College Football Rankings 2015: Records for Top 25 Teams and Week 11 Standings

Every week there is a lot of debate over the college football rankings, but Week 10 reminded us that none of it matters until the end of the season.

The weekend was littered with upsets and the first losses for previously undefeated teams. This threw a wrench in the College Football Playoff plans for a few programs while giving new life to some otherwise-forgotten squads.

Of course, we still know any changes to the rankings are only temporary considering the fluid nature of the sport. Those on top this week could drop a game Saturday, and we will be right back where we started. 

With that said, here is a look at the latest Associated Press poll heading into Week 11.

The first change in the AP poll comes at the top, with Clemson taking over the No. 1 spot from still-undefeated Ohio State. While the College Football Playoff committee had the Tigers on top of their initial rankings prior to the weekend, the media voters didn't change until the 23-13 win over Florida State.

Although Clemson didn't cruise to victory like some predicted, the squad looked impressive in all phases of the game, and quarterback Deshaun Watson finished with 297 passing yards and 107 rushing yards to lead his team to victory.

Now the challenge is keeping the current ranking, something Albert Breer of NFL Network doesn't think will be too difficult:

Still, Clemson has been known in the past for getting in its own way. Head coach Dabo Swinney discussed this aspect:

As long as the Tigers can avoid a terrible loss in one of the next four games (including the ACC Championship Game), they should easily be one of the four teams in the playoff.

Another slight riser in the polls this week was Alabama, who is clearly now the top team in the country with a loss. The Crimson Tide used their physicality to defeat previously unbeaten LSU, knocking their SEC West rival down the standings as well.

In a battle of highly touted running backs, Derrick Henry rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns, while Leonard Fournette ended up with just 31 yards on 19 carries. The Alabama offensive and defensive lines owned the fight in the trenches and came out with a solid 30-16 victory.

Opposing fans can argue about the Tide losing a game at home to Ole Miss, but it's clear from what we have seen that this is a Top Four team.

Even with this battle of elite SEC squads, arguably the biggest result of the day came out of the Big 12. TCU and Oklahoma State represented a matchup of undefeated squads, although most believed it would be an easy Horned Frogs victory. They had the talent to almost make the CFP last season and were out for revenge this year.

As usual, things didn't go according to plan, as Oklahoma State forced four turnovers and ended up with a 49-29 victory. ESPN's Todd McShay represented a common mindset after the game:

Mason Rudolph threw five touchdown passes to keep the Cowboys undefeated and up to No. 5 in the AP poll, a spot not too far off from where they will likely be in the next CFP rankings. With home games against Baylor and Oklahoma still on the schedule, they certainly have a chance to play their way into the playoff.

On the other hand, TCU will have to win out just to have a chance at a championship, and even then it could be difficult. The Horned Frogs have not had a great schedule to this point, and adding a loss really hurts the resume. It will take some help from the rest of the contenders in order to avoid another disappointing end to the season.

Add in Michigan State's terrible loss against Nebraska, along with Memphis and Toledo both losing their first games of the year, and this was a crazy week that will play a big role in deciding the College Football Playoff.

If you thought the madness was over, remember the top three teams are all on the road in Week 11 and upsets are always possible. Any result can greatly impact the standings as well as the race to the national championship.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.