College Football Rankings Week 12: B/R's Official Top 25
How's your playoff projection looking?
After this latest Saturday of season-turning games, expect to see some changes toward the top of the College Football Playoff rankings. But before those are revealed Tuesday, check out how the Bleacher Report Top 25 got shaken up by six matchups of ranked teams and plenty of other notable results.
The Bleacher Report Top 25 is voted on by 17 members of our college football team: writers Ben Axelrod, Phil Callihan, Michael Felder, Justin Ferguson, Andrew Hall, Kyle Kensing, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Adam Kramer, Brian Leigh, Brian Pedersen, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Erin Sorensen, Marc Torrence and Greg Wallace, as well as editor Max Rausch.
Each voter submits their ballots based on observations made during the just-completed week's games. Teams receive 25 points for a first-place vote, all the way down to one point for being ranked 25th, and then the top 25 vote-getters are ranked in order of their point totals.
Check out B/R's Week 12 poll, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
1 of 26
Minnesota's dominating 51-14 home win over Iowa not only moved the Golden Gophers into a tie with Nebraska and Wisconsin for first place in the Big Ten West Division, it also earned them the coveted Floyd of Rosedale pig statue that comes with the victory of the rivalry.
It didn't, however, get Minnesota into the Top 25. Beating Ohio State at home next week would, though.
- Oklahoma (20)
- Missouri (13)
- Texas A&M (13)
- Minnesota (9)
- Louisville (7)
- Boise State (5)
- USC (4)
- Miami, Florida (2)
25. Utah Utes
2 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 51-27 vs. Oregon
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Stanford
Poll points: 43
Last week's ranking: 21st
Utah (6-3, 3-3 Pac-12) hung with Oregon for three quarters, but late turnovers and a worn-down defense couldn't keep the Utes in contention down the stretch.
The Utes led 7-0 on Bubba Poole's eight-yard touchdown run, but they trailed 24-10 at halftime. They got as close as 30-27 on Travis Wilson's 13-yard TD pass to Westlee Tonga with 11:48 left, but Oregon scored 79 seconds later and tacked on two TDs to make the final margin much greater.
Wilson threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice, and Utah also gave up a defensive TD when Kaelin Clay let go of the ball on what would have been a long TD pass just before the goal line. Oregon's Joe Walker picked up the loose ball and returned it for a score that tied the game at seven.
24. Colorado State Rams
3 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 49-22 vs. Hawaii
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 45
Last week's ranking: 25th
Colorado State (9-1, 5-1 Mountain West) won its eighth straight game, gaining 580 yards of offense despite not having top receiver Rashard Higgins available because of injury.
Instead, quarterback Garrett Grayson hit four different receivers for touchdowns to go with his 278 yards on 13-of-24 passing. The Rams also ran for 293 yards, getting 115 yards and a TD from Dee Hart, and two rushing scores from Treyous Jarrells.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
23. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
4 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 56-23 at North Carolina State
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Clemson
Poll points: 49
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Georgia Tech (8-2, 5-2 ACC) grounded out 479 yards to win its third straight, but it was a pair of defensive touchdowns during the second quarter that turned the tide and kept the Yellow Jackets a game back of Duke for the top spot in the Coastal Division.
D.J. White scored on a 38-yard interception return, then less than three minutes later Quayshawn Nealy scored on a 43-yard fumble return to give Tech a 28-13 lead midway through the second.
Tech's run attack was led by Synjyn Days, who ran for 157 yards and a touchdown, while Tim Byerly added 87 rushing yards and two scores along with a passing TD.
22. Marshall Thundering Herd
5 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 63-17 at Southern Mississippi
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Rice
Poll points: 58
Last week's ranking: 23rd
Marshall (9-0, 5-0 Conference USA) continued its domination of its league, spotting Southern Mississippi a 14-0 lead before erupting for a season high in points.
The Thundering Herd ran for 335 yards, led by 118 yards and two touchdowns from Steward Butler on only five carries. Quarterback Rakeem Cato added 92 yards and a TD, one of seven on the ground for Marshall.
Cato also threw for 186 yards and two TDs on 13-of-19 passing, his FBS-record 41st straight game with a passing touchdown. Remi Watson caught one of those TD passes and ran in three scores.
21. Wisconsin Badgers
6 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 34-16 at Purdue
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Nebraska
Poll points: 63
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Wisconsin (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) romped on the road behind another big game from Melvin Gordon, its fourth straight victory heading into next week's huge West Division game against Nebraska.
