November 2019 – The Bat Flip

College Football Rankings Check: Week 14

After each week of the college football season, a fresh set of rankings drop, highlighting the Top 25 teams in the nation. There are two major polls used in the college football, the AP Poll voted on by members of the media, and the Coaches Poll voted on by, well you can probably figure that one out. Now that we have reached November, the College Football Playoff rankings are out and take over as the top billed ranking in college football for the rest of the season.

In less than two weeks we will know which four teams will be playing in the College Football Playoff for this season, but there is still a bit a business to take care of before then. Starting this week, a slate for of rivalry games make for an entertaining holiday weekend with much at stake for everyone involved. Let’s take a look at how all the teams stand heading into Week 14.

College Football Playoff

Screen Shot 2019-11-26 at 7.59.38 PM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: SMU 25

After two weeks at No. 2, the Ohio State Buckeyes returned to the top spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after their victory on Saturday over fellow ranked side the Penn State Nittany Lions. The win secured Ohio State the Big Ten East crown and a spot in the Big Ten Championship game against either No. 8 Minnesota No. 12 Wisconsin.

With Ohio State climbing to No. 1 it means previous top overall side Louisiana State had to drop but it was only a single slot down to No. 2. The Tigers put on an impressive performance against an inferior Arkansas squad to wrap up the SEC West and remain in solid position to make the playoff.

Rounding out the Top 4 are still Clemson and Georgia, both holding steady at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively. At No. 5 sits Alabama, who will still need some help if they hope to make the playoff come December but for now they are doing their part by simply winning games.

Oregon was upset in a shocking fashion by Arizona State on Saturday night, plummeting the Ducks down the rankings to No. 14 and out of the playoff picture. This leaves Utah as the singular PAC-12 playoff hope as the Utes move up one spot to No. 6. Utah still needs a win over Colorado on Saturday night to book a spot in the PAC-12 title game.

Other beneficiaries of Oregon’s undoing are Big 12 sides Oklahoma and Baylor. Both the Sooners and Bears sit in the Top 10 and know they will be facing off in Dallas next week in the Big 12 Championship. Should the winner of that game still only have one loss, they will have a strong playoff case.

As previously mentioned, Penn State fell to Ohio State on Saturday, sending the Nittany Lions down two spots, out of the playoff picture but very much in strong position to qualify for a New Year’s Six bowl game.

After you get past the Top 10, there is no much movement to discuss in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings. American Conference sides Memphis and Cincinnati remain only a spot apart before their big showdown on Friday afternoon. Should Memphis win that game, the Tigers and Bearcats will meet again the following week with a potential New Year’s Six spot on the line.

Southern Methodist was the only side to drop from this week’s rankings, replaced by Virginia Tech who come in at No. 24.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-26 at 6.33.15 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 74, Virginia 38, Texas A&M 27, Air Force 22, SMU 9, Arizona State 4, North Dakota State 1, Louisiana 1

Dropped from rankings: SMU 21, Texas A&M 24

No major upsets means no significant shakeup in the polls this week with the Top 5 of the AP Poll all remaining the same from the previous week. Our first moves come at No. 6 where lone PAC-12 playoff hopeful Utah resides, moving up one spot.

Behind the Utes, Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan, and Baylor all jumped either one spot or a pair of spots due to losses by Oregon and Penn State on Saturday. Penn State’s fall was mitigated given its opponent was No. 2 Ohio State, but the Ducks took an eight spot tumble after being shocked by Arizona State. Penn State and Oregon now reside at No. 12 and No. 14 respectively, with Wisconsin occupying the space in between.

Memphis and Cincinnati flip flopped spots after the week that was and remain separated by the slimmest of margins just days before they are set to face-off in what could be the first of two meetings in as many weeks.

Further down the poll, Oklahoma State and Appalachian State took advantage of teams ahead of them dropping games to move up while Virginia Tech did the same and jumped two spots. The Hokies will head into their rivalry game with Virginia as the only non-Clemson ACC team to be ranked.

