As the college football regular season enters its final month, the weekly release of College Football Playoff rankings continues to stir up strong reactions among fans and analysts.
The most recent rankings update has ignited discussions, particularly concerning the standings of teams like the Georgia Bulldogs, Indiana Hoosiers, and BYU Cougars. Georgia’s heavy loss to the Ole Miss Rebels led to a significant drop, tumbling from No. 3 to No. 12, placing them outside the playoff picture. On the other hand, despite lackluster performances, BYU and Indiana moved up due to securing wins. BYU rose from No. 9 to No. 6, and Indiana climbed from No. 8 to No. 5.
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt pointed out the implications of these ranking changes, noting that both teams now have some leeway, even if they suffer a loss.
College football enthusiasts have responded with excitement to Indiana’s progress under new head coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana’s Head Coach Curt Cignetti looks up at the scoreboard during the Indiana versus Nebraska game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images “Last week, I thought, ‘I’m not sure if they can afford a loss,’” Klatt said on his podcast. “Even for BYU going into a conference title game at 12-1, their previous ranking wasn’t favorable. The same applied to Indiana; at 11-1 last week, they seemed on the bubble. Now, it appears they’re in a safer position.”
While this shift is positive for Cougars and Hoosiers fans, Klatt cautioned that it might set a risky precedent for other teams. He suggested that if teams can rise after subpar victories, they could also experience sharp drops after slight setbacks.
“The committee will take one of two paths,” Klatt explained. “Either this is the new standard, or we’ll see major shifts each week. If dramatic weekly changes occur, then the takeaway is that no one is truly secure.”
It’s still too early in the ranking season to predict how the CFP committee will respond week-to-week. Moving forward, it will be intriguing to observe how the standings evolve with each game.