Gordon ran for 205 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, also adding a 27-yard TD catch in which he hurdled a Purdue defender into the end zone. Gordon has 1,501 rushing yards with 21 total TDs this season.
Joel Stave threw for 219 yards and two TDs on 19-of-29 passing, while fellow quarterback Tanner McEvoy had a 13-yard scoring run that gave the Badgers a 31-16 lead late in the third quarter.
20. Clemson Tigers
7 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 34-20 at Wake Forest
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Georgia Tech
Poll points: 98
Last week's ranking: 19th
Clemson (7-2, 6-1 ACC) scored two late touchdowns to avoid a bad loss at struggling Wake Forest on Thursday night.
Artavis Scott's second touchdown catch, a 68-yarder from Cole Stoudt with 10:53 left in the fourth, came 15 seconds after Wake Forest tied the game at 20 on a field goal. The Tigers added a 30-yard TD run from Wayne Gallman four minutes later to seal the victory.
Stoudt threw for 282 yards and three TDs on 27-of-42 passing, and Gallman rushed for 106 yards with a rushing and receiving TD. Clemson held Wake to 119 total yards, including seven on the ground, to win its sixth straight game.
19. Duke Blue Devils
8 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 27-10 at Syracuse
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Virginia Tech
Poll points: 133
Last week's ranking: 20th
Duke (8-1, 4-1 ACC) used 17 fourth-quarter points to pull away on the road and remain in first place in the Coastal Division.
Jamison Crowder broke a 10-10 tie early in the fourth on a 52-yard punt-return TD, then the Blue Devils added a field goal and a 54-yard TD pass from Anthony Boone to Issac Blakeney. Boone threw for 161 yards and two TDs, both to Blakeney.
Duke only had 259 yards but held Syracuse to 224 yards in winning its fourth straight game.
18. LSU Tigers
9 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 20-13 (in OT) vs. Alabama
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Arkansas
Poll points: 136
Last week's ranking: 15th
LSU (7-3, 3-3 SEC) was unable to keep Alabama from tying the game in the final minute of regulation, then in overtime allowed the Crimson Tide to score on its drive but couldn't get its own score to keep the contest going.
The Tigers took a 13-10 lead with 50 seconds left on Colby Delahoussaye's 39-yard field goal, which came not long after they recovered an Alabama fumble deep in Crimson Tide territory. But then the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving Alabama a shorter field to move downfield and force OT on a 27-yard field goal with three seconds left.
Anthony Jennings' pass to Malachi Dupre in the end zone was batted down on fourth down, as LSU threw on all four plays in OT after Alabama went ahead on a DeAndrew White TD catch. Jennings completed only eight of 26 passes for 76 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Tigers finished with 259 yards, getting a team-high 79 yards from Leonard Fournette.
17. Arizona Wildcats
10 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 38-20 vs. Colorado
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Washington
Poll points: 148
Last week's ranking: 22nd
Arizona (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) used four turnovers and a rediscovered rushing attack to hold off pesky Colorado.
Tra'Mayne Bondurant returned a fumble 22 yards to tie the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, and the Wildcats collected another fumble and intercepted two passes from Sefo Liufau. The turnovers helped Arizona have the short field regularly, enabling it to start two other touchdown drives in Buffaloes territory.
Quarterback Anu Solomon threw for 211 yards and four TDs, including a one-yard pass to David Richards that gave the Wildcats a 21-17 halftime lead. Solomon also ran for 105 yards, while Nick Wilson added 171 total yards. Arizona ran for 288 yards after failing to top 100 yards on the ground in two of its previous three games.
16. UCLA Bruins
11 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 44-30 at Washington
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 157
Last week's ranking: 18th
UCLA (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) improved to 5-0 away from home this season, with Brett Hundley once again leading the attack on offense.
Hundley threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-36 passing, adding a pair of rushing TDs to the cause. The Bruins gained 476 yards, getting 98 rushing yards from Paul Perkins. Myles Jack added a 28-yard rushing TD in a battle of linebacker-turned-running backs with Washington's Shaq Thompson.
15. Georgia Bulldogs
12 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 63-31 at Kentucky
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Auburn
Poll points: 163
Last week's ranking: 17th
Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) responded to last week's humbling loss to Florida in impressive fashion, jumping out to a 21-0 lead to pace a blowout road victory.
