Associated Press
NEW YORK — Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame and Clemson are the top four teams in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season.
Oklahoma and Ohio State were the next two in the selection committee’s initial top 25, released Tuesday night. The final rankings that will determine the participants in the College Football Playoff semifinals come out Dec. 3.
The University of Washington, a playoff team last season, came in at No. 12 and Washington State just made the rankings at No. 25.
Georgia and Alabama, Southeastern Conference rivals, are both undefeated and have been dominating their competition. The Bulldogs’ one close game was at Notre Dame in September, a 20-19 victory.
The Fighting Irish have not lost since, including blowouts of Michigan State, Southern California and North Carolina State.
Clemson, the defending national champion, and Alabama have been ranked in the initial top four of the by the selection committee each of the last three seasons. The Tigers and Tide played for the last two national titles, with each winning one.
Over the first three seasons of the playoff, a total of five teams have been ranked in the top four of the initial ranking and gone on to reach the semifinals: Florida State (which was second) in 2014; Clemson (first) and Alabama (fourth) in 2015; and Alabama (first) and Clemson (second) in 2016.
The rest of the top 10 was Penn State in seventh, followed by TCU. No. 9 Wisconsin and No. 10 Miami are both undefeated but with no marquee victories.
College Football Playoff Rankings
1. Georgia 8-0
2. Alabama 8-0
3. Notre Dame 7-1
4. Clemson 7-1
5. Oklahoma 7-1
6. Ohio St. 7-1
7. Penn St. 7-1
8. TCU 7-1
9. Wisconsin 8-0
10. Miami 7-0
11. Oklahoma St. 7-1
12. Washington 7-1
13. Virginia Tech 7-1
14. Auburn 6-2
15. Iowa St. 6-2
16. Mississippi St. 6-2
17. Southern Cal 7-2
18. UCF 7-0
19. LSU 6-2
20. NC State 6-2
21. Stanford 6-2
22. Arizona 6-2
23. Memphis 7-1
24. Michigan St. 6-2
25. Washington St. 7-2
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will issue weekly rankings each Tuesday, with the final rankings being announced Sunday, Dec. 3. The playoff semifinals will match the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 4 seed, and No. 2 will face No. 3. The semifinals will be hosted at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2018. The championship game will be played on Jan. 8, 2018 at Atlanta.
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