College Football Playoff Rankings 2023: Week 13 Poll Announced by Committee

On paper, very little changed in the College Football Playoff race this past Saturday.

But, in reality, so much did.

The undefeated contenders in Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Washington and Florida State all won, as did the one-loss teams that are still alive in Oregon, Texas, Alabama and Louisville.

Yet the tenor of the season drastically changed for Florida State because quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury in Saturday's win over North Alabama. How the selection committee handles the ACC powerhouse, especially when compared to teams such as Washington, Oregon and Alabama, is a talking point in the aftermath of the setback.

There is a blueprint in place, as Ohio State won the initial CFP national championship with third-string quarterback Cardale Jones under center after injuries to Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. But the committee only put the Buckeyes in as the No. 4 seed after Jones destroyed Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game.

The Seminoles will have to prove they are still among the top four teams in the country without Travis in a similar fashion when they finish their season against Florida and then Louisville in the ACC Championship Game.

For now, the committee placed them at No. 5 in the latest set of rankings, which were released Tuesday:

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Washington
5. Florida State
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Alabama
9. Missouri 
10. Louisville
11. Penn State
12. Ole Miss
13. Oklahoma
14. LSU
15. Arizona
16. Oregon State
17. Iowa
18. Notre Dame
19. Kansas State
20. Oklahoma State
21. Tennessee
22. NC State
23. Tulane
24. Clemson
25. Liberty

These rankings are just the backdrop for the biggest college football weekend of the season.

The annual showdown between Ohio State and Michigan is the undoubted headliner with a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and inside track for the No. 1 or 2 seed in the final CFP rankings hanging in the balance.

While Ohio State still made the CFP last season with a loss to the Wolverines, such an avenue may not be available for this year's loser with Georgia, Florida State, Washington, Oregon, Alabama, Texas and even Louisville still in the race.

An Ohio State or Michigan team that didn't even make its conference championship game may not get the benefit of the doubt over a one-loss conference champion such as Oregon, Alabama, Texas or Louisville, which only raises the stakes of the latest edition of The Game.

Throw in Michigan's ongoing sign-stealing scandal, Jim Harbaugh's suspension and the Buckeyes looking to return to recent dominance in the rivalry after dropping two straight, and there is no shortage of storylines.

It isn't the only notable contest this week.

Oregon State will attempt to play spoiler to rival Oregon in the final regular-season matchup between the two teams before the Ducks head to the Big Ten. The Beavers would surely love nothing more than to ruin Oregon's national title dreams as it heads out the door in a Friday night clash.

Many of the other contenders are also dealing with rivalry games, although they will likely be much less challenging.

Alabama plays an Auburn squad that just lost to New Mexico State, Georgia faces five-loss Georgia Tech, Florida State hits the road to play six-loss Florida, Washington goes against six-loss Washington State, Texas faces five-loss Texas Tech, and Louisville plays five-loss Kentucky.

Any upsets from that list of matchups would shake up a race for the four spots that will surely all still be up for grabs during the conference title games.