Ohio State will go into championship weekend as the top team in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings, followed by LSU, Clemson and Georgia.
Utah was fifth, Oklahoma sixth and Baylor seventh in the committee’s second-to-last top 25 released Tuesday.
The final rankings that set the pairings for the national semifinals come out Sunday after each FBS conference plays a championship game this weekend.
The most pivotal games will be LSU-Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game; Oklahoma-Baylor in the Big 12 championship; and Utah-Oregon — 13th this week — for the Pac-12 title Friday night.
Wisconsin was eighth, followed by Florida and Penn State rounding out the top 10. Alabama was 12th, its lowest ranking in the six years of the committee rankings.
The playoff semifinals match the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 4 seed, and No. 2 will face No. 3. The semifinals will be hosted at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 28. The championship game will be played on Jan. 13, 2020 at New Orleans.
1. Ohio St. 12-0
2. LSU 12-0
3. Clemson 12-0
4. Georgia 11-1
5. Utah 11-1
6. Oklahoma 11-1
7. Baylor 11-1
8. Wisconsin 10-2
9. Florida 10-2
10. Penn St. 10-2
11. Auburn 9-3
12. Alabama 10-2
13. Oregon 10-2
14. Michigan 9-3
15. Notre Dame 10-2
16. Iowa 9-3
17. Memphis 11-1
18. Minnesota 10-2
19. Boise St. 11-1
20. Cincinnati 10-2
21. Appalachian St. 11-1
22. Southern Cal 8-4
23. Virginia 9-3
24. Navy 9-2
25. Oklahoma St. 8-4