The College Football Playoff Committee thought they were smarter than every poll, including this one. While we all had Washington firmly placed at No. 4, the committee figured that Texas A&M was a much better choice for the fourth team, in spite of most polls having them no higher than 9th. (We had them at 15th.) Mississippi State took care of that for everyone by upsetting the Aggies last Saturday. The only team in our Top Ten that dropped out was Florida, which proved that its current understanding of offense is no better than it was under its former coach. (The big irony is that both the current and former Florida coach will face off in Gainesville this Saturday.) Alabama, Clemson and Michigan made huge statements for their inclusion in the playoff with convicing wins this weekend. All three have fairly easy paths to 13-0, save for maybe one game each – Alabama with Auburn, Clemson with the ACC Championship Game and Michigan with Ohio State.
| Rank | Team | W | L | Last Week | Last |
| 1 | Alabama | 9 | 0 | Beat Alabama, 10-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Clemson | 9 | 0 | Beat Syracuse, 54-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Michigan | 9 | 0 | Beat Michigan, 59-3 | 3 |
| 4 | Washington | 9 | 0 | Beat California, 66-27 | 4 |
| 5 | Louisville | 8 | 1 | Beat Boston College, 52-7 | 5 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 8 | 1 | Beat Nebraska, 62-3 | 6 |
| 7 | Western Michigan | 9 | 0 | Beat Ball State, 52-20 | 7 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 7 | 2 | Beat Iowa State, 34-24 | 8 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 7 | 2 | Beat Kansas State, 43-37 | 11 |
| 10 | Auburn | 7 | 2 | Beat Vanderbilt, 23-16 | 10 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 7 | 2 | Beat Northwestern, 21-7 | 13 |
| 12 | Penn State | 7 | 2 | Beat Iowa, 41-14 | 17 |
| 13 | West Virginia | 7 | 1 | Beat Kansas, 48-21 | 16 |
| 14 | LSU | 5 | 3 | Lost to Alabama, 10-0 | 12 |
| 15 | North Carolina | 7 | 2 | Beat Georgia Tech, 48-20 | 20 |
| 16 | Washington State | 7 | 2 | Beat Arizona, 69-7 | 21 |
| 17 | Florida State | 6 | 3 | Beat NC State, 24-21 | 18 |
| 18 | Virginia Tech | 7 | 2 | Beat Duke, 24-21 | 19 |
| 19 | Florida | 6 | 2 | Lost to Arkansas, 31-10 | 9 |
| 20 | USC | 6 | 3 | Beat Oregon, 45-20 | 22 |
| 21 | Nebraska | 7 | 2 | Lost to Ohio State, 62-3 | 14 |
| 22 | Boise State | 8 | 1 | Beat San Jose State, 45-31 | 23 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 7 | 2 | Lost to Mississippi State, 35-28 | 15 |
| 24 | Arkansas | 6 | 3 | Beat Florida, 31-10 | 33 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 6 | 3 | Beat Tennessee Tech, 55-0 | 25 |
| 26 | USF | 7 | 2 | OFF | 26 |
| 27 | Navy | 6 | 2 | Beat Notre Dame, 28-27 | 27 |
| 28 | Colorado | 7 | 2 | Beat UCLA, 20-10 | 28 |
| 29 | Houston | 7 | 2 | OFF | 29 |
| 30 | Utah | 7 | 2 | OFF | 30 |
