College Football Rankings 2019: Final NCAA Overview of Week 10 Standings
The best one-loss FBS programs have a chance to impress the College Football Playoff selection committee in Week 10.
With LSU, Alabama, Ohio State and Penn State off and Clemson hosting Wofford, some of the most influential people in the sport can keep closer tabs on Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Utah and others.
The Bulldogs and Gators take center stage Saturday afternoon, when they square off for first place in the SEC East in a contest that serves as an elimination game for playoff contention.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
After surging into the top 10, Oregon and Utah face road challenges against USC and Washington, respectively, and if one or both goes down, the Pac-12's rediscovered playoff hopes could fade away.
Group of Five powers SMU and Memphis receive a turn under the Saturday night spotlight. With Appalachian State going down Thursday, the winner of the American Athletic Conference clash could be the front-runner for a New Year's Six berth.
Week 10 AP Top 25
1. LSU (8-0)
2. Alabama (8-0)
3. Ohio State (8-0)
4. Clemson (8-0)
5. Penn State (8-0)
6. Florida (7-1)
7. Oregon (7-1)
8. Georgia (6-1)
9. Utah (7-1)
10. Oklahoma (7-1)
11. Auburn (7-1)
12. Baylor (8-0)
13. Minnesota (8-0)
14. Michigan (6-2)
15. SMU (8-0)
16. Notre Dame (5-2)
17. Cincinnati (6-1)
18. Wisconsin (6-2)
19. Iowa (6-2)
20. Appalachian State (7-1)
21. Boise State (6-1)
22. Kansas State (5-2)
23. Wake Forest (6-1)
24. Memphis (7-1)
25. San Diego State (7-1)
A spot in the SEC Championship Game is the most valuable prize up for grabs Saturday.
Georgia and Florida are far ahead of the rest of the SEC East, and it would take a few disastrous performances for the winner in Jacksonville to not land in Atlanta during the first weekend of December.
Both teams enter TIAA Bank Field off a bounce-back victory followed by an off week. The Bulldogs have played one less game and possess better defensive numbers.
Kirby Smart's team is the lone SEC side to hold opponents under 100 points. Florida owns the third-best scoring defense in the conference.
In the teams' past two meetings, Georgia limited the Gators to 24 points, and in each of the past four clashes, the losing side failed to reach 20. That suggests a double-digit victory could be in the cards for the sixth straight meeting in northern Florida.
If Georgia wins, it has to earn three more conference victories to claim a spot in Atlanta. One of those games is on the road at Auburn.
After Saturday, Florida only has Vanderbilt and Missouri left on its SEC slate, so it could earn its title game position by November 16.
Florida's status could affect where LSU ends up in the first College Football Playoff ranking Tuesday night. If the Gators defeat Georgia, the committee could value the Tigers' 42-28 triumph over Dan Mullen's side more, which could solidify LSU's grasp on No. 1.
Oregon and Utah may be the direct beneficiaries of a loss by either SEC East squad, as long as they come out on top in Week 10.
The Ducks eked out wins over Washington and Washington State, and Saturday they have to visit the Trojans, who handed Utah its only defeat.
Mario Cristobal's team could be the Pac-12's best playoff hopeful since its defeat occurred to Auburn at a neutral site.
Since falling to the Trojans, Utah has gone 3-0 at home and earned a road win over Oregon State. In those four contests, Kyle Whittingham's team conceded 23 points combined.
If the Utes beat Washington, they would like to have some help from Oregon, which could hand USC its second conference loss.
If that occurs, Utah will have an advantage over the five other squads in the Pac-12 South, and with a light schedule to finish the regular season, it could be headed for a collision with Oregon.
SMU could continue to move up the rankings by beating Memphis, but as we saw with UCF in previous years, the playoff committee may hold the Mustangs at a lower value than the AP Top 25 voters.
That is why an impressive performance on a national stage is vital for Shane Buechele and Co. If SMU dominates one of the other top Group of Five squads, it could leave an impression on the playoff voters.
At minimum, a Mustangs victory would further their case as the top Group of Five team, a competition that could be determined by the American Athletic Conference Championship Game after Appalachian State dropped its first game Thursday.
There is also always a chance for a ranked foe to unexpectedly go down, but the odds are smaller in Week 10, with five of the top 10 teams off.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