Dropping from the poll this week was Southern Methodist and Texas A&M, replaced by Navy and Southern California.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-26 at 6.33.29 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Air Force 74, Iowa State 55, Virginia 32, Texas A&M 26, SMU 18, Louisiana 18, Wake Forest 5, San Diego State 4, Hawai’i 2, Indiana 2, Temple 1

Dropped from rankings: SMU 21, Texas A&M 24, San Diego State 25

This time of year, the polls will start to mimic one another as teams sort themselves out and the contenders separate from the pretenders. That’s the case here when you compare the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. The top nine sides all match up perfectly before the first change comes at No. 10 where the coaches placed Baylor compared to Michigan on the AP side.

Oregon and Penn State were the biggest losers with the coaches as well with the Ducks dropping seven spots and the Nittany Lions and identical three spots compared to the AP voters. Everyone previously below the Ducks and Nittany Lions, from Oklahoma to Michigan, all climbed.

The only other movement after getting past Oregon at No. 13 is Oklahoma State rising two spots to No. 21. Leaving the Coaches Poll this week is the trio of Southern Methodist, Texas A&M, and San Diego State. Three teams going out meant three teams had to go in and the this week’s newly ranked sides are Virginia Tech, Navy, and Southern California.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 14

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 14.

Note: Team rankings are based on the College Football Playoff standings.

Screen Shot 2019-11-26 at 8.18.01 PM.png — via NCAA

Hopefully your holiday weekend plans have some time blocked out for college football because we have a loaded Top 25 schedule on tap beginning Friday. Southern California is the only Top 25 side without a game this weekend, meaning the remaining 24 ranked sides will all be in action.

This is the annual “Rivalry Week” around college football with some marquee games on the docket, starting in Ann Arbor where No. 1 Ohio State will look to keeps its winning streak intact against No. 13 Michigan. It’s been eight years since the Wolverines knocked off the Buckeyes and the stakes are very high.

Heading down south to the SEC, bitter rivals No. 5 Alabama and No. 15 Auburn go head-to-head in their annual Iron Bowl meeting. Alabama sits just outside the playoff picture but they know this is a must win game if they have any hopes of playing for a national championship.

Memphis plays host to Cincinnati in what might as well be a preview of the American Conference title game next week. Should Memphis prevail, it will set up a rematch with the Bearcats back in Memphis in a week’s time.

Both the Big Ten West and ACC Coastal divisions will be decided in showdowns between bitter rivals this weekend. First on Friday, No. 24 Virginia Tech looks to extend its winning streak to 16 games over in-state rival Virginia with the winner meeting Clemson next week. Then on Saturday, No. 8 Minnesota looks to continue its fairytale season by booking a meeting with Ohio State should the Gophers overcome rival No. 12 Wisconsin.

A slew of traditional state rivalries make up a large chunk of this week’s college football slate. No. 3 Clemson/South Carolina, No. 4 Georgia/Georgia State, No. 7 Oklahoma/No. 21 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Florida/Florida State, and No. 14 Oregon/Oregon State are all games to keep an eye on.

Each and every week throughout the college football season we will be checking in with the latest rankings and Top 25 schedule so make sure you are checking back to keep up to date on the latest from the college football world.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 13

Two more unbeatens fall in Week 12 and cause a bit of a shakeup in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, but the three remaining undefeated sides still hold steady at the top with two weeks of regular season play left. All five major conference remain in contention to have a team in the playoff, but with only four spots up for grabs, someone will be left out in the cold.

College Football Playoff

Screen Shot 2019-11-19 at 8.12.24 PM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Texas 19, Navy 23, Kansas State 24

No change among the top seven teams from last week, with Louisiana State, Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia currently occupying the four playoff spots. Alabama still sits in the No. 5 spot but knows it needs a lot of help down the stretch if it hopes to make the playoff once again. PAC-12 sides Oregon and Utah sit sixth and seventh respectively, still on track for a showdown in the conference title game in about two and a half weeks.

Penn State bounced back from its to Minnesota with a win over Indiana and jumped up a spot to No. 8 in part because the Golden Gophers fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a loss against Iowa. Also benefiting from the Gophers misfortune was Oklahoma, who staged an epic comeback over previously unbeaten Baylor to move into the No. 9 slot.