| 31 | Temple | 7 | 3 | Beat Connecticut, 21-0 | 31 |
| 32 | Stanford | 6 | 3 | Beat Oregon State, 26-15 | 32 |
| 33 | Miami (Fla.) | 5 | 4 | Beat Pittsburgh, 51-28 | 36 |
| 34 | Minnesota | 7 | 2 | Beat Purdue, 44-31 | 34 |
| 35 | BYU | 5 | 4 | Beat Cincinnati, 20-3 | 35 |
| 36 | Texas | 5 | 4 | Beat Texas Tech, 45-37 | 37 |
| 37 | Baylor | 6 | 2 | Lost to TCU, 62-22 | 24 |
| 38 | TCU | 5 | 4 | Beat Baylor, 62-22 | 54 |
| 39 | Toledo | 7 | 2 | Beat Akron, 48-17 | 42 |
| 40 | Troy | 7 | 1 | Beat Massachusetts, 52-31 | 44 |
| 41 | San Diego State | 8 | 1 | Beat Hawaii, 55-0 | 51 |
| 42 | Kansas State | 5 | 4 | Lost to Oklahoma State, 43-37 | 39 |
| 43 | Wyoming | 7 | 2 | Beat Utah State, 52-28 | 47 |
| 44 | Appalachian State | 7 | 2 | Beat Texas State, 35-10 | 48 |
| 45 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 4 | Lost to Miami (Fla.), 51-28 | 38 |
| 46 | Ole Miss | 4 | 5 | Beat Georgia Southern, 37-27 | 46 |
| 47 | Notre Dame | 3 | 6 | Lost to Navy, 28-27 | 41 |
| 48 | Iowa | 5 | 4 | Lost to Penn State, 41-14 | 40 |
| 49 | Arizona State | 5 | 4 | OFF | 49 |
| 50 | Northwestern | 4 | 5 | Lost to Wisconsin, 21-7 | 43 |
| 51 | Georgia | 5 | 4 | Beat Kentucky, 27-24 | 52 |
| 52 | UCLA | 3 | 6 | Lost to Colorado, 20-10 | 45 |
| 53 | Louisiana Tech | 7 | 3 | Beat North Texas, 45-24 | 58 |
| 54 | Western Kentucky | 7 | 3 | Beat FIU, 49-21 | 59 |
| 55 | Indiana | 5 | 4 | Beat Rutgers, 33-27 | 55 |
| 56 | Tulsa | 7 | 2 | Beat East Carolina, 45-24 | 60 |
| 57 | Texas Tech | 4 | 5 | Lost to Texas, 45-37 | 53 |
| 58 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 5 | Lost to Auburn, 23-16 | 57 |
| 59 | Memphis | 6 | 3 | Beat SMU, 51-7 | 66 |
| 60 | Georgia Tech | 5 | 4 | Lost to North Carolina, 48-20 | 50 |
| 61 | New Mexico | 6 | 3 | Beat Nevada, 35-26 | 62 |
| 62 | Kentucky | 5 | 4 | Lost to Georgia, 27-24 | 61 |
| 63 | Air Force | 6 | 3 | Beat Army, 31-12 | 77 |
| 64 | Ohio | 7 | 3 | Beat Buffalo, 34-10 | 67 |
| 65 | South Carolina | 5 | 4 | Beat Missouri, 31-21 | 68 |
| 66 | Maryland | 5 | 4 | Lost to Michigan, 59-3 | 56 |
| 67 | Arkansas State | 4 | 4 | Beat Georgia State, 31-16 | 71 |
| 68 | California | 4 | 5 | Lost to Washington, 66-27 | 65 |
| 69 | Mississippi State | 4 | 5 | Beat Texas A&M, 35-28 | 90 |
| 70 | Wake Forest | 6 | 3 | Beat Virginia, 27-20 | 74 |
| 71 | Oregon | 3 | 6 | Lost to USC, 45-20 | 69 |
| 72 | Colorado State | 5 | 4 | Beat Fresno State, 37-0 | 81 |
| 73 | Southern Miss | 5 | 4 | Lost to Charlotte, 38-27 | 63 |
| 74 | Middle Tennessee | 6 | 3 | Lost to UTSA, 45-25 | 64 |
| 75 | NC State | 4 | 5 | Lost to Florida State, 24-21 | 75 |
| 76 | Duke | 3 | 6 | Lost to Virginia Tech, 24-21 | 76 |
| 77 | Syracuse | 4 | 5 | Lost to Clemson, 54-0 | 70 |
| 78 | Boston College | 4 | 5 | Lost to Louisville, 52-7 | 72 |
| 79 | UCF | 5 | 4 | Beat Tulane, 37-6 | 92 |
| 80 | Old Dominion | 6 | 3 | Beat Marshall, 38-14 | 89 |