Isaiah McKenzie got things started right away with a 90-yard kickoff-return touchdown, and the freshman later returned a punt 59 yards for a score. The Bulldogs offense was near-perfect as well, gaining 559 yards and converting all eight of their third downs to score their most points in SEC play in 10 years.
Hutson Mason threw a career-best four TDs, completing 13 of 16 passes for 174 yards, and Nick Chubb added 170 rushing yards and a score as Georgia gained 305 yards on the ground.
14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
13 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 55-31 at Arizona State
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Northwestern
Poll points: 184
Last week's ranking: 7th
Notre Dame (7-2) needed to post a signature win to remain in consideration for the playoffs, but instead it saw its star quarterback once again make numerous mistakes that effectively ended those semifinal hopes.
Everett Golson's five turnovers led to 28 points for Arizona State, including 14 on a pair of interception returns for touchdowns. He gave it away four times in the first half, as ASU jumped to a 34-3 lead, giving him 17 turnovers in the past six games.
"Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson may never be part of a more humiliating half than what he experienced in Tempe," wrote Dan Wolken of USA Today. "Credit Arizona State's defensive line for creating pressure and getting their hands on a couple balls at the line of scrimmage, but this was pretty much a full-blown meltdown by Golson, who has struggled with turnovers the last few games."
The Fighting Irish pulled within 34-31 with 6:37 left on Golson's 25-yard TD pass to Amir Carlisle, the last of Golson's four TDs to go with 446 passing yards. ASU scored a few minutes later, then Golson was picked off for the fourth time as Lloyd Carrington brought it back for a game-clinching score.
13. Michigan State Spartans
14 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 49-37 vs. Ohio State
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Maryland
Poll points: 224
Last week's ranking: 6th
Michigan State (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) couldn't rekindle the magic of last year's conference title game win over Ohio State, falling behind by double digits early in the second half and never getting close again.
The Spartans allowed 568 yards of total offense, more than double the 279.4 yards per game they had been yielding coming in. During their six-game win streak, MSU had given up 250 yards and 18.2 points per game.
Connor Cook threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns, while Jeremy Langford ran for 137 yards and three TDs, but MSU was playing catchup most of the night and never had control of the game.
12. Kansas State Wildcats
15 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 41-20 at TCU
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 236
Last week's ranking: 9th
Kansas State (7-2, 5-1 Big 12) saw its five-game winning streak, and sole possession of first place in the Big 12, come crashing down in Fort Worth, Texas.
Wildcats wide receiver Tyler Lockett become the school's all-time yardage leader, passing father Kevin Lockett with his 11-catch, 196-yard performance that included a 70-yard touchdown catch to get his team within 14-7 in the first quarter. K-State only trailed by 10 at the half but had no answer for TCU's offense in the second half.
Jake Waters threw for 291 yards and two TDs, but K-State only had 34 rushing yards with Waters limited to two yards on seven carries.
The Wildcats allowed 553 yards, 232 above its season average that came in as the 16th-best total defense in the country.
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers
16 of 26
Week 11 result: Bye
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Wisconsin
Poll points: 252
Last week's ranking: 14th
Nebraska (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) had the weekend off ahead of its big game at Wisconsin, and the break should help star running back Ameer Abdullah heal a sprained knee suffered in last week's win over Purdue.
The Cornhuskers have won three straight, with Abdullah pacing them all season via 1,250 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns. He only had one yard on six carries in his last game, but prior to that he had six 100-yard games, including four with more than 200 yards.
Nebraska currently ranks eighth in FBS with 280.7 rushing yards per game.
10. Ole Miss Rebels
17 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 48-0 vs. Presbyterian
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 264
Last week's ranking: 11th
Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC) made quick work of FCS Presbyterian, scoring 39 seconds into the game and never looking back to end a two-game losing streak.
Bo Wallace threw two touchdown passes to Vince Sanders in the first quarter, finishing with 140 yards on 11-of-15 passing. He then turned it over to the Rebels' run game, contributing a nine-yard TD score to 402 rushing yards for the team.
Jordan Wilkins ran for 171 yards and a 73-yard TD, and Mark Dodson had scoring runs of 65 and 62 yards. The 640 yards for Ole Miss was a season high, while its defense gave up only 156 yards and forced two turnovers for its first shutout since September 2012.
