Gophers Move to #8 in Latest CFP Rankings

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The College Football Playoff Rankings just dropped and they get more and more interesting (and important) as the weeks tick by. This week, Minnesota landed at #8, coming in as the 2nd-lowest of all 1-loss teams, who still have a chance to make the playoff (MN | #8, Utah | #6, Alabama | #5, Georgia | #4, Oklahoma | #7, Baylor | #9).

Yeah, the Gophers are probably getting screwed again but, I’ve been on this soap box for weeks now, winning will cure all of that. Obviously, as long as we beat Wisconsin on Saturday, we’re Rose Bowl bound, at the least. Now, if you beat Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship on December 7, then everything gets REAL interesting. IF we win out, beating both Wisconsin and Ohio State over the next two weekends, here’s how the Gophers get into the CFP:

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Recapping Northwestern and previewing GameDay/Wisconsin with Ryan Burns (GopherIllustrated.com)

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Utah still has to play Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship but even if they win, they won’t have 2 straight wins over top-15th teams like the Gophers would, should they win out (Wisconsin, Ohio State). If Utah beats Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship, the committee would have quite the decision on their hands.

Oklahoma plays @ Oklahoma State this weekend, who is ranked in the Top-25. The Big-12 doesn’t have a Conference Championship Game though, so win or lose, I don’t know how they would keep them ahead of the Gophers, after the two big victories they would need to be in this situation.

Georgia and LSU will play each other in the SEC Championship next weekend. As long as LSU wins, Georgia will be out of the conversation. If Georgia wins… well blow up everything.

Alabama will probably be the team that any of these other one-loss schools will be dealing with. They are sitting in the 5-spot right now and, unless another team finds a way to jump them before, they will be the natural team to slide in if Georgia exits.

The College Football Playoff is still very much alive for the Gophers but first, you need to beat Wisconsin on Saturday. As long as you do that and clinch a Rose Bowl birth, everything else is just a bonus.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

PSA: The Gophers also moved up earlier this week in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll, to #9.

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