Tennessee makes big move into latest 12-team College Football Playoff rankings prediction
We saw an exciting slate of games for Week 4 of the 2024 college football season, and with multiple games between playoff contenders, the playoff rankings prediction has seen some big changes.
2024 College Football Playoff Predictions after Week 4
Let's take a look at the updated playoff rankings following Week 4...
Rank | Team | Why They Are Here | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Texas | SEC Champion | 1. |
2. | Ohio State | Big Ten Champion | 2. |
3. | Miami | ACC Champion | 3. |
4. | Utah | Big 12 Champion | 11. |
5. | Georgia | At-Large | 5. |
6. | Tennessee | At-Large | 6. |
7. | Ole Miss | At-Large | 6. |
8. | Penn State | At-Large | 7. |
9. | Alabama | At-Large | 8. |
10. | Oregon | At-Large | 10. |
11. | Michigan | At-Large | NR |
12. | Boise State | Highest Ranked G5 Champion | NR |
Dropped Out - Kansas State (previously 4th), USC (previously 9th), Northern Illinois (previously 12th)
Here comes the Vols, don't write-off the Maize and Blue, and the Big 12 stays chaotic
What's that you hear? That's just "Rocky Top" being blasted on repeat. I waited to bring the Vols into the rankings until they picked up a true, big-time win, and that's what they did at Oklahoma Saturday night. Tennessee took down the Sooners 25-15, and it wasn't that close. They look to be enough of a machine to justify bringing all the way up #6.
Michigan makes its first appearance in the rankings after a thrilling 27-24 win over USC in the Big House. While the Wolverines may not be at the level of a Texas, they're still good enough to be amongst the Big Ten's second-tier. And that's good enough for a playoff spot at the moment. As for the Trojans, I expect them to be fine. But for now, they're out.
The Big 12 is going to be circus this year. Utah won 22-19 at Oklahoma State without QB Cam Rising, reasserting themselves as the projected league champ and taking the #4 spot from Kansas State. The Wildcats, meanwhile, got beat up late at night at BYU, and perhaps unfairly, they fall all the way out of the playoff. They, Oklahoma State, or someone else in the league could easily earn an at-large bid, but for now, we have to treat this as a one-bid league.
Finally, Northern Illinois drops-out after taking a loss to Buffalo. Boise State returns to the projections, as the presumed top G5 team, though UNLV and James Madison certainly warrant consideration.
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