College Soccer Rankings: What Georgia’s Loss To Alabama Means For Cincinnati, Notre Dame And More
So much for chalk.
No. 3 Alabama beat No. 1 Georgia 41-24 in the SEC championship match, increasing not only the value of the Bulldogs but also the College Football Playoff rankings. With that win – the second defeat of the day – the selection committee faced a slightly tougher task with the top four teams.
THAN: 10 College Football Playoff Scenarios, From Excitement To Chaos Two Outright Losers
One thing’s for sure: Alabama should reclaim its spot as the number one team in the country. And Bryce Young (26 of 44 passes, 421 yards, three touchdowns, 40 javelins, one point) most likely won the nation’s Heisman Trophy vote. If a 97-yard hit against Auburn wasn’t his Heisman moment, this performance against the nation’s top defence certainly was.
But what does this Georgia loss mean for the rest of college football as a whole? Sporting News breaks down what this result means for the likes of Notre Dame, Cincinnati and more:
Rank reflects Week 14 College football knockout round in the top 25
THAN: Notre Dame CFP Scenario: Can Ireland Playoff With Cincinnati Loss?
Michigan (11-1)
Previously ranked: 2
Michigan is still alive and well in the playoff race, assuming it beats No. 13 Iowa in the Big Ten championship. However, a win there raises the question: Will the Wolverines number 3 Georgia in the semifinals? Or does Cincinnati win a spot, setting up an SEC championship rematch between the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs in semifinals #1 and #4? These are the questions the selection committee faces. Of course, a loss to Michigan would blur the playoff picture even further, setting up a potential race between the Wolverines, Baylor and Notre Dame for that fourth and final spot.
Alabama (12-1)
Previously ranked: 3
What a difference a week makes. The Crimson Tide, a week after surviving a 6-6 Auburn last-minute drive, headed to Atlanta and beat the No. 1 consensus team in the country. That can only lead to one thing: Alabama will be the country’s No. 1 team in the final playoff standings. The question again is whether it will face Georgia, Cincinnati or some other team in the semifinals.
Cincinnati (13-0)
Previously ranked: 4
Wait Candlestick finally finished with Team 5. Cincinnati, the only team left unbeaten in FBS. The Bearcats did everything in their power to cement their playoff position with a 35-20 over 11-2 Houston. Considering the Bearcats are the 4th team heading into the final week of play – and the idle state of Notre Dame and Oklahoma State’s 5th – the Bearcats should be in. The only question is whether it’s 3rd or 4th. It’s a historic moment for Cincinnati, the Five and college football in general.
Notre Dame Cathedral (January 11)
Previously ranked: 6
Notre Dame needed a nasty game in championship week to secure a spot in the knockout stages. The Fighting Irish got it when the Cowboys lost to Baylor No. 9 in the Big 12 championship game. But the impossible – Alabama’s win over Georgia – did in fact happen. With their win in Atlanta, Alabama is likely to have brought two SEC teams into the top four. Cincy is a lock considered its victory. If Michigan wins, there’s nowhere for Notre Dame to go up. At best they would remain the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs.
Baylor (11-2)
Previously ranked: 9
Baylor looked as if it had a chance to sneak into the playoffs after its loss to Oklahoma State No. 5. But the win over Alabama likely ended any chance the Bears had in the playoffs, other than losing. Michigan. The Bears may be pleased with how they finished their season, but they will likely have to settle for a New Year’s Day landing after losing 3-6 to TCU in Week 10.
Iowa (10-2)
Previously ranked: 13
Iowa still has to fight Michigan in the Big Ten championship. A win there is likely to set up an interesting debate for the selection committee to scrutinize (11-2 Michigan vs 11-2 Big Ten Iowa vs 11-1 Notre Dame and 11-2 Big). 12 Baylor) but it’s well worth a look at that CFP leaderboard. Asking for a jump to nine places in the rankings would likely be too much for the Hawkeyes.
Georgia (12-1)
Previously ranked: first
The bad news is that Georgia lost its first game of the season and won’t win the SEC championship. The good news is that Georgia has been doing so well all season that the Bulldogs are still seen as a roadblock to qualifying for the playoffs, even after their defeat. The defense had a lousy performance, but you can’t discount a single unit going into Saturday’s game placing first in total defense (230.4 yards per game), second in terms of defense. defensive pass (151.5 yards per game) third in defensive passes (78.9 yards per game) and first in points per game (a ridiculous 6.9 points per game). There’s more work to be done, but the Bulldogs took a shot at another crack at the championship.
