College Football Rankings 2018: Week 11 Standings, Schedule and Predictions
The true contenders for the College Football Playoff emerged over the last few weeks, but now they have to navigate tricky tests in November to get to championship weekend in December.
Of the programs expected to be in the mix for the first four positions in the final playoff rankings, Clemson and Oklahoma face the most difficult challenges in Week 11.
The Tigers and Sooners are expected to continue their respective torrid paths to their conference championship games, but there's always a chance an upset occurs, which is why both programs must be at their best.
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Compared to Week 10's massive slate, the Week 11 schedule doesn't have a plethora of showdowns involving ranked teams, but there are some intriguing matchups in which Top 25 programs could falter.
Week 11 Standings
AP Top 25
1. Alabama (9-0)
2. Clemson (9-0)
3. Notre Dame (9-0)
4. Michigan (8-1)
5. Georgia (8-1)
6. Oklahoma (8-1)
7. West Virginia (7-1)
8. Ohio State (8-1)
9. LSU (7-2)
10. Washington State (8-1)
11. UCF (8-0)
12. Kentucky (7-2)
13. Syracuse (7-2)
14. Utah State (8-1)
15. Texas (6-3)
16. Fresno State (8-1)
17. Boston College (7-2)
18. Mississippi State (6-3)
19. Florida (6-3)
20. Washington (7-3)
21. Penn State (6-3)
22. NC State (6-2)
23. Iowa State (5-3)
24. Michigan State (6-3)
25. Cincinnati (8-1)
Amway Coaches Poll
1. Alabama (9-0)
2. Clemson (9-0)
3. Notre Dame (9-0)
4. Michigan (8-1)
5. Georgia (8-1)
6. Oklahoma (8-1)
7. Ohio State (8-1)
8. West Virginia (7-1)
9. Washington State (8-1)
10. LSU (7-2)
11. UCF (8-0)
12. Kentucky (7-2)
13. Syracuse (7-2)
14. Boston College (7-2)
15. Mississippi State (6-3)
16. Utah State (8-1)
17. Fresno State (8-1)
18. Washington (7-3)
19. Texas (6-3)
20. Penn State (6-3)
21. Florida (6-3)
22. NC State (6-2)
23. Cincinnati (8-1)
24. Utah (6-3)
25. Iowa State (5-3)
Week 11 Schedule
All Times ET.
Predictions in bold.
Thursday, November 8
Wake Forest at No. 22 NC State (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Friday, November 9
Louisville at No. 13 Syracuse (7 p.m., ESPN2)
No. 16 Fresno State at Boise State (10:15 p.m., ESPN2)
Saturday, November 10
TCU at No. 7 West Virginia (Noon, FS1)
No. 8 Ohio State at No. 24 Michigan State (Noon, Fox)
Navy at No. 11 UCF (Noon, ESPN2)
South Carolina at No. 19 Florida (Noon, ESPN)
Wisconsin at No. 21 Penn State (Noon, ABC)
No. 18 Mississippi State at No. 1 Alabama (3:30 p.m., CBS)
No. 4 Michigan at Rutgers (3:30 p.m., BTN)
Oklahoma State at No. 6 Oklahoma (3:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 10 Washington State at Colorado (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
No. 12 Kentucky at Tennessee (3:30 p.m., SEC Network)
Baylor at No. 23 Iowa State (3:30 p.m., FS1)
San Jose State at No. 14 Utah State (4 p.m.,
Auburn at No. 5 Georgia (7 p.m., ESPN)
South Florida at No. 25 Cincinnati (7 p.m., ESPNU)
Florida State at No. 3 Notre Dame (7:30 p.m., NBC)
No. 9 LSU at Arkansas (7:30 p.m., SEC Network)
No. 15 Texas at Texas Tech (7:30 p.m., Fox)
No. 2 Clemson at No. 17 Boston College (8 p.m., ABC)
Predictions
Clemson Passes Final Test Before ACC Championship
No. 2 Clemson has run rampant through its schedule, but it only has one win over a ranked opponent on its resume.
Through nine games, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 420-130, with a 77-16 thumping of Louisville being their latest triumph.
On Saturday, Dabo Swinney's side visits No. 17 Boston College in an ACC Atlantic Division clash, with a win allowing the Tigers to clinch a spot in the ACC Championship Game.
The Eagles have also played a single contest against a ranked foe, but they lost their meeting with NC State by five points.
Since falling to the Wolfpack, Boston College knocked off Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech all by double digits to have a chance of taking the ACC Atlantic out of Clemson's hands.
In order to have an opportunity to upset Clemson Saturday night, the Eagles need running back A.J. Dillon to be at his best.
Dillon, who missed two games due to injury, ran for 245 yards and two touchdowns in the last two victories over Miami and Virginia Tech.
Even gaining a single yard will be hard to come by for Dillon against Clemson's dominant defensive line that's helped the Tigers put together the seventh-best rushing defense that concedes 90.4 rushing yards per game.
Boston College's 48th-best team defense needs to find a way to play up to the level of Clemson's fifth-best defensive unit in order to stay alive until the fourth quarter.
The Eagles can do so by putting Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence under pressure, but the home side has to deny the rushing lanes of running back Travis Etienne and Co.
If Steve Addazio's team wants to wreak havoc on the College Football Playoff rankings, it has to do those things and a few others right in a perfect performance.
While Boston College will give Clemson a fight, the Tigers are too talented to be silenced for four quarters, and we'll see Lawrence emerge as the star by completing a few passes in clutch situations in the final 15 minutes.
Oklahoma Strengthens Playoff Resume With Bedlam Victory
No. 6 Oklahoma has quietly moved back up the rankings since its October 6 defeat at the hands of Texas.
As of right now, the Sooners are on course to take on No. 7 West Virginia in two consecutive weeks in the regular-season finale and Big 12 Championship Game.
While it's easy to have eyes on the set of massive clashes with the Mountaineers, the Sooners can't look past Bedlam against Oklahoma State Saturday.
Lincoln Riley's Sooners won't have any trouble getting up for a rivalry game they've controlled since 2003.
Oklahoma is 13-2 in the last 15 years against the Cowboys, and it's won the last three meetings with Mike Gundy's program by double digits.
The Sooners will continue that trend, as quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Kyler Murray continues his monster year in which he's thrown for 2,689 yards and 31 touchdowns.
In addition to beating the Cowboys through the air, the Sooners will do damage on the ground with Murray and running back Trey Sermon, who has 722 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, putting together large gains on scoring drives.
The only way Oklahoma State, which has lost three of its last four games, finds a way into the game is if Oklahoma fails to show up, like it did in its overtime escape against Army in September.
But since the Sooners have experience from dealing with struggles and winning, they shouldn't offer up much against their top rival.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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