9. Auburn Tigers
18 of 26
Week 11 result: Lost 41-38 vs. Texas A&M
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Georgia
Poll points: 268
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Auburn (7-2, 4-2 SEC) kept its playoff hopes alive last week with a fumble recovery in the end zone. This time out, a goal-line lost fumble led to the Tigers' shot at a semifinal bid going up in smoke.
"We just didn't get it done when we usually do," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn told Alex Byington of the Opelika-Auburn News.
The Tigers lost the ball twice in the final three minutes. First, quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne messed up an exchange on a 2nd-and-goal run at the Texas A&M 2-yard line that the Aggies recovered with 2:37 left. Then, after forcing a punt and starting near midfield, a premature snap by center Reese Dismukes was recovered by A&M to seal the road upset.
Last week, Auburn was able to hold onto a 35-31 win at Ole Miss after forcing a fumble just short of the goal line, then recovering it in the end zone.
Auburn trailed 14-0 and was down 35-17 at the half, after a field-goal attempt was blocked and returned by A&M's Deshazor Everett for a touchdown. The rest of A&M's points came as a result of heady play from freshman quarterback Kyle Allen, who threw for 277 yards and four TDs in his first career start.
The Tigers rallied in the second half with two Marshall TD runs and a scoring pass to Quan Bray, with Marshall finishing with 286 yards of total offense. Artis-Payne ran for a career-high 221 yards and two TDs, part of 363 rushing yards for Auburn.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes
19 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 49-37 at Michigan State
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Minnesota
Poll points: 317
Last week's ranking: 13th
Ohio State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) had been knocked for having a lack of quality wins, not to mention a bad loss to Virginia Tech. None of that matters now, not after the Buckeyes romped past defending Big Ten champ Michigan State on the road.
The Buckeyes gained 568 yards against the No. 5 defense, rushing for 268 yards against a unit that was allowing only 95.4 per game. Ezekiel Elliott had 154 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, while quarterback J.T. Barrett added 86 yards and two TDs to go with 300 yards and three TDs on 16-of-26 passing.
OSU came close to scoring 50 points for the sixth time this season, while it was also the sixth game with 500-plus yards in 2014.
7. Baylor Bears
20 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 48-14 at Oklahoma
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 323
Last week's ranking: 10th
Baylor (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) hadn't gotten much respect from the College Football Playoff selection committee in its first two rankings, but that should change after what the Bears accomplished Saturday on the road.
In winning for the first time in 12 tries at Oklahoma, Baylor not only beat a ranked team on the road for the first time since 1991 but did so in absolutely dominant fashion. After trailing 14-3 after one quarter, Baylor scored the next 45 points.
"The impressive win kept Baylor's Big 12 title hopes alive and no doubt sent quite the message to the College Football Playoff selection committee," wrote Bryan Fischer of NFL.com.
Bryce Petty had his best game in a month, throwing for 387 yards and a touchdown on 32-of-42 passing, with Corey Coleman burning Oklahoma's secondary to the tune of 224 yards on 15 catches. Baylor's run game tallied five rushing TDs—two each by Shock Linwood and Devin Chafin, while Coleman also scored on the ground.
Baylor's defense looked great after struggling early, holding Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight to 146 passing yards and only 45 on the ground.
6. Arizona State Sun Devils
21 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 55-31 vs. Notre Dame
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Oregon State
Poll points: 329
Last week's ranking: 12th
Arizona State (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) made a huge jump in the College Football Playoff standings after last week's overtime win at Utah, and an even bigger leap could be in the works after the Sun Devils posted a huge victory over Notre Dame that was as much a result of their big-play defense as it was their efficient offense.
The Devils forced Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson into five turnovers, including four interceptions, returning a pair of those picks for touchdowns. Damarious Randall brought one back 59 yards for a score early in the second quarter, and then Lloyd Carrington's 58-yard runback with 3:41 left sealed the win.
ASU scored 34 straight points after giving up an early field goal, then saw Notre Dame fight its way back in with 28 unanswered points to get within 34-31 with 6:37 left. Demario Richard then caught a four-yard TD pass from Taylor Kelly to bump the lead to 10, followed shortly by Carrington's pick-six.
Kelly threw for 224 yards and three TDs, adding a two-yard TD run in the last minute to pad the final margin. Richard scored once on the ground, and D.J. Foster ran for 120 yards.