Speaking of Minnesota and Baylor, the two cinderella stories both fell in the rankings after losing, but still remain in decent position to be in the playoff discussion should they run the table. The Gophers currently sit at No. 10 in the latest ranking while the Bears come in at No. 14.

Florida, Michigan, and Auburn all still sit comfortably inside the Top 15 at the moment but have little to no hope of making the playoff come season’s end. The same can be said for two loss Notre Dame at No. 16, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility those sides could make a New Year’s Six bowl game.

In the battle of Group of 5 teams fighting it out for that coveted New Year’s Six spot, American Conference foes Memphis and Cincinnati still sit in the best position to claim the spot and they remain on track for a meeting in the American Conference title game. If they both enter that game 11-1, the winner should safely be into the NY6.

Texas, Navy, and Kansas State all tumbled from the CFP rankings this week, replaced by Iowa State, Southern California, and Southern Methodist.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-19 at 2.31.10 PM — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Indiana 47, Iowa State 31, Virginia 23, Navy 13, Air Force 12, Pittsburgh 9, San Diego State 7, USC 6, Washington 6, Texas 4, Illinois 1, North Dakota State 1

Dropped from rankings: Navy 21, Texas 22, Indiana 24

The three remaining undefeated sides make up the top three spots in the AP Poll, with Louisiana State still holding onto the top spot ahead of Ohio State and Clemson. Georgia rolled over Auburn and jumped Alabama for the No. 4 spot while the Tide will settle in at No. 5 for this week.

This week’s biggest dropper is Minnesota who tumbled four spot to No. 11 after suffering its first loss of the season at the hands of Iowa who were conversely the biggest gainer this week, rising four spots to No. 19.

Utah, Oklahoma, and Florida all benefited from the Golden Gophers loss, each climbing up the standings, and for Florida, back into the Top 10. Sandwiched between those three sides is Penn State who held steady at No. 9 following a victory over Indiana on Saturday.

Baylor joined Minnesota is falling from the ranks of the unbeaten after blowing a big lead and losing to Oklahoma on Saturday night. Even with the loss, the Bears only fell a single spot to No. 13, a slide which let Michigan hop to No. 12.

Further down the poll, Auburn tumbled three spots after losing to Georgia, pushing Wisconsin and Notre Dame slightly upwards to No. 14 and No. 15 respectively. The American Conference pair of Cincinnati and Memphis held steady at No. 17 and No. 18.

Navy, Texas, and Indiana all lost and subsequently fell from the rankings this week. They were replaced by a trio of Appalachian State, Texas A&M, and Virginia Tech.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-19 at 2.31.26 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Virginia Tech 46, Air Force 43, Indiana 39, Navy 25, Virginia 20, Louisiana Tech 10, Louisiana 8, Pittsburgh 7, USC 3, Wake Forest 2, Temple 1, Kansas State 1

Dropped from rankings: Navy 21, Texas 23, Indiana 25

Wrapping up with a brief look at the Coaches Poll for this week, the Top 6 teams are identical to the AP Poll with the first deviation coming at No. 7 where the coaches placed Oklahoma rather than Utah who come in at No. 8 this week.

Remarkably, after the Oklahoma/Utah switch, the two polls are exact in their rankings from Penn State at No. 9 all the way to Memphis at No. 18 before they place Boise State at No. 19 instead of Iowa who comes in at No. 20 in the Coaches Poll.

Again sticking with the AP Poll, Navy, Texas, and Indiana all dropped from the rankings after losing on Saturday. Where the Coaches diverge from the AP is in which teams replaced the three that left. Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and San Diego State all jumped into the rankings this week.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 13

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 13.

Note: Team rankings are based on the College Football Playoff standings.

Screen Shot 2019-11-19 at 8.58.07 PM.png — via NCAA

Only one ranked matchup this week but it will have major playoff implications regardless of result. No. 2 Ohio State, arguably the most impressive team in the country this season, welcomes No. 8 Penn State to Columbus with a spot in the Big Ten title game on the line. That is a noon kickoff and what better way to start your Saturday than with a marquee matchup between two playoff hopefuls.

