Another week in the books. Like the previous week, there weren't a ton of ranked matchups this past week. But unlike the previous week, we had several upsets. The Big 12 in particular took a major step back with a couple of unranked losses. The committee released their first CFP rankings, which were generally in line with the polls.

It's disappointing for me to see teams like Texas and Penn State rated so highly simply because of the name on their jersey or the recruiting rating of their players. At least Texas will have the chance to play themselves into (or out of) the field with some tougher conference games. But Penn State could end up in the ideal position (for them) of winning out against scrubs and finishing 11-1... but not making the Big Ten championship game and not having to risk another loss.

Looking ahead to this week, we have two "mini" playoff games: Georgia vs. Ole Miss and Alabama vs. LSU. It's very likely that the loser of each of these games would be eliminated from at-large contention (with the exception of Georgia). Most of the other ranked teams will simply be looking to avoid and embarrassing upset.

1) Oregon (9-0, LW #1, AP #1): Am I convinced Oregon is the best team in the country? Absolutely not. But they have one great win and they're undefeated. If any of the current one-loss SEC teams win out, they could easily end up leap-frogging Oregon.

2) Georgia (7-1, LW #2, AP #2): We'll know if Georgia is "back" after this week (at Ole Miss) and next (Tennessee). They weren't convincing to start the year and looked horrible in the first half against Alabama, but they seemed to flip a switch at halftime. They still fell short in that game, but haven't really been tested since then. On the other hand, they've still looked a bit scruffy at times.

3) Miami (9-0, LW #3, AP #4): Basically on cruise control right now. Their biggest challenge will be maintaining focus against overmatched but motivated opponents.

4) Ohio State (7-1, LW #9, AP #3): The Buckeyes finally got a respectable win (although I remain skeptical about Penn State). The next two weeks should be a breeze and then a surprisingly undefeated Indiana comes to town.

5) BYU (8-0, LW #4, AP #9): Idle last week. Big rivalry game on the road at Utah this week. I've doubted BYU all season but they keep winning.

6) Tennessee (7-1, LW #7, AP #7): Things were a little nervy against Kentucky last week but they ultimately got it done. It will be hard not to look ahead to next week's crucial matchup at Georgia, but the Vols need to keep focus against Mississippi State this week.

7) Notre Dame (7-1, LW #10, AP #10): Their win over Texas A&M lost a little shine this week, but their win at Louisville is looking better after the Cardinals handled Clemson on the road.

8) Alabama (6-2, LW #11, AP #11): Their loss to Vanderbilt is looking less embarrassing with each passing week, and their South Carolina win looks more impressive now after the Gamecocks smashed A&M. Alabama could become a problem in playoff discussions if they pull off a road win at LSU this weekend.

9) Texas A&M (7-2, LW #6, AP #15): The Aggies fell apart against South Carolina. But they can still make the SEC championship game if they get past Auburn and Texas. And their win over LSU could still be valuable in playoff committee discussions.

10) Penn State (7-1, LW #5, AP #6): Penn State was at home against Ohio State but couldn't even get a single offensive touchdown. They don't have a quality win and they won't have an opportunity to get one the rest of the way if they miss out on the Big Ten championship game. Unfortunately, Penn State could quietly sneak into the playoffs without really having to do much.

11) Texas (7-1, LW #14, AP #5): Put any other name on Texas' resume and they are not a top ten team. Let's be real. Their only ranked win is Vanderbilt. Their upcoming schedule against Florida, Arkansas, and Kentucky is not exactly murderer's row, but it won't be a cakewalk either. And then of course they finish at Texas A&M.

12) LSU (6-2, LW #13, AP #14): Idle last week. Bama this week. This is basically their season right here.

13) Indiana (9-0, LW #16, AP #8): The story hasn't changed. Indiana is blowing teams out, but hasn't faced a quality opponent yet. Beating Michigan this week won't really change that narrative. It will all come down to their visit to Ohio State in a couple weeks.

14) SMU (8-1, LW #17, AP #13): SMU absolutely demolished previously unbeaten Pitt. But like Indiana, Pitt hadn't really played anyone good either.

15) Ole Miss (7-2, LW #18, AP #16): Ole Miss has been incredibly inconsistent. They were impressive in crushing Arkansas on the road, but an earlier home loss to Kentucky is a bit confounding. They'll have the chance to defy the critics this week when they host Georgia.

16) Boise State (7-1, LW #19, AP #12): It's simple for Boise State. Win out or likely miss the playoff.

17) Washington State (7-1, LW #20, AP #20): They won't have any more chances to pick up big wins. But if they keep winning and enough teams lose, they just might sneak into the playoff.

18) Iowa State (7-1, LW #8, AP #17): Iowa State just suffered a damaging home loss against Texas Tech. And interestingly enough, Washington State (right above them here) has a win over Texas Tech.

19) Pitt (7-1, LW #12, AP #23): Most of us suspected Pitt was out over their skis as a playoff contender and they proved it against SMU.

20) South Carolina (5-3, LW #23, AP #27): Will their impressive win over Texas A&M give them momentum for the rest of the season? It wouldn't be a shock to see them run the table (Vanderbilt, Missouri, Clemson).

21) Missouri (6-2, LW #22, AP #26): Idle last week

22) Vanderbilt (6-3, LW unranked, AP #24): Decently impressive road win at Auburn. But the schedule gets tougher as they finish with South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee.

23) Louisville (6-3, LW unranked, AP #25): I've been saying that Clemson was overrated and Louisville proved it. The Cardinals have three losses but all are against ranked teams (Notre Dame, SMU, Miami).

24) Kansas State (7-2, LW #15, AP #22): Make no mistake - Houston was a BAD loss. They will probably need to win out now to make the playoff.

25) Army (8-0, LW #25, AP #18): Army has been a nice story so far, but the reality is they have played absolutely no one. If they actually beat Notre Dame in a couple weeks, they would have an argument to be ranked in the top 12 or so. But until then, I'm sticking them here.