| 81 | UTSA | 5 | 4 | Beat Middle Tennessee, 45-25 | 94 |
| 82 | Army | 5 | 4 | Lost to Air Force, 31-12 | 73 |
| 83 | Miami (Ohio) | 4 | 6 | Beat Central Michigan, 37-17 | 95 |
| 84 | Central Michigan | 5 | 5 | Lost to Miami (Ohio), 37-17 | 80 |
| 85 | Georgia Southern | 4 | 5 | Lost to Ole Miss, 37-27 | 85 |
| 86 | Eastern Michigan | 5 | 4 | OFF | 86 |
| 87 | Cincinnati | 4 | 5 | Lost to BYU, 20-3 | 83 |
| 88 | Northern Illinois | 3 | 6 | Beat Bowling Green, 45-20 | 102 |
| 89 | Charlotte | 4 | 5 | Beat Southern Miss, 48-27 | 105 |
| 90 | Idaho | 5 | 4 | Beat Louisiana-Lafayette, 23-13 | 97 |
| 91 | Virginia | 2 | 7 | Lost to Wake Forest, 27-20 | 82 |
| 92 | Akron | 5 | 5 | Lost to Toledo, 48-17 | 87 |
| 93 | Purdue | 3 | 6 | Lost to Minnesota, 44-31 | 93 |
| 94 | Illinois | 3 | 6 | Beat Michigan State, 31-27 | 112 |
| 95 | SMU | 4 | 5 | Lost to Memphis, 51-7 | 78 |
| 96 | North Texas | 4 | 5 | Lost to Louisiana Tech, 45-24 | 96 |
| 97 | Michigan State | 2 | 7 | Lost to Illinois, 31-27 | 79 |
| 98 | Hawaii | 4 | 5 | Lost to San Diego State, 55-0 | 84 |
| 99 | Kent State | 3 | 6 | OFF | 99 |
| 100 | Missouri | 2 | 7 | Lost to South Carolina, 31-21 | 91 |
| 101 | Oregon State | 2 | 7 | Lost to Stanford, 26-15 | 101 |
| 102 | South Alabama | 4 | 5 | Lost to ULM, 42-35 OT | 88 |
| 103 | East Carolina | 3 | 6 | Lost to Tulsa, 45-24 | 98 |
| 104 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 3 | 5 | Lost to Idaho, 23-13 | 100 |
| 105 | Utah State | 3 | 6 | Lost to Wyoming, 52-28 | 103 |
| 106 | Connecticut | 3 | 7 | Lost to Temple, 21-0 | 104 |
| 107 | San Jose State | 3 | 7 | Lost to Boise State, 45-31 | 107 |
| 108 | Nevada | 3 | 6 | Lost to New Mexico, 35-26 | 106 |
| 109 | ULM | 3 | 6 | Beat South Alabama, 42-35 OT | 124 |
| 110 | Ball State | 4 | 5 | Lost to Western Michigan, 52-20 | 109 |
| 111 | Tulane | 3 | 6 | Lost to UCF, 37-6 | 108 |
| 112 | Buffalo | 2 | 7 | Lost to Ohio, 34-10 | 111 |
| 113 | Rutgers | 2 | 7 | Lost to Indiana, 33-27 | 113 |
| 114 | Iowa State | 1 | 8 | Lost to Oklahoma, 34-24 | 114 |
| 115 | UNLV | 3 | 6 | OFF | 115 |
| 116 | Arizona | 2 | 7 | Lost to Washington State, 69-7 | 110 |
| 117 | FIU | 3 | 7 | Lost to Western Kentucky, 49-21 | 116 |
| 118 | New Mexico State | 2 | 6 | OFF | 118 |
| 119 | Marshall | 2 | 7 | Lost to Old Dominion, 38-14 | 117 |
| 120 | UTEP | 3 | 6 | Beat Houston Baptist, 42-10 | 120 |
| 121 | FAU | 2 | 7 | Beat Rice, 42-35 | 126 |
| 122 | Georgia State | 2 | 7 | Lost to Arkansas State 31-16 | 119 |
| 123 | Kansas | 1 | 8 | Lost to West Virginia, 48-21 | 123 |
| 124 | Bowling Green | 1 | 7 | Lost to Northern Illinois, 45-20 | 121 |
| 125 | Texas State | 2 | 6 | Lost to Appalachian State, 35-10 | 125 |
| 126 | Rice | 1 | 8 | Lost to FAU, 42-35 | 122 |
| 127 | Massachusetts | 2 | 8 | Lost to Troy, 52-31 | 127 |
| 128 | Fresno State | 1 | 9 | Lost to Colorado State, 37-0 | 128 |
Copyright © 2016 Doug DeBolt
