What to watch during latest CFP rankings reveal: Where does OU football stand?
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The College Football Playoff committee is set to announce its penultimate batch of rankings Tuesday before Sunday’s selection show.
So many questions remain unanswered as conference championship games kick this weekend.
Will Duke defeat Virginia and knock the ACC completely out of the field? Which team will win the American (North Texas or Tulane) and likely punch its ticket as the highest-ranked non-power-league champion?
Bubble teams include Miami, Notre Dame, Texas and Vanderbilt, two of which (the Hurricanes and Longhorns) have spent the past few days pleading their cases to the committee. For Alabama and BYU, it’s a win-and-you’re-in situation. Lose and the two programs will be nervous on Sunday.
Last week, Oklahoma was ranked No. 8 and in position to host a playoff game. Does the Sooners’ sloppy offensive play against LSU and some national narratives shift where they’re slotted?
Here are some things to watch for Tuesday when the latest rankings are unveiled:
Where will OU rank in latest CFP rankings?
The Sooners took care of business against the Tigers last Saturday, no matter how ugly it was.
Bolstered by one of the nation’s best defenses, OU almost assuredly punched its ticket into the 12-team field. But its offensive ineptitudes have many speculating whether it will stay at eighth and if it deserves to host.
“I’d just love an invitation,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “I don’t care if it’s on the road. And I say I don’t care, of course I would love to be here, but I spend no time looking at that and I’m going to fight for this or that. I don’t know. They’re not listening to me. There’s plenty of things to look at for them to make the decisions they make. I’m sure it’s not easy. Wherever they ask us to play, we’ll show up.”
The Sooners will likely be eighth Tuesday, but could potentially be jumped and lose out on hosting a first-round playoff game if Alabama and BYU win their respective conference championships on Saturday.
It’s wait-and-see mode in Norman.
How far does Texas A&M drop after Texas loss?
The Aggies are no longer undefeated.
One of the most significant things to watch during Tuesday’s reveal will be how far Texas A&M drops in Tuesday’s rankings. Below Oregon? Ahead of or below Ole Miss?
Despite winning 11 consecutive games, the Aggies mostly played the bottom of the SEC. Coach Mike Elko’s team avoided Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, OU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, and almost lost to 4-8 South Carolina at home.
The only SEC team included in last week’s ranking that Texas A&M faced this season was the Longhorns, and they lost. However, the Aggies own a strong non-confrence win over Notre Dame.
Will the committee punish Ole Miss following Lane Kiffin’s departure?
Following Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss to LSU, some have mentioned the Rebels could drop in the rankings.
CFP chair Hunter Yurachek said during a teleconference following the release of last week’s rankings that the committee “does not look ahead” and will only evaluate the possibility when there is a change. Those comments came after Yurachek told ESPN the committee had “no data point” regarding how Kiffin’s departure would affect Ole Miss.
How the Rebels’ change from Kiffin to former defensive coordinator Pete Golding becoming the permanent coach will affect the on-field product remains to be seen. Kiffin brought nine Ole Miss coaches and staff members with him to Baton Rouge on Sunday, including offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr.
It’s unlikely the Rebels will fall from where they’re ranked at No. 7 on Tuesday, but history has proved anything can happen in this sport.
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football in CFP race: What to watch in penultimate rankings reveal
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