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NCAA Football Rankings 2018: Early Predictions for College Polls After Week 14
November 26, 2018
The focus of the college football world is centered on the Top Six teams in the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll.
However, there are some other intriguing storylines developing directly beneath the fight for the final College Football Playoff position.
Grouped in the bottom half of the Top 10 are the best Group of Five program, two-loss Michigan set for an at-large bid into the New Year's Six and a pair of three-loss teams participating in conference championship games.
With five of the conference title clashes in Week 14 featuring a pair of ranked foes, more movement is expected in all corners of the rankings before the playoff and bowl matchups are finalized Sunday.
Week 14 College Football Polls
AP Top 25
1. Alabama (12-0)
2. Clemson (12-0)
3. Notre Dame (12-0)
4. Georgia (11-1)
5. Oklahoma (11-1)
6. Ohio State (11-1)
7. UCF (11-0)
8. Michigan (10-2)
9. Texas (9-3)
10. Washington (9-3)
11. Florida (9-3)
12. LSU (9-3)
12. Washington State (10-2)
14. Penn State (9-3)
15. West Virginia (8-3)
16. Kentucky (9-3)
17. Utah (9-3)
18. Syracuse (9-3)
19. Boise State (10-2)
20. Mississippi State (8-4)
21. Northwestern (8-4)
22. Texas A&M (8-4)
23. Army (9-2)
24. Iowa State (7-4)
25. Fresno State (10-2)
Amway Coaches Poll
1. Alabama (12-0)
2. Clemson (12-0)
3. Notre Dame (12-0)
4. Georgia (11-1)
5. Oklahoma (11-1)
6. Ohio State (11-1)
7. UCF (11-0)
8. Michigan (10-2)
9. Texas (9-3)
10. Florida (9-3)
11. Washington (9-3)
12. Penn State (9-3)
13. Washington State (10-2)
14. LSU (9-3)
15. Kentucky (9-3)
16. West Virginia (8-3)
17. Utah (9-3)
18. Syracuse (9-3)
19. Mississippi State (8-4)
20. Boise State (10-2)
21. Northwestern (8-4)
22. Texas A&M (8-4)
23. Fresno State (10-2)
24. Utah State (10-2)
25. Army (9-2)
Week 14 Poll Predictions
UCF Breaks Into Top 6
After weeks and months spent demanding more respect, the UCF Knights will end up as one of the six best programs in the nation after winning The American Championship over Memphis.
Josh Heupel's Knights are seventh, and they'll move up to No. 6 after Georgia falls to Alabama in the SEC Championship.
In order to return to the New Year's Six, the Knights have to overcome the injury to quarterback McKenzie Milton, but they'll be able to do so by thriving in other facets of the game.
Running back Greg McCrae will be the X-factor for the Knights after he stepped up with 181 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the win over South Florida.
With the rushing attack firing on all cylinders, backup quarterback Darriel Mack will feel more at ease in the pocket.
Mack must make a few key passes throughout the contest, and while we'll focus a good amount on the UCF offense, its defense will make the most significant impact.
In three of their last five games, the Knights have limited opponents to under 14 points, and they'll hold Memphis' offense, led by running back Darrell Henderson, to a pair of scores Saturday.
By stacking the box against the second-best rusher in the FBS, the Knights will limit long gains by Henderson, which will halt Memphis' momentum and lead them to their second straight conference title.
Washington Ends Up As Top 3-Loss Team
By now, we're used to seeing three-loss teams rise in the rankings each week, and after the latest round of losses suffered by top-10 teams, Texas and Washington moved into the Top 10 with three losses each.
Nine of the 10 teams ranked from No. 9 to No. 18 have three defeats, with two-loss Washington State being the lone exception.
Two of the three programs in that group participating in Week 14 face each other in the Pac-12 Championship Friday night.
In the first of the power-conference title games, Washington will triumph over Utah to earn its first Rose Bowl berth since 2001.
When they're playing at their best, the 10th-ranked Huskies possess one of the most-balanced offensive attacks in the nation led by quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin.
Although Utah boasts the eighth-best rushing defense, Gaskin will achieve success against the Utes, as he'll eclipse the 100-yard mark for the fourth consecutive game.
In Washington's 21-7 victory over Utah in September, Gaskin ran for 143 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
Expect the same out of Gaskin, who will be complemented by a few key throws from Browning around the end zone.
Washington's victory combined with a Texas loss to Oklahoma will leave the Huskies as the best three-loss team and the Pac-12 representative in the Rose Bowl.
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Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.