FAVORITE TEAMS

25) BOISE STATE

Boise State rolls through their schedule, but they will unfortunately be without Maddux Madsen if his leg injury is worse. However, Max Cutforth is proven to lead the Broncos. They travel to Fort Collins for a potential shootout against Colorado State. They host Oregon State and San Diego State, but both seem poised to spoil Boise’s run at all costs.

24) FLORIDA

Florida’s hanging by a thread and must win NOW. They host Oklahoma and Vanderbilt and travel to Kentucky and Florida State. This is their last stand. One more loss ends their CFP opportunity.

23) OREGON

So, the Ducks aren’t dead after a big win over Northwestern? They have a rare opportunity against Ohio State. A win would ensure their miraculous run to a Big Ten title game. But it only gets tougher once they see Michigan and rival Washington at home while traveling to Michigan State.

22) ARIZONA

Arizona’s now 0-2 against ranked opponents this season and must make up if they want to stay alive for a Big 12 title opportunity with help. They host TCU, Utah, and Arizona State while traveling to Kansas State. They must win and also upset Utah to get right back into consideration.

21) SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecocks have zero margin of error for an SEC title and CFP opportunity. Outside of facing Texas A&M at home, and both Clemson and Arkansas on the road, they host Georgia. A win could create unbelievable chaos in the SEC. Paul Finebaum could even leave for a different conference in this mind-boggling sequence.

20) USC

USC returns to a potential Big Ten title opportunity. They rest this week before traveling to Indiana to spoil their CFP return before hosting Maryland. Depending on their result, they have a chance to spoil UCLA’s Big Ten title opportunity.

19) IOWA

Iowa needs help if they want to get anywhere close to a CFP consideration. They must close out at Northwestern and Illinois and just finish strong at home against Purdue and Nebraska for a rare moment.

18) MISSOURI

Missouri is looking at their schedule and wondering if joining the SEC was the right decision. We’ll find out because they face three straight Top 10 opponents (Texas, at Georgia, Kentucky), before closing out against rival Oklahoma. Missouri could become the biggest outlier in the SEC and college football history if they pull this off.

17) HOUSTON

The Cougars need a lot of help to get into range for a CFP spot. Until then, they must focus on Cincinnati, and then travel to Colorado and West Virginia, before closing their home game against Baylor. None of these games are easy.

16) WAKE FOREST

It’s been a bit since the Demon Deacons appeared this far in the rankings. They play FCS opponent, Merrimack. They travel out to SMU and Georgia Tech in back-to-back games before hosting Duke. If they get this far, they face the current ACC champ in Duke in the end of the regular season for a potential rematch against Miami.

15) TEXAS TECH

Does Tommy Castellanos become the biggest outlier in college football history since Cardale Jones in 2014-2015 season? Their road looks light but with plenty of bumps and potholes between them and the Big 12 title. They host West Virginia and TCU while traveling to OK State and Baylor. The road games are much harder than you think.

14) LSU

LSU will be in numerous SEC title and potentially CFP elimination games this month. They host their three toughest games of the season (Alabama, Texas, and at Tennessee) before clearing out at Arkansas. One more loss at all likely pushes them distances from any opportunity.

13) TENNESSEE

One more loss by Tennessee could eliminate them from SEC title and CFP contention. However, the Kentucky matchup decides their fate. They also host LSU in a possible elimination game. Even if they triumph, road games at College Station and Vanderbilt are anything but easy.

12) OHIO STATE

Ohio State’s feeling some wear and tear. Not having Julian Sayin is more painful than anything with a tough backend schedule. They host 3 games in the last 4 weeks which is somewhat good (Oregon, Northwestern, Michigan). However, they travel to Nebraska, and the Buckeyes must have their QB situation resolved beforehand.

11) NOTRE DAME

The committee doesn’t seem to respect Notre Dame and placed them on the fringe of no CFP. Defeating Miami will more than likely put them in the field, no question. However, Boston College is never to be underestimated, SMU’s never a team to overlook, and Syracuse already took down UNC and SMU in back-to-back weeks. One more loss eliminates them from the CFP.

10) OLE MISS

Ole Miss has a grand opportunity to take down the Dawgs to put themselves into SEC title position, but they’re still not safe. They travel to Oklahoma and host Mississippi State in the end. Hopes could go from high to nada in one month if they lose one more time.

9) BYU

The Cougs have the best opportunity to prove they belong and need the rest of the conference to follow suit. They play the biggest Holy War in their program history before hosting Baylor and Cincinnati and travel to Kansas.

8) UCLA

The Bruins made it this far as the undefeated team, but let’s see if they hold on. They travel to Minnesota and Michigan while hosting Illinois before hitting the Big Ten title gate where USC stands between that and their rival. If UCLA makes it this far, we’re getting a photo finish in this conference.

7) TEXAS

This is by far Texas’s toughest stretch to the end. Do they get an SEC title bid, a CFP bid, or go home with so many pitchforks and torches waiting back in Austin? They’re on the road for three games in the last four weeks (Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M) with just one home game against Arkansas.

6) KENTUCKY

Can Kentucky make their first ever SEC title game before the whole thing dissolves possibly next season? We’ll find out. At Tennessee, home against Florida, and at Missouri will tell exactly if the Wildcats earned their place as the Cinderella team in the CFP. Let’s not forget they still face rival Louisville in their regular season finale.

5) ALABAMA

The Crimson Tide somehow is at #5 despite the questions all season, but this weekend is their chance to prove they deserve it. Death Valley at LSU is their toughest draw of that month. They hope to also defeat their demons at Vanderbilt and stave off any upset in the Iron Bowl against Auburn.

4) INDIANA

Indiana’s feeling the wear and tear but are reluctant to have a late bye week right now. Coming out of it is a huge home matchup against USC that’s trying to right the ship. They travel to Washington, which isn’t an easy place to play. If they can get Josh Hoover back and healthy in time, they host Purdue that feels underestimated and wants to ruin Bloomington forever.

3) UTAH

Utah hosts their biggest Holy War matchup in program history. Then, they travel back-to-back against Arizona and TCU before hosting West Virginia in the end. I feel the emotional ending in this weekend’s game could really affect next weekend’s game moving forward. Utah can’t get complacent when they’re this close.

2) GEORGIA

Georgia has no easy way through November this time. They face Ole Miss and South Carolina on the road and Missouri and Georgia Tech at home. I can’t say how that last game will go, but Tech’s played them tough the past few seasons.

1) MIAMI

Miami has a gauntlet rematch with Notre Dame. Then, they see Duke, Virginia Tech, and Boston College all at home. But with how their recent run has gone in the past few weeks, any of those games could really stall their CFP guarantee.

10 TEAMS POTENTIALLY IN THE TOP 25 BY CONF. TITLE WEEK

1) UTSA

2) OK STATE

3) ARIZONA STATE

4) LIBERTY

5) LOUISIANA TECH

6) NORTH TEXAS

7) VIRGINIA TECH

8) SMU

9) MINNESOTA

10) NEW MEXICO