It's CFP Rankings Release Day. Here's How I'd Sort the Top of College Football Into Tiers Today
- Jake Hunter
- Oct 31, 2023
- 3 min read
One of the more intriguing days of the modern college football yearly calendar is the first day the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee releases its initial rankings. While much is still to be determined, clearly, these initial rankings function as a significant cornerstone for what the final rankings ultimately look like, which decide who gets the opportunity to lose to the best SEC team in the Playoff this year. I won't try to predict the initial rankings in this article, but rather will give my definitive tier list of the top 30-ish teams in college football as most of these teams have played eight games to this point. Don't hold me to this, but I'm pretty sure this tier list will prove to be completely, unassailably correct at the end of the year.
The Juggernauts
Georgia
Michigan
This is the easiest group to decide thus far. Both are undefeated and have looked darn impressive doing so. Georgia had a bit of a scare at Auburn earlier this year, but they look to be morphing into the form of the team many expected them to be as they seek to become the first program to three-peat in the history of modern college football. Michigan has shown signs (and stolen a few, to be fair) of being the clear foil to Georgia this year with an utterly dominant run through their early schedule. This matchup was supposed to happen in the national title last year (shoutout TCU for ruining that), and it looks like these teams are on a collision course again. These are your clear title favorites at this point.
The Teams That Legitimately Have the Goods to Win a Title
These teams can win a title, but they have a flaw somewhere that makes me question whether they'll A. Finish the season in position to be in the Playoff or B. Match up well enough to challenge the juggernauts. These teams are still awesome, though. I'll try to order these teams within their tiers by how I personally view them, but I think the first four teams listed here are completely interchangeable as of now.
Florida State
Florida State has had a couple of duds, but they've largely taken care of business since their massive win over LSU to start the season. Their offense is full of difference-makers (Jordan Travis, Keon Coleman, Jaheim Bell, Trey Benson, etc.), and their defense is surprisingly stingy. They have a championship ceiling to match a strong resume.
Ohio State
Ohio State has an even stronger resume (in my opinion) with a LOADED roster, but their quarterback play makes me doubt they have the ceiling to hang with the Juggernauts.
Oregon
Oregon is really good, and though they have a loss at Washington, I'm confident they're the most serious title contender in the Pac-12.
Texas
Texas has a huge win at Alabama, a fleet of elite skill position players on offense, and a better defense than most people realize. They're clearly the best team in the Big 12, especially after Oklahoma's loss this week.
Alabama
Alabama is probably the most controversial inclusion here, but they have the pure roster to run the table, sneak into the Playoff, and somehow finish the season with another trophy in Tuscaloosa. I don't think they will, but I think they could, and that's something I can't say for the rest of the teams below them.
The Contenders to Get To the Playoff
These teams won't win a championship (sorry), but they can make the Playoff. Some of them might even win a game when they get there. Dreams can come true, you guys, but only if they don't involve one of these teams hoisting the trophy at the end of the season.
Penn State
Washington
Oklahoma
Louisville
Ole Miss
Missouri
Penn State doesn't have a reliable enough offense, but they're the best team in this bunch still (that defense is so stacked). Washington is undefeated, but starting to fall off, and I think they'll drop at least one game before the Pac-12 Championship. Oklahoma probably has the best chance to make the Playoff from this group (in my opinion) but they're a notch below Texas, and that loss to Kansas took all their margin for error away. Louisville is just kinda there because their schedule is super favorable (sounds like my Hawks). Ole Miss could, but they won't. Mizzou could, but they definitely won't.
The Best of the Non-Playoff Teams
These teams will not make the Playoff, but they're probably better than half the teams in the tier above. They're Playoff-caliber-ish, but they've dropped the ball this year.
LSU
Notre Dame
The Outside-Shot-At-A-NY6-Bowl Teams
These jokers in this final group might be able to make a big bowl game and beat one of the teams listed above them in these ratings if half of that team's starters opt out. I'm definitely kidding, but not entirely.
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