Ohio State gets top spot in first College Football Playoff rankings; ‘Dawgs No. 2

The first College Football Playoff rankings have been released – and Georgia fans shouldn’t be surprised that they’re not number one.

I guess I should’ve said “SPOILER ALERT” before that, huh?

ESPN unveiled the first set of CFP rankings on its show dedicated to such, hosted by “ESPN College GameDay” host Rece Davis, along with regular co-host and Mr. College Football himself, Kirk Herbstreit, and also on the panel were former Alabama quarterback-turned-analyst Greg McElroy (a Rhodes scholar, by the way), former Ohio State / National Football League wide receiver-turned-“College Football Final” co-host Joey Galloway, and Anthony Darelle “Booger” McFarland.

As mentioned, coach Kirkby Smart’s Bulldogs, the two-time defending national champions, aren’t ranked number one. That honor went to Ohio State, whose wins over top-10 opponents Notre Dame and Penn State (top-10 when the Buckeyes played them, which is how that should be looked at) weighed more than what Georgia has done so far, apparently, in the committee’s eyes.

That’s the big news from the rankings, because everything else was about what most would expect, those who’ve been watching the season so far.

Some other notes:

• Georgia was number two, followed by Michigan, and Florida State at number four, that last spot in the playoff, if it began today.
• With no surprise, then, unbeaten Washington was fifth, followed by Oregon at number six – that’s fair. Washington edged Oregon by a point in Seattle earlier this month.
• Texas, with the one loss to Oklahoma in Dallas a few weeks ago, was ranked number seven, one notch ahead of Alabama, at eight.
• Kansas victim Oklahoma was ranked ninth, with a visit to face archrival Oklahoma State in Stillwater on tap this weekend, and Ole Miss, its only loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, checked in at No. 10.

We’ve included the entire rankings with this story, and a column to come by our esteemed editor / publisher Mitch Lucas.

In case you’d like to know who assigned the teams these lovely rankings, here are the 13 people on this year’s College Football Playoff committee, and a little bit about each one, followed by the rankings.

Boo Corrigan, current athletic director at North Carolina State, is the chairman, apparently: Corrigan (fittingly enough, with a name like “Boo” on Halloween) spoke with Rece Davis following the release of the rankings on ESPN.

• Chris Ault, retired former football coach and athletic director at the University of Nevada, having served three stints there (1976-92, 1994-95, and 2004-12; moved the Wolf Pack from Division II to Division I-AA in ’78, then to Division I-A in ’92. Ault created the pistol offense, implementing it there in 2005, and is a 2022 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Mitch Barnhart, the current University of Kentucky Athletic Director. Recently completed his fifth year as a member of the NCAA men’s basketball committee and was chair of the committee for the 2021 men’s tournament. He’s also a former chair of SEC Athletic Directors (2017), was named athletic director of the year by the Sports Business Journal in 2019, and is also a former AD at Oregon State (1998-2002).
• Corrigan, a former cross country coach, led NC state to the women’s national championship in that sport in 2021; was formerly the AD at Army.
• Chet Gladchuk, Athletic Director, U.S. Naval Academy. Former director of intramurals and recreation at Boston College (1990-97). Former AD at the University of Houston and Tulane University. Won the National Football Foundation’s John L. Toner Award (recognizes an AD who has shown outstanding dedication to college athletics and demonstrated administrative abilities). Selected to serve on the NCAA Leadership Council (helps to set the D-I legislative agenda and advises the NCAA on major legislative issues.
• Jim Grobe, former head coach at Baylor, Wake Forest, Ohio. Named ACC and national coach of the year by the AP and Sporting News in 2006 (Wake Forest). Played at the University of Virginia in 1973 and 1974.
• Mark Harlan, University of Utah Athletic Director. In his tenure, Utes have won four national championships (in skiing) and 24 conference championships. Was named the AD of the Year by National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors in 2023.  Former AD at the University of South Florida. Served on the Division I Football Oversight Committee.
• Warde Manuel, athletic director, University of Michigan. Former AD at UConn (2012-16), where he was named the NACDA Under Armor Athletic Director of the Year in 2015.
• David Sayler, Athletic Director, Miami-Ohio, since 2013. Former South Dakota AD (2010-13). Former Ernst & Young executive and has held athletic administration experience at Rice, Oregon State, Bowling Green, Houston, Hartford, Georgia and UConn.
• Will Shields, former NFL offensive guard, starting 231 consecutive games for the Kansas City Chiefs. Was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (2011) and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2015).  Was the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2003. Former Nebraksa standout.
• Gene Taylor, AD, Kansas State. Former AD at North Dakota State (2001-14) and former deputy director of athletics at Iowa (2014-17). Lengthy tenure at Navy as administrative assistant in athletics (1986-2001).
• Joe Taylor, former head coach at Florida A&M, Hampton, Virginia Union, and Howard. Won four Black college national championships, and has a record of 233-96-4. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame (2019) and the Black College Football Hall of Fame (2020).
• Rod West, Group President, Utility Operations for Entergy Corporation. Past President of the AllState Sugar Bowl. Member of board of directors for the National Football Foundation. Former linebacker and tight end at Notre Dame, a part of the national championship team in 1988.
• Kelly Whiteside, professor, Montclair University. Former USA Today national college football writer who also covered seven Olympic Games, the NFL, other pro leagues and major college sports. Former reporter at Newsday and Sports Illustrated. Was the first female president of the Football Writers Association of America.

Here are the rankings.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS (released Tuesday, October 31):