Oregon has taken the top spot, followed by Ohio State at No. 2 and Georgia at No. 3 in the first College Football Playoff rankings for the 2024 season.

Historically, it’s wise not to jump to conclusions, especially with the 12-team format set to be introduced this December. As we enter the final games of the regular season for the leading playoff candidates, there could be unexpected shifts across the Power Four conferences impacting the race for the national title.

The playoff selection committee will approach decisions similarly to how they did during the four-team format, yet it remains uncertain how they will differentiate between teams from various Power Four leagues with two or more losses.

One notable aspect of the initial rankings was the dominance of teams from the SEC and Big Ten, which accounted for seven of the top eight spots and 12 out of the top 25 teams.

In terms of surprises, the playoff committee appears to favor No. 12 Boise State and No. 8 Indiana.

Here’s a look at the major winners and losers from the season’s first rankings:

Winners

The Big Ten

The Big Ten showcased its strength with four teams in the rankings, outshining the SEC. The conference not only placed the top two teams but also saw all four of its ranked representatives land in the top eight. No. 6 Penn State remains among the elite despite a loss to Ohio State where they failed to score an offensive touchdown, and Indiana reached No. 8 despite a relatively weak schedule. Currently, the conference has strong potential to secure at least three playoff spots, with the most significant matchup ahead being Indiana’s game at Ohio State on November 23.

Indiana

This ranking marks an impressive start for the unbeaten Hoosiers. Under the new leadership of Curt Cignetti, Indiana has achieved nine consecutive victories, marking the best start in the program’s history. The committee overlooked a weaker win record, focusing instead on their dominant performance through both non-conference and Big Ten play. The Hoosiers only faced two teams with current winning records but showcased the nation’s second-best scoring offense. They didn’t fall behind until they were down 10-0 against Michigan State this past Saturday, after which they responded with 47 consecutive points.

Boise State

Boise State ranks as the top team among the Group of Five, which isn’t surprising. Although their schedule isn’t particularly strong, they have victories over No. 21 Washington State and UNLV, along with a narrow loss to Oregon, which has undoubtedly impressed the committee. They are poised closely behind No. 9 Brigham Young, which is the top-ranked team from the Big 12, and this positioning could potentially lead them to being viewed as the fourth-best conference champion by the committee. Such an outcome would earn them a first-round bye and a significant representation for the Group of Five.

Losers

Clemson

The No. 23 Tigers caused their own downfall with a loss to No. 22 Louisville on Saturday. This second defeat pushed Clemson out of the running for the ACC championship, leaving Miami and SMU as the frontrunners for an automatic playoff position. After Tuesday night’s rankings, the hope was for Clemson to remain close enough to SMU to capitalize if the Mustangs faltered this month or faced a setback in the ACC championship game against Miami. Despite the opportunity to secure quality wins against No. 18 Pittsburgh and South Carolina, the gap is presently too wide to bridge. This is a troubling start for Coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson.

The SEC

Despite having eight teams in the rankings and three within the top seven, the SEC did not fare particularly well overall. Notably, Vanderbilt and South Carolina failed to make the list, which was surprising considering Vanderbilt’s victory against Alabama and South Carolina’s win against No. 14 Texas A&M last Saturday. The selection committee also didn’t show much enthusiasm towards the extensive second tier of SEC teams. Following Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee, and No. 11 Alabama are the Aggies, No. 15 LSU, No. 16 Mississippi, and No. 24 Missouri. In this round of rankings, the Big Ten clearly outperformed the SEC — we’ll see if this trend continues in the coming weeks.

Brigham Young

The situation for unbeaten BYU is mixed. While there is some good news, they are too closely matched with Boise State to feel assured about claiming a top-four position should they lose in November, even if they bounce back to win the Big 12 championship against one of No. 17 Iowa State, No. 19 Kansas State, or No. 20 Colorado. The committee appears to have penalized BYU for a few unimpressive victories, including games against Southern Illinois and Wyoming. Conversely, there is some respect given for their wins against Kansas State and No. 13 SMU. Overall, the Cougars should feel positive about being ranked No. 9 and the opportunity that lies ahead for the playoffs. However, there should be some worry about the Broncos closely following their moves.