In total, 23 of the 25 teams currently ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings are in action this weekend meaning an upset anywhere could throw everything into total chaos entering the final week of the regular season. The playoff favorites may not have marquee matchups on the schedule (OSU/PSU excluded), but if they hope to make the playoff, they need to win the games they are supposed to win.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 12

It only took one week but we already have a big shake up in the College Football Playoff rankings. Two Top 4 sides fell in Week 11 meaning two powerhouses left out in the cold last week now jump into the playoff should the season be over today. Last week’s results also provide us a new No. 1 team in the nation but there is still a lot of football left to be played and a lot of chaos left to unfold.

College Football Playoff

Screen Shot 2019-11-12 at 7.22.47 PM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Wake Forest 19, SMU 25

Our first week of play under the College Football Playoff rankings saw a pair of Top 4 sides fall and a new No. 1 side emerge. After being ranked No. 2 in the original CFP rankings last week, Louisiana State jumped into the top spot over Ohio State thanks to their win over former No. 3 side Alabama. In turn, the Tide drop only two spots to Np. 5, keeping them in contention to make the playoff at season’s end.

Penn State was the other Top 4 side to fall on Saturday, dropping their first game of the season to undefeated Minnesota. The Nittany Lions tumbled five spots to No. 9 while the Golden Gophers made the biggest jump in CFP rankings history, up nine spots to No. 8 .

With Alabama and Penn State dropping, Clemson and Georgia reaped the benefits and now round out the new Top 4 behind LSU and Ohio State. Just past the Crimson Tide at No. 6 and No. 7 are PAC-12 sides Oregon and Utah. Both are on a collision course to meet in the PAC-12 title game in December, where the winner will have a strong playoff case.

In the Big 12, Oklahoma and Baylor remain the best playoff hopes for that conference. Both barely survived on Saturday and now will meet in Waco on Saturday that could be a make or break game for either side’s playoff hopes.

If you’re a two loss team you better hope and pray a lot of chaos unfolds over the next two weeks. The CFP committee drew a pretty hard line in the sand again this week, shutting all two loss teams out of the Top 10 and making the climb to a playoff spot nearly impossible when you look at the teams ahead of them.

In the race for the Group of 5 spot in a New Year’s 6 bowl game, Cincinnati and Memphis lead the way at No. 16 and No. 17 respectively. Both remain on course to meet in the American Conference title game where the winner should claim the NY6 spot. If those two sides falter, the door to the NY6 opens for teams like Boise State, Navy, Appalachian State, and even now unranked Southern Methodist.

SMU was one of two teams to drop from the rankings this week, joined by former No. 19 Wake Forest. Replacing the Mustangs and Demon Deacons are Texas as the new No. 19 and Appalachian State at No. 25.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-12 at 6.46.19 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Appalachian State 73, Kansas State 67, Texas A&M 42, Wake Forest 38, Louisiana Tech 25, Virginia 12, San Diego State 7, Virginia Tech 4, Iowa State 4, Washington 3, Pittsburgh 2, Air Force 2, UCF 2, North Dakota State 1, USC 1, Illinois 1

Dropped from rankings: Kansas State 20, Wake Forest 22, San Diego State 24

Louisiana State solidified its spot atop the AP Poll with their victory over Alabama on Saturday night. For the Tide, the damage from the loss was minimized by the voters, only falling two spots to No. 4.

Ohio State and Clemson both climb up but see a drop in first place votes as the media appears to be hedging their bets on LSU being the true No. 1 in the land at the moment. For the first time this season, Alabama falls out of the Top 2 and receives no first place votes.

Minnesota continued its storybook season with a shocking upset victory over former No. 5 Penn State. As a result, the Golden Gophers are the biggest gainer of the week, jumping six spots to No. 7 and into the Top 10 for the first time. Penn State takes a tumble to No. 9, falling four spots. Georgia and Oregon both benefit from the Nittany Lions loss and now sit at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively.

Oklahoma and Baylor both won over the weekend, but in unconvincing fashion. With Minnesota turning some heads, the Sooners and Bears both slid back a spot to make room for the climbing Gophers.

