Georgia jumps in latest college football playoffs rankings

Georgia got a boost to No. 4, Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M stayed in the top three and, in what is beginning to feel like a weekly ritual in the College Football Playoff rankings, everyone is wondering what the heck might happen to Miami.

The Hurricanes were ranked 13th in Tuesday’s playoff reveal — the best Atlantic Coast Conference team and a placeholder in the projected 12-team bracket. But their two conference losses make them a long shot to win the league, and their hopes for an at-large berth hinge on getting some help from above them.

“Miami needs to continue to win the football games they have in front of them, and good things will happen,” explained Hunter Yurachek, who took over this week as chair of the selection committee.

Clearly, their best chance would be leapfrogging No. 10 Alabama, No. 11 BYU and No. 12 Utah to move into the same section of the bracket as Notre Dame, ranked ninth this week. That, in turn, would make Miami’s win over the Fighting Irish back in August more relevant to the committee, which likes to compare teams in close proximity to each other.

Meanwhile, it’s No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 19 Virginia, each with one ACC loss, that have the best chance to win the conference and the automatic bid into the 12-team field that goes with it.

The best hope for the SEC to get a sixth team in the field now belongs to Vanderbilt, which seems stuck at No. 14. But whose spot would the Commodores take? ... Maybe Alabama’s? The Tide (at Auburn on Nov. 29) needs to watch it.

There are two more Tuesday night rankings reveals to position everyone before the official bracket comes out on Dec. 7.

The playoffs start Dec. 19, with the title game set a month later just outside — where else? — Miami.



(AP Photo Colin Hubbard)