It’s championship weekend in college football. We’ll set the stage for you with this week’s NCAA Power Rankings.
NCAA Power Rankings
- Alabama (12-0, 8-4 ATS, last week: 1)
Auburn threw a couple of haymakers early, but Alabama withstood the pressure and then landed about six in a row, sending the Tigers (+24) home with a 52-21 beatdown to show for it. The Tide takes on its toughest opponent yet, Georgia (+13), in the SEC championship game.
Related: College Football Betting Guide | College Football Playoffs | Heisman Trophy
- Clemson (12-0, 6-6 ATS, last week: 2)
The Tigers gave up a few too many points to cover a big number against South Carolina last week, but they remain firmly in the No. 2 position with one more big underdog to take care of — Pitt (+26.5) — in the ACC championship game.
- Notre Dame (12-0, 6-4-2 ATS, last week: 3)
A night game on the West Coast proved to be tricky for the Irish, and they failed to cover their 11-point spread, but a 24-17 victory keeps them unbeaten and should put Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff for the first time.
- Georgia (11-1, 7-5 ATS, last week: 5)
A clinical beatdown of Georgia Tech put the Bulldogs into the top four when Michigan lost to Ohio State. Now they can rise even higher — and into the CFP for the second straight year — if they can win as big underdogs against Alabama. The line has already moved three points in the Crimson Tide’s direction since it opened at -10.
- Oklahoma (11-1, 5-7 ATS, last week: 8)
The Sooners’ defense is struggling, but their offense is spectacular. Now they get the serendipitous chance to avenge their only loss, against Texas, in the Big 12 championship game. Oklahoma opened as a seven-point favorite.
- Ohio State (11-1, 5-7 ATS, last week: 9)
What a stunning victory for Ohio State, which would have paid off very handsomely for anyone with the foresight to grab the Buckeyes on an alternate line like -14 or -21 with what would have been tremendous odds. Ohio State’s 62-39 victory puts it in the Big Ten championship game against Northwestern (+14).
- Central Florida (11-0, 8-3 ATS, last week: 6)
The Knights are perhaps a couple of upsets away from having a very intriguing case to crash the CFP, but the loss of quarterback McKenzie Milton to injury not only casts a pall over UCF’s season but also makes it less likely to stack up in a resume contest. And then there’s the matter of beating Memphis (+3.5) in the American Athletic championship game without Milton. The Tigers only lost 31-30 to UCF when the teams played in Memphis earlier this season.
- Michigan (10-2, 6-6 ATS, last week: 4)
An utter collapse for the Wolverines defense means this season will go down as a disappointment no matter what happens in Michigan’s bowl game. On that note: Can you trust this team enough to bet on it in a bowl game, or will the potential letdown lead you to fade the Wolverines?
- Florida (9-3, 8-4 ATS, last week: 13)
What a first year in Gainesville for coach Dan Mullen and the Gators, who thumped Florida State 41-14 (easily covering the 8.5 along the way) and, outside of a two-week blip of blowout losses to Georgia and Missouri, had one of the best seasons in the country.
- Washington State (10-2, 10-2 ATS, last week: 7)
One of the most fun teams to follow in the country (and certainly the most fun to bet on), the Cougars finally crashed at the worst possible time: In the Apple Cup against Washington, which won for the sixth straight time in the series and put an end to the Cougars’ Pac-12 title hopes and CFP dreams.
- LSU (9-3, 6-6 ATS, last week: 11)
The Tigers continued their trend of playing at their best as underdogs, coming within a second of knocking off Texas A&M (-3) in College Station on Saturday. The fact that the Aggies came back to tie and launch us into an unforgettable seven-overtime classic won 74-72 by A&M in overtime didn’t stop LSU backers from cashing their tickets, nor did it stop this from being a great season in Baton Rouge. It might have cost the Tigers a spot in a New Year’s Six game, though.
- Texas (9-3, 5-6-1 ATS, last week: 12)
It wasn’t exactly an inspiring, dominant performance, but the Longhorns held off Kansas 24-17 on Friday to clinch a spot in the Big 12 title game. Texas’ resume at this point rests almost entirely on a victory against Oklahoma; make it two in a row against the Sooners (-7) and the resume looks that much better (as would the Sugar Bowl).
- Penn State (9-3, 7-5 ATS, last week: 14)
Nice to see the Nittany Lions cover with authority in their final regular-season game, thumping Maryland 38-3 as a 12-point favorite. Penn State likely will be in a bowl game in Florida (Citrus, perhaps?) against a top SEC team that figures to be one of the most bet-on games of the non-CFP bowl season.
- West Virginia (8-3, 6-4-1 ATS, last week: 10)
When it came down to it, the Mountaineers couldn’t get enough stops to win either of their final two shootouts, at Oklahoma State or against Oklahoma. As anticipated, West Virginia’s brutal November schedule was too much to handle.
- Texas A&M (8-4, 8-4 ATS, last week: 17)
Triumphing in the seven-overtime marathon sure makes the Aggies season look a whole lot better than it would have with a seven-overtime loss. Texas A&M won its final three games to finish the season with losses only to teams either in this top 20 or in the vicinity of it (Clemson, Alabama, Mississippi State, Auburn).
- Syracuse (9-3, 8-3-1 ATS, last week: 18)
Speaking of important final victories, the Orange thumped Boston College 42-21 — as a five-point underdog — to finish 9-3 and wash away the bitter taste of their flop against Notre Dame on the national stage the week before. What a season for Dino Babers and company.
- Kentucky (9-3, 5-7 ATS, last week: 19)
Another team that has had a magical ride enjoyed a nice finish, as Kentucky thumped hapless rival Louisville 56-10 to easily cover the 17-point spread. The Wildcats could be a candidate to face Penn State in the Citrus Bowl, something that likely would put them in a familiar underdog role.
- Mississippi State (8-4, 8-4 ATS, last week: 20)
The Egg Bowl got ugly when Ole Miss and Mississippi State players got into a brawl at the end of the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ 35-3 rout. Outside of that, though, Joe Moorhead’s first season in Starkville was a resounding success, with losses only to teams higher on this list: Alabama, Florida, LSU and Kentucky.
- Washington (9-3, 3-9 ATS, last week: NR)
They’ve been unkind to their backers this year, but you can no longer deny the Huskies a spot on this list. They thumped rival Washington State and roll into the Pac-12 championship game, in which they’ll be -5 against Utah looking for a berth in the Rose Bowl.
- Fresno State (10-2, 8-4 ATS, last week: 16)
Nothing the Bulldogs really did wrong, other than sleepwalk for a half against one of the country’s worst teams in San Jose State, but other teams with much bigger wins means Fresno State drops a bit. They’re in a dogfight for this final spot with Appalachian State, Boise State and Missouri.
Also considered (alphabetical order): Appalachian State, Army, Auburn, Boise State, Buffalo, California, Cincinnati, Iowa, Missouri, Northwestern, Stanford, Troy, Utah, Utah State, Virginia