No. 17 through No. 21 features five Group of 5 teams, all battling it out for the G5 slot in a New Year’s 6 bowl game. Cincinnati and Memphis are in the driver’s seat for the time being but Boise State is gaining ground with Southern Methodist and Navy waiting for someone to falter.

Kansas State, Wake Forest, and San Diego State all fell from the rankings this week, replaced by Texas, Indiana, and Oklahoma State. This is the first time Indiana has been ranked in the AP Poll in 25 years.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-12 at 6.46.38 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 49, Wake Forest 45, Louisiana Tech 43, Kansas State 38, San Diego State 32, Texas A&M 31, Air Force 25, Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 12, Louisiana 1, UCF 1, Wyoming 1

Dropped from rankings: Wake Forest 20, Kansas State 22, San Diego State 24

Wrapping up our weekly rankings check with the Coaches Poll that tells a similar story to its AP cohort. The top seven sides from LSU at No. 1 to Minnesota at No. 7 are identical with the first change coming at No. 8 where the coaches placed Oklahoma instead Utah.

Minnesota was once again the week’s biggest winner, climbing six spots while its victim from Saturday, Penn State, was this week’s biggest loser, dropping six spots all the way out of the Top 10, now sitting at No. 11.

After Penn State there was not much movement from the previous week until you get into the bottom third of the rankings. The five Group of 5 teams are all clumped together in the exact same positioning as the AP Poll with Notre Dame just ahead of them at No. 16.

Dropping from the Coaches Poll this week were the same three as from the AP poll, replaced by Texas, Appalachian State, and Indiana.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 12

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 12.

Note: Team rankings are based on the College Football Playoff standings.

Screen Shot 2019-11-12 at 8.12.25 PM.png — via NCAA

It should be noted, that while every matchup cannot be a ranked matchup, any game featuring a CFP contender is a massive game in terms of the College Football Playoff outlook. Whether a side is playing a top tier contender, or a conference doormat, every game matter.

With that said, there are three ranked games this week that will carry significant playoff consequences regardless of the result. First up is newly minted No. 4 Georgia traveling to Auburn to take on the No. 12 Tigers. Auburn has very little hope of making the playoff with two losses already on its docket, but they could make a case for an at-large NY6 slot by upsetting the Bulldogs and spoiling their playoff dreams in the process.

Fresh off their upset over Penn State, No. 8 Minnesota faces their next test, No. 20 Iowa on the road. Kinnick Stadium is a notoriously difficult place to win, so a victory on Saturday not only keep them undefeated, but strengthens their playoff case. It also means the Golden Gophers can lock up the Big Ten West title next week.

Perhaps the biggest ranked matchup of the weekend is No. 10 Oklahoma heading to the road to face No. 13 Baylor in Waco. Both teams survived upsets bids in Week 11 that could have derailed their playoff hopes, but now they face-off in what could be the first of two matchups. Regardless of outcome on Saturday, both Oklahoma and Baylor will remain on track to meet in the Big 12 championship game.

No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 23 Navy meet in the fourth and final ranked matchup on Saturday, but there are little to no playoff implications for either side. Both teams have multiple losses but they could both have an outside shot at a NY6 birth so it’s something to keep an eye on.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 11

For the first time this season, a new ranking joins the chaos. After ten weeks of action the first College Football Playoff rankings were revealed on Tuesday night with a brand new No. 1 team leading the way. With an 8-0 record and a list of impressive beatdown on its resume, Ohio State stakes claim to the top spot.

College Football Playoff

Screen Shot 2019-11-06 at 5.56.04 PM.png — via ESPN

As a reminder of how these rankings are done, a committee of individuals from the college football world convene every week to rank the Top 25 teams in the nation. There are no points involved like the AP or Coaches polls, just the opinions of the people in the room.

Ohio State is rewarded for its impressive start to the season, taking home the top spot in the first CFP rankings of the season, followed by Louisiana State and Alabama. Those two sides face-off this week in Tuscaloosa so it’s likely we have an immediate change in the Top 4 beginning next week.

The biggest eye opener of the week was Penn State being placed above Clemson in these initial rankings, marking the first time Penn State has ever cracked the Top 4 in the CFP. Penn State plays undefeated No. 17 Minnesota this week with a big showdown looming against Ohio State in two weeks.

