Amway College Football Poll 2016: Week 13 Rankings Unveiled for Top 25 Teams

After another week of college football, we are one step closer to deciding the College Football Playoff berths.  

That doesn't mean there is any more certainty about which teams will actually reach those games, though.

We'll break down how the Amway Coaches Poll ranks the teams heading into Week 13, with a slew of gigantic games to come on the road to the conference title games. Spoiler alert: Everything is up for grabs. 

Analysis

Louisville's playoff hopes ended Saturday. Oklahoma at least kept itself in the running. And, for the most part, the status quo held over the weekend.

Louisville's 36-10 loss to Houston ended the team's already slim playoff hopes. The Cardinals would have been in trouble anyway, as Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic by beating Wake Forest 35-13, clinching its spot in the conference's title game. 

"Coming in this week, we understood that last week didn't define us, and our goals are still in front of us," Clemson star quarterback Deshaun Watson told the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "So we've just got to keep preparing each week, preparing each day, to go out there and earn it."

The Tigers remain one of the teams in the driver's seat for a playoff berth. Alabama can probably afford to lose a game at this point and still get in. The winner of Michigan vs. Ohio State on Saturday will be in an excellent position to reach the playoff as well.

But things get interesting when you start considering Washington, Penn State, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

Washington's convincing 44-18 win over Arizona State left the Huskies with a huge game against a talented Washington State team remaining on their regular-season schedule. The winner of that game will take the Pac-12 North and a berth in the conference title game, with either Colorado or USC on deck.

That gives Washington the chance to bolster its resume, though its fate may still reside in the hands of the Big Ten.

Next Saturday, Michigan and Ohio State will play with a spot in the conference title game on the line. Washington should be rooting for Michigan to win that one. Anything less could lead to mayhem in the Big Ten and a confusing scenario for the committee. 

Let's say Ohio State beats Michigan but Penn State defeats Michigan State next week. In that scenario, the Nittany Lions would win the Big Ten East and earn a spot in the conference title game, where Wisconsin likely would be waiting.

Now the committee would have several interesting decisions to make. Would a one-loss Ohio State team still trump Washington, even if the Huskies win the Pac-12? And how would the committee leave out either Penn State or Wisconsin after winning a loaded Big Ten despite that team having two losses?

It's possible, in the scenario above, that the committee could rate both Ohio State and the winner of the Big Ten title game above Washington. Justifiable, even. Compare that to if Michigan runs the table, which would result in a far easier decision. In that scenario, the committee would put a one-loss Michigan team in the playoff and almost assuredly leave Washington above a two-loss Ohio State team. 

Even if Michigan gets to the title game and loses to Penn State or Wisconsin, it's hard to imagine the committee putting a pair of two-loss Big Ten teams above a one-loss Pac-12 champion.

Yes, the Huskies have to handle their business. But next Saturday, they should be rooting for the Wolverines. 

Of course, we haven't even mentioned Oklahoma, which has been perfect in conference play after railroading West Virginia 56-28 and could add to its resume with a win over Oklahoma State in two weeks. Oklahoma may have two losses, but those came against Houston and Ohio State, as the Sooners played a nonconference schedule that was dramatically more difficult than Washington's slate.

The Sooners could yet be a player in all of this, especially in a scenario where at least two of the one-loss teams lose in their conference title games. 

Now take a deep breath, folks. It's a lot to digest.

Remember, the coaches poll is one thing. But the playoff committee's rankings are all that matter. The prize here is a berth in the CFP.

Teams like Alabama, Clemson and Michigan control their own fate. For teams like Ohio State, Washington, Penn State, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, however, everything remains up in the air.

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