So the first rankings for the of the College Football Playoff are out for the 2023 season let’s do a breakdown below.
Ohio State is #1 since they have 2 ranked wins 1 at Notre Dame in the clutch and against Penn State at home, huge game on Rivalry weekend against Michigan were likely both teams will be highly ranked and undefeated. Ohio State has looked really good on both sides of the ball where their season will be defined by can they end the 2 game losing streak against Michigan their biggest rival. The 2 time defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs are #2 at the moment. At times they haven’t looked like themselves but they are still winning games, they did crush #20 Kentucky recently but still have games left against Missouri, Ole Miss and at Tennessee where they will all be ranked and plus likely the SEC Championship game against Alabama. I don’t see Georgia losing anytime soon before the SEC Championship game as they will get it going real soon.
The 2 time defending Big 10 Champion Michigan Wolverines are number 3 in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Yes I know their HC Jim Harbaugh had been suspended for the first 3 games due to a recruiting violation but they are dominating their opponents on the field. 2 huge games coming up at Penn State and of course the big game at home against Ohio State will determine their season. The Florida State Seminoles are number 4, they are started out the season with a huge win with a blowout win against #5 LSU and also beat #16 Duke as well. The Noles best chance is run the table by winning the ACC Championship game as the ACC isn’t as strong as some of the conferences and dominate your opponents.
The Washington Huskies are #5 where their best win was against #8 Oregon at home where the Ducks missed a FG at the end where the Huskies won by 3. The Huskies have huge games coming up at USC, at home against Utah and at Oregon State where all 3 those teams will be ranked. The Oregon Ducks come in at #6 where they lost at the Washington Huskies by a FG where the Ducks missed the FG at the end of the game even though they just beat a ranked Utah team and crushed at the time Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes who were ranked #19 at the time. Ducks have huge games coming up against USC and Oregon State. Their is a very strong possiblity that Oregon and Washington could see each other again the Pac 12 Championship game.
Texas comes in at #7 where they beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in week 2 which I think is the win of the year by any team this season. Texas did lose to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry in Mid October and I think the Horns will be okay as long as they keep winning in a down Big 12. The Alabama Crimson Tide as I mentioned lost to Texas at home in week 2 but did beat ranked Ole Miss at home and same with Tennessee. Huge games coming up against LSU and of course the Iron Bowl against Auburn still remain. I have a strong feeling we will see Alabama vs Georgia again in the SEC Championship game. Let’s see how the rest of the season plays out for the College Football Playoff.