Washington leaps FSU for fourth spot in CFP rankings

College Football Playoff Committee Chair Boo Corrigan told Rece Davis and the panel on ESPN Tuesday night that Florida State’s drop from No. 4 in the rankings to No. 5 had nothing to do with the season-ending injury to quarterback Jordan Travis.

“It really was about Washington and what Washington did this weekend,” Corrigan told Davis. “That’s what the next couple of weeks are going to be about. The key is not projecting what it will be the following week. After the [conference] championship games, we can look at who’s going to be available and who’s not going to be available.”

Do you believe him?

Regardless, the Seminoles did drop to fifth in the rankings, and that was the biggest news, by far, Tuesday night. Everything else was pretty much status quo, particularly at the top: no movement anywhere else. Alabama remained at No. 8, behind No. 7 Texas, but that was to be expected, since Texas did beat them on the field, and Washington’s climb to fourth was to be expected, as well, given Travis’s injury and Washington’s road win over top-15 Oregon State.

So many things have yet to unfold: No. 1 Georgia and ‘Bama will play in the SEC Championship Game. If No. 6 Oregon takes care of business and is able to beat Oregon State this Friday, then Washington and Oregon will play a rematch of their great regular season game in the Pac-12 title game. Obviously, No. 2 and No. 3 Michigan play this Saturday.

Everything will work itself out, and when the dust settles…

…We’ll have ourselves a final top four. And in all likelihood, there won’t be five unbeaten teams.

Corrigan is the athletic director at North Carolina State. Joining him on the CFP committee (and we list these each week because of accountability) are:

• 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).
• 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, along with this weekend’s games, listed with times in Central Standard time.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS (released Tuesday, November 21):