No surprise: Alabama is still No. 1 in the official College Football Playoff rankings.
The second weekly rankings by the committee that will select the four teams to play for the national championship, revealed Tuesday night, had the Crimson Tide on top, just as it was the week before.
With Alabama defeating LSU – No. 3 in the initial rankings – in Baton Rouge, La., by a 29-0 score last weekend, no change was expected at the top.
The only intrigue was which teams would fill out the other spots. Clemson remained at No. 2 and Notre Dame moved up a spot to No. 3. UA, Clemson and Notre Dame are all undefeated.
Coming in at No. 4 was Michigan. Georgia was ranked fifth, followed by Oklahoma.
Alabama and Georgia, who played in last year’s College Football Playoff Championship in Atlanta, are headed for a rematch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 1 in the SEC Championship Game. The 3 p.m. CT contest will be televised by CBS.
LSU fell to seventh. Mississippi State, Alabama’s opponent this Saturday, is ranked No. 16.
Other SEC teams in the rankings were Kentucky at No. 11, Florida at No. 15 and Auburn at No. 24. Alabama hosts Auburn on Nov. 24.
The College Football Playoff semifinals will be played Dec. 29 in the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl. The winners will advance to the championship game Jan. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Reach Tommy Deas at tommy@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0224.
