make the ACC Championship, but the Deacons refused and so Dabo and the boys will watch old game film and prepare for their bowl.
Up Next: Bowl Game
25. Utah (9-3, 76.8 WP, 24.7 LP)
LW: 26
The Utes cruised past Colorado and now look to destroy Oregon once again. A win for Utah might mean a Rose Bowl appearance against either Michigan State or Ohio State.
Up Next: Oregon (10-2, No. 19)
Dropped Out: Texas A&M, Wisconsin
Waiting List: NCST, Air Force, Kentucky, Utah State, Army, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, UCLA
Northern Illinois (8-4, No. 38 vs Kent State 7-5, No. 56)
The Huskies look to avenge an earlier loss to the Golden Flashes when they converge on Motown this Friday.
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