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College football power rankings: Stacking the College Football Playoff field
With championship weekend in the rearview, we offer our final college football power rankings before bowl season commences.
But instead of our regular top 10, we’ve ranked the 12 playoff teams.
How far did Penn State and SMU fall after championship game losses? How much did Clemson and Arizona State rise?
Let’s dive into our College Football Playoff power rankings without further delay.
1. Oregon (13-0)
Wide receiver Tez Johnson was the difference in the Ducks’ high-scoring Big Ten championship game win over the Nittany Lions, finishing with a career-high 181 receiving yards on 11 receptions. The fifth-year senior began his career in the Sun Belt at Troy (2020-22) but has become one of the country’s top playmakers at Oregon, which is three wins away from its first national title.
Next: Rose Bowl (vs. winner of Tennessee at Ohio State) [Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET | ESPN)
2. Notre Dame (11-1)
The Irish enter the CFP with one of the country’s top secondaries. Notre Dame ranks third in passing defense (157.9 yards allowed per game), and corners Jordan Clark and Leonard Moore have stepped up since cornerback Benjamin Morrison’s season-ending hip injury, allowing 35 receptions on 68 targets this season for 329 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Next: vs. Indiana (Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN)
3. Georgia (11-2)
Georgia’s resiliency in the SEC championship game was impressive. The Bulldogs once again started slowly, but backup quarterback Gunner Stockton and the Georgia defense proved the program’s championship pedigree with a strong second half, holding Texas to 129 yards after halftime, including just 16 in the third quarter.
Next: Sugar Bowl (vs. winner of Indiana at Notre Dame) [Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET | ESPN]
4. Texas (11-2)
Does Texas have a quarterback problem? Entering the CFP, Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is arguably the worst of the 12 starters, making us wonder how soon until we see backup Arch Manning.
Next: vs. Clemson (Dec. 21, 4 p.m. ET | TNT, Max)
5. Tennessee (10-2)
Tennessee’s outstanding defense has a tough first-round matchup against Ohio State’s elite offensive playmakers. Cornerback Jermod McCoy, who transferred from Oregon State during the offseason, is a player to watch after only allowing 27 receptions on 58 targets (46.6 percent) for 337 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions with eight pass breakups during the regular season. (h/t Pro Football Focus)
Next: at Ohio State (Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN)
6. Ohio State (10-2)
Ohio State’s ability to generate pressure with its defensive front will be key against the Vols. Among players with at least 215 pass-rush snaps in 2024, DE Jack Sawyer ranks ninth in pass-rush win rate (19 percent), totaling 42 total pressures.
Next: vs. Tennessee (Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN)
7. Penn State (11-2)
The Nittany Lions came up short in another big game under head coach James Franklin. While the offense was impressive with 518 total yards, the defense was toothless, allowing three touchdown drives of at least 60 yards in Oregon’s first three possessions and surrendering 45 points, its most since a 52-49 loss to USC in the 2016 Rose Bowl.
Next: vs. SMU (Dec. 21, 12 p.m. | TNT, Max)
8. Indiana (11-1)
The battle for Indiana is set (sorry, Purdue) as the Hoosiers and Fighting Irish are set to meet for the first time since Bryan Adams had the No. 1 song in the country in the College Football Playoff. A lot has changed since 1991, with Indiana’s emergence as a college football national title contender among the most drastic.
Next: vs. Notre Dame (Dec. 20, 8 p.m. | ABC, ESPN)
9. Arizona State (11-2)
Running back Cameron Skattebo’s bruising running style and a Sun Devils defense that’s allowed 15.8 points per game over its last four games suggest Arizona State could be a more dangerous 4-seed than its being given credit for. After both Texas and Clemson were gashed for over 140 rushing yards in their respective conference championship games, we’re not taking the Sun Devils lightly.
Next: Peach Bowl (vs. Clemson at Texas winner) [Jan. 1, 1 p.m. | ESPN)
10. SMU (11-2)
The Mustangs opened a lot of eyes with their valiant comeback effort after an awful start against Clemson in Saturday’s ACC championship game. SMU erased a 17-point deficit after three quarters by outgaining Clemson 185-27 in the fourth quarter to prove it belonged in the playoffs.
Next: at Penn State (Dec. 21, 12 p.m. | TNT, Max)
11. Boise State (12-1)
Despite riding an 11-game win streak, Boise State has underwhelmed over the past three weeks in wins over Wyoming, Oregon State and UNLV. The defense allowed over 100 rushing yards each game, while quarterback Maddux Madsen has completed just 57 percent of his passes, putting enormous pressure on likely Heisman finalist running back Ashton Jeanty.
Next: Fiesta Bowl (vs. SMU at Penn State winner) [Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN)
12. Clemson (10-3)
The Tigers backed into the CFP with the automatic ACC bid. Over its last three games, Clemson has allowed an average of 236.3 rushing yards per game, and it has a potentially tough matchup in the CFP first round against Texas, which has rushed for over 200 yards in three of its past five games.
Next: at Texas (Dec. 21, 4 p.m. | TNT, Max)
More must-reads:
- Watch: 2024 Heisman Trophy finalists announced
- Meet Oregon WR who could dominate the College Football Playoff
- The 'First running backs taken in every NFL draft since 2000' quiz
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