College Football Playoff bracket: 12-team field after fifth CFP Rankings reveal

There was a major change in the latest set of College Football Playoff Rankings, as Texas A&M dropped out of the top four to No. 7 following its loss to Texas in the final full weekend of the regular season. The Aggies’ drop allowed Texas Tech to climb into the top four at No. 4. 

Georgia also climbed one spot to No. 3 while Ohio State and Indiana remain No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. That wasn’t the only notable development in Tuesday’s rankings, though. 

Notre Dame slipped one spot to No. 10 after sitting at nine for several weeks. Alabama leapfrogged the Fighting Irish after closing its season with a narrow 27-20 victory against in-state rival Auburn. The Crimson Tide can cement their status in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game clash against Georgia, while Notre Dame — as an independent — left its last impression on the selection committee in Week 14. 

It looks like Ole Miss will be unaffected by coach Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU. The Rebels still rank sixth, which gives them homefield advantage on the projected College Football Playoff bracket. Retaining most of the remaining coaching staff through the postseason at least likely helped Ole Miss’ outlook. 

Tulane remained as the highest-ranked Group of Five school at No. 20, which would give the Green Wave the No. 12 seed in the projected bracket. Virginia would sit at the 11-seed if it’s able to take care of business against Duke in the ACC Championship Game. 

James Madison made its College Football Playoff Rankings debut after capping an 11-1 regular season with a 59-10 win against Coastal Carolina. The Dukes, who went undefeated in conference play, will face off against Troy in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game Friday. That’s a potentially huge spot for the Dukes. 

They’ll need some help, but the path to the playoff is there. If Virginia loses in the ACC Championship Game, that would seemingly open one of the five automatic bids. It’s hard to imagine a five-loss Duke team vaulting over the likes of James Madison. 

So there’s a scenario where two Group of Five teams make the College Football Playoff. The assumption is that the winner of the American Conference — either No. 20 Tulane or No. 24 North Texas — will get an automatic bid no matter what happens. 

Notre Dame on the ropes? 

Though Notre Dame fell just one spot to No. 10, that’s a very significant development. It means the Fighting Irish are now the last team to make the field with an at-large bid. That’s bubble territory. 

Since Notre Dame doesn’t play in a conference title game this week, it technically cannot control its own fate anymore. The Fighting Irish are likely cheering for No. 4 Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game. If No. 11 BYU wins the Big 12 title, there’s a strong chance that it supplants Notre Dame as a champion while Texas Tech falls to an at-large spot — leaving no room for the Fighting Irish.