5. TCU Horned Frogs
22 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 41-20 vs. Kansas State
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Kansas
Poll points: 359
Last week's ranking: 8th
TCU (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) threw itself fully into the mix for the playoffs, while also creating a three-way tie for first place, with a convincing performance after last week's narrow road win over West Virginia.
Trevone Boykin shook off a wrist injury to tally 342 yards of total offense, throwing for 219 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-34 passing but doing most of his damage on the ground. He flipped into the end zone for one of his three TDs, finishing with 123 yards rushing.
"Boykin is inserting himself permanently into the Heisman race while TCU is making a strong case to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff," wrote Brandon Chatmon of ESPN.com.
With B.J. Catalon out because of injury, Boykin ran more than normal but also had backup running back Aaron Green available. He made the most of his opportunity with 171 rushing yards, including a 65-yard TD run to give TCU a 31-14 lead midway through the third quarter.
TCU ran for 334 yards against a K-State defense that had come in allowing 100.9 yards per game on the ground, 10th best in FBS.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
23 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 20-13 (in OT) at LSU
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 vs. Mississippi State
Poll points: 375
Last week's ranking: 5th
Alabama (8-1, 5-1 SEC) forced overtime with three seconds left, then DeAndrew White caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Blake Sims and stopped LSU on its possession to sneak out of Death Valley with a playoff resume-building victory.
The Crimson Tide were held scoreless for more than 24 minutes to start the game, but they took a 10-7 lead into halftime on Sims' 23-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 39-yard field goal from Adam Griffith. Sims threw for 209 yards and two TDs, with Cooper catching eight balls for 83 yards.
LSU tied the game midway through the third quarter with a field goal, then went up 13-10 with 50 seconds left shortly after Alabama's T.J. Yeldon lost a fumble deep in Tide territory. But Sims led 'Bama down the field, getting help from a kickoff out of bounds, setting up Griffith for the game-tying 27-yard field goal with three seconds left.
The win sets up next week's visit from top-ranked Mississippi State in a game that will have major playoff implications and also determine first place in the SEC West.
3. Oregon Ducks
24 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 51-27 at Utah
Week 12 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 379
Last week's ranking: 4th
Oregon (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) locked up a spot in the conference title game, clinching the North Division behind 353 yards of total offense from quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Mariota threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 114 yards and a score. Royce Freeman added 99 rushing yards and a TD, and the Ducks gained 508 yards.
Trailing 7-0, Oregon appeared to have given up another touchdown, but Utah's Kaelin Clay let go of the ball before crossing the goal line, and Joe Walker returned it 100 yards for the tying TD. That was part of a 24-0 run for the Ducks, who led 24-10 at the half.
Utah pulled within 30-27 early in the fourth quarter before the Ducks scored three more times, with Mariota hitting Dwayne Stanford on a 34-yard scoring pass with 10:29 left to extend the lead to 10.
2. Florida State Seminoles
25 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 34-20 vs. Virginia
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Miami (Florida)
Poll points: 412 (seven first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Florida State (9-0, 6-0 ACC) won its 25th straight game, coming from behind against undermanned Virginia.
The Seminoles trailed 13-7 after the first quarter before scoring 21 straight to take a 15-point halftime lead. Jameis Winston capped the run with a four-yard TD scamper, and he also threw for 261 yards with a touchdown but two interceptions.
Rashad Greene had 13 receptions for 136 yards and a first-quarter TD, while Karlos Williams had two scoring runs.
FSU held Virginia to 257 yards, including only 37 on the ground, thanks to four sacks of Greyson Lambert.
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
26 of 26
Week 11 result: Won 45-16 vs. UT-Martin
Week 12 matchup: Nov. 15 at Alabama
Poll points: 418 (10 first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Mississippi State (9-0, 5-0 SEC) cruised to its 12th straight victory, churning out 520 yards in its final tuneup before visiting Alabama with first place in the SEC West and playoff positioning on the line.
The Bulldogs were never seriously challenged by the FCS Skyhawks. After UT-Martin pulled within 7-3 late in the first quarter, the Bulldogs scored 31 straight points over the next two periods to put the game away. Dak Prescott threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-23 passing while adding a 48-yard TD run and 54 rushing yards.
Ashton Shumpert and Brandon Holloway added rushing TDs for Mississippi State, which is one win short of its school record of 13 consecutive wins set from 1942-44.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
