The second installment of the CFP rankings is scheduled for Tuesday, and we already know that the Miami Hurricanes will not be in the No. 1 spot this time around. But where will the Hurricanes end up? Top 5? Outside the top 10? Anything is possible with this committee.
With a few more installments remaining, nothing is finalized, and a move down now could turn into a move up when it really matters.
Here's what I believe will happen with Miami and four other teams in the CFP:
Last Week: 1st
AP Rank: 5th
Coaches Rank: 6th
CFP Projection: 7th
As easy as the CFP committee said it was to put the Hurricanes at No. 1 last week, it'll be easier to drop them outside the top 5, so the SEC dance party can truly begin. The Hurricanes' margin of error to get into the CFP is still flexible since they have a two-game lead over Wake Forest, if you include the tiebreaker. Even with tricky games against Duke (CFP Projection: No. 25) and Virginia Tech coming up, Miami should be fine advancing to the ACC Championship Game. The Hurricanes will have to do considerably more to guarantee themselves a first-round bye, and they might need some help.
Last Week: 7th
AP Rank: 8th
Coaches Rank: 8th
CFP Projection: 4th
The SEC dance party is popping with a projection of three of ESPN's favorite conference teams projected to receive first-round byes. I can see Paul Finebaum doing the two-step in my mind right now. When the committee placed Alabama at No. 5 last week, it was a risk, but the Crimson Tide took care of LSU and rewarded them. Now they can go all-in on two-loss SEC teams jumping the field, and if any team is deserving of that privilege, it's Texas. And if we're being honest, I'd put Texas ahead of Alabama, because the Longhorns actually beat Tennessee (CFP Projection: No. 8).
Last Week: 11th
AP Rank: 3rd
Coaches Rank: 3rd
CFP Projection: 6th
Well, here's the really bad news for Miami: Notre Dame has the tiebreaker for that final first-round bye spot if it opens. And the win over the Hurricanes probably gave the Irish the margin of error they needed in case they happen to slip up against SMU (not likely, but possible). Notre Dame should have been higher than 11th last week, but the only thing the committee loves more than drama is the attention that comes with it, and putting the Irish that low gave them both.
Last Week: 12th
AP Rank: 21st
Coaches Rank: 20th
CFP Projection: NR
The Buckeyes looked like they could overcome the Julian Sayin injury for about one quarter, and then it all came apart. Oregon (CFP Projection: No. 14) walked Ohio State down and embarrassed the Buckeyes in their own house. They got some garbage-time touchdowns to make the score look a little more respectable, but the real final score was 38-14, and that's called getting run out of your crib.
Last Week: 18th
AP Rank: 11th
Coaches Rank: 11th
CFP Projection: 15th
The Demon Deacons aren't going to get any credit for beating Merrimack within an inch of its football life, nor should they. Those games shouldn't be scheduled for November. But the committee can't just keep ignoring Wake Forest either. The minimum the Demon Deacons can move up is three spots and that's what the committee will do.
Add us as a preferred source on Google