There’s a quote from the film “White Men Can’t Jump” that states: “Sometimes winning can actually mean losing, and sometimes losing can turn out to be a win.”

Although Alabama secured a victory on Saturday, they find themselves on the losing end this week after dropping out of the expected College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings following a close win against South Carolina. Their next challenge awaits as they head to Tennessee in Week 8, and they also have upcoming matches against LSU and Oklahoma, alongside a home game with Missouri. Navigating these games while aiming to finish with only one loss seems ambitious given their recent performances. They must turn things around quickly in Knoxville.

Replacing Alabama in the CFP picture is one of their future opponents, LSU. The Tigers’ comeback victory against Mississippi likely eliminated the Rebels from playoff contention unless they can finish the season undefeated. LSU still has to face Alabama and travel to Texas A&M, but they are positioned well as the season reaches its midpoint.

In other significant shifts among teams already in the projected CFP, Ohio State retains its status as the Big Ten champion despite a slim loss to Oregon. The Buckeyes and Ducks are on track for a potential rematch in the conference championship game, with Ryan Day’s team slightly favored if they meet again.

Iowa State now holds the Big 12 champion designation, moving ahead of Kansas State. The Cyclones shone brightly with a strong performance at West Virginia, while the Wildcats faced a dramatic finish to overcome Colorado.

Note: Legacy Pac-12 schools participating in other conferences will honor existing Pac-12 bowl commitments until the 2025 season.