The penultimate edition of the 2020 College Football Playoff Rankings was released on Tuesday evening and the first five teams in the top 25 remained unchanged as they have been for several weeks. Alabama remains the top-ranked team in the country, with Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State completing the top four.
With the Buckeyes set to play in the BIg Ten Championship Game against Northwestern on Saturday, questions about their candidacy from the CFP seem to have disappeared, especially as the list of contenders has seemingly narrowed after Florida was upset by LSU.
Texas A&M is the first team to stay out with Iowa State jumping to No. 6 as the second team off the field. The Cyclones will take on No. 10 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday for a New Year’s six bid.
Despite their shocking loss, the Gators dropped only one spot to No. 7 ahead of the SEC Championship Game against the Crimson Tide. Not only does that give Florida an outside chance to make its way into the four-team field when everything shakes in its favor, it likely puts UF in pole position to earn a New Year’s Six spot for Georgia, which the Gators beat 44-28 head-to-head on Nov. 7.
Cincinnati dropped one spot to number 9 after being on the sidelines again. It will face No. 23 Tulsa in the AAC Championship Game with a New Years six bid on the line for the Bearcats. Coastal Carolina at number 12 is competing for that spot if Cincinnati loses.
Let’s take a look at the full top 25 CFP rankings. Keep reading for analysis from CBS Sports bowls expert Jerry Palm.
College Football Playoff Rankings, December 15
- Alabama (10-0)
- Notre Dame (10-0)
- Clemson (9-1)
- State of Ohio (5-0)
- Texas A&M (7-1)
- Iowa State (8-2)
- Florida (8-2)
- Georgia (7-2)
- Cincinnati (8-0)
- Oklahoma (7-2)
- Indiana (6-1)
- Coastal Carolina (11-0)
- USC (5-0)
- Northwest (6-1)
- North Carolina (8-3)
- Iowa (6-2)
- BYU (10-1)
- Miami (8-2)
- Louisiana (9-1)
- Texas (6-3)
- Oklahoma State (7-3)
- NC state (8-3)
- Tulsa (6-1)
- San Jose State (6-0)
- Colorado (4-1)
Analysis by bowl expert Jerry Palm
Will be added later Tuesday night.