NCAA Football Rankings 2015: Predicting Week 12 College Top 25 Standings
November weekends are always entertaining in the world of college football, and Week 11 was no exception.
This week, it was Oklahoma and Oregon throwing the biggest wrenches into the playoff scenarios and shaking up the Top 25.
Both upset victories are sure to have a significant impact on the weekly polls, which will likely have a few new entrants into the Top 10.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The following rankings are a prediction of how the AP poll will look when released on Sunday afternoon, followed by a breakdown of a few of the most noteworthy teams in action on Saturday.
| 1 | Clemson | 10-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 10-0 |
| 3 | Alabama | 9-1 |
| 4 | Oklahoma State | 10-0 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 9-1 |
| 6 | Iowa | 10-0 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 9-1 |
| 8 | Florida | 9-1 |
| 9 | Baylor | 8-1 |
| 10 | TCU | 9-1 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 9-1 |
| 12 | Michigan | 8-2 |
| 13 | Houston | 10-0 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 9-1 |
| 15 | Stanford | 8-2 |
| 16 | LSU | 7-2 |
| 17 | Florida State | 8-2 |
| 18 | Utah | 8-2 |
| 19 | Navy | 8-1 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 8-2 |
| 21 | Northwestern | 8-2 |
| 22 | USC | 7-3 |
| 23 | Ole Miss | 7-3 |
| 24 | Washington State | 7-3 |
| 25 | Mississippi State | 7-3 |
Notable Teams
Stanford
Stanford ruined Oregon's undefeated seasons with November victories in 2012 and 2013, and now Oregon has exacted its revenge.
The Stanford loss is a devastating blow for the Pac-12's playoff hopes. With losses by Stanford and Utah on Saturday, every Pac-12 team has two or more losses, effectively ending any hope of the conference being represented in the playoffs.
Despite the loss, the Cardinal still hold a one-game lead in the Pac-12 North and control their own destiny in the conference race.
By running the table, Stanford would represent the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl, assuming they come up short in the final playoff rankings.
Houston
The Cougars entered the week as the highest-ranked Group of Five school in the AP poll, and they could be on the rise after their most impressive victory of the season against Memphis.
It wasn't all good news for Houston, however, as starting quarterback Greg Ward missed the majority of the game with an ankle injury.
According to ESPN's Sam Khan, Ward's availability for the rest of the season is still unknown:
"Houston coach Tom Herman said he doesn't think QB Greg Ward Jr.'s ankle injury will keep him out long. Will know more tomorrow.
— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) November 15, 2015"
With the victory, Houston remains tied atop the AAC West standings with Navy.
The Cougars will visit 5-5 Connecticut next week before wrapping up the season with a division-deciding showdown with Navy the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Oklahoma
The Sooners would be looking like a playoff lock if not for an inexplicable loss to Texas earlier this season.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma still has a resume which rivals most of the one-loss teams thanks to Saturday's victory at Baylor and a September win on the road against Tennessee.
"Oklahoma's right back in the playoff hunt. Didn't see that coming after the Texas game
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 15, 2015"
If Oklahoma keeps winning, it should continue to rise in the rankings. The Sooners' remaining games are against TCU next weekend, followed by yet another tough road test at undefeated Oklahoma State on November 28.
Until Oklahoma loses again, the question we will all be wondering is: How high can they climb? The Sooners entered the week ranked 19th in the CFP rankings, which would be a remarkable rise should they finish the season in the Top Four.
A season ago, Ohio State was ranked 14th in the Week 11 CFP rankings but was greatly aided by the Big Ten Championship Game.
Without a conference-title game, Oklahoma has the disadvantage of sitting at home during the final weekend of the college football season without an opportunity to make a final impression.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