Historically, if a school hopes to make the final College Football Playoff, they need to be somewhere in the Top 10 of the initial rankings to have a shot. That’s good news for Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, and Florida.

In 2014, the first year of the College Football Playoff, Ohio State climbed from No. 16 in the initial rankings all the way to winning the national championship. That run from the Buckeyes appears to be more of an outlier at this point.

One downside for a team like Florida is the fact that no two-loss team has ever made the Playoff so they need a lot to fall their way. That holds true for sides like Michigan, Notre Dame, Auburn, and Wisconsin. Not eliminated, but a hard hill to climb.

Baylor is the lowest ranked undefeated side but as long as they keep winning they will keep climbing up the ranks. Same goes for No. 17 Minnesota who could sink or swim depending on their matchup with Penn State.

At this point, it looks like it will come down to Cincinnati and Memphis in the American Conference for the rights to represent the Group of 5 in a New Year’s 6 bowl game.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-06 at 5.56.18 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: UCF 52, Texas 37, Indiana 27, Texas A&M 19, Oklahoma State 11, Louisiana Tech 7, Appalachian State 5, Washington 2, Pittsburgh 2, Iowa State 1, Virginia 1, North Dakota State 1

Dropped from rankings: Appalachian State 20

Unlike the old BCS formula, the AP and Coaches Polls don’t have any weight on the outcome of the College Football Playoff rankings. They’re mostly just for show at this point, though it can be fun to look at the difference between these polls and how the teams line up in the CFP.

This week, the Top 5 remained the same in the AP Poll, with the first movement coming with Georgia at No.6 moving up two spots after defeating former No. 6 Florida on Saturday.

Oregon smacked Southern California on the road and holds steady at No. 7. The Ducks victory also benefits No. 8 Utah, giving them control of the PAC 12 South division and setting up a potential CFP qualifier in the conference title game.

Baylor and Minnesota remain undefeated but still outside the Top 10 at the moment. If they keep winning they’ll eventually make it there, but the schedules are only getting tougher from here on out.

Southern Methodist fell from the ranks of the unbeaten after losing to Memphis on Saturday night, setting Memphis and Cincinnati on track for a showdown in the American Conference championship.

Appalachian State was the only team to drop from the AP rankings this week, allowing Navy to sneak into the poll for the first time this season.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-11-06 at 5.56.39 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Texas 79, Indiana 44, Appalachian State 24, UCF 24, Texas A&M 22, Louisiana Tech 13, Oklahoma State 5, Air Force 4, Virginia 2, Pittsburgh 1, Wyoming 1

Dropped from rankings: Appalachian State 20, Texas 24

Like the AP Poll, the top seven spots are identical, with the first change coming at No. 8 where Oklahoma sits above Utah. Undefeated Baylor also gets slightly more respect from the coaches, cracking the Top 10 at the expense of Florida.

Auburn and Minnesota hold steady with everyone from 14 through 20 all moving up thanks to Southern Methodist losing. The Mustangs loss to Memphis dropped the Mustangs nine spots while elevating the Tigers four. Kansas State was also a beneficiary of the Mustangs loss, rising three spots.

Appalachian State and Texas dropped from the poll, allowing San Diego State and Navy to join the party.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 11

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 11.

Note: Team rankings are based on the College Football Playoff standings.

Eight of the Top 10 teams in the CFP are in action this week, highlighted by the potential season defining showdown between Alabama and Louisiana State in Tuscaloosa. A loss by either side in no way eliminates them from playoff contention, but a win will put them in the driver’s seat going forward.

No. 4 Penn State travels to No. 17 Minnesota for a matchup of undefeated side that will serve as a prove it game for the Golden Gophers while Penn State looks to remain on track for an undefeated showdown with now No. 1 Ohio State in two weeks.

Over in the Big Ten West is the third and final ranked game of the week, pitting No. 13 Wisconsin against No. 18 Iowa. If either the Badgers or the Hawkeyes want a shot at playing for the Big Ten title in Indianapolis, this is a must win game.