College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings – Nov. 11

By Kevin Kelley -

The College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings for Nov. 11 have been released and the Mississippi State Bulldogs remained at number one for the third straight week.

Mississippi State is followed by Oregon, Florida State, and TCU. Just outside the top four are Alabama (5th), Arizona State (6th), Baylor (7th), and Ohio State (8th).

“We spent a lot of time discussing the merits of the top teams this week,” said selection committee chairman Jeff Long. “We clearly look at the win/loss record, but we also look beyond the record to other factors indicating overall strength. Our thinking is consistent. Strength of schedule and body of work are important. Week in and week out, we will begin with a fresh look at all the teams and a clean sheet of paper which provides us with new perspective.”

College Football Playoff Rankings (Nov. 11)

1. Mississippi State
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. TCU
5. Alabama
6. Arizona State
7. Baylor
8. Ohio State
9. Auburn
10. Ole Miss
11. UCLA
12. Michigan State
13. Kansas State
14. Arizona
15. Georgia
16. Nebraska
17. LSU
18. Notre Dame
19. Clemson
20. Wisconsin
21. Duke
22. Georgia Tech
23. Utah
24. Texas A&M
25. Minnesota

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will release their Top 25 rankings each week on Tuesday through Dec. 2.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee will announce the Playoff Semifinal pairings and semifinal bowl assignments at 12:45pm ET on ESPN.

At 2:45pm ET on Dec. 7, the committee will announce the Cotton, Fiesta and Peach Bowl pairings, as well as the final top 25 rankings. They will also announce the pairing for the Orange Bowl.

CFP Rankings Release Schedule

  • Nov. 18 – 7pm ET, ESPN2
  • Nov. 25 – 7pm ET, ESPN
  • Dec. 2 – 7pm ET, ESPN
  • Dec. 7 – 12:45pm ET on ESPN (Selection Sunday and Playoff Semifinal teams announced)

Comments (27)

It’s total BS that FSU dropped to third. That’s why the selection committee is worthless.

FSU needs to dominate there games from beginning to end!! The difference between 2&3 is if you’re wearing home jerseys or away jerseys!!

Totally agree with you. I personally think that FSU should still be #1. Because they have won like 25 straight, are the defending National Championships and are still undefeated. You can’t punish them for things that are out of their current control like who they play. They have played beyond without question quality apponents. Good old Jeff Long tonight on ESPN said that the reason Oregon passed FSU is because Oregon has beaten three top 25 teams and FSU hasn’t. However he is dead wrong. FSU has beaten three top 25 teams, Clemson, ND, and A good underrated Louisville team that is every bit as good as Utah but Louisville has a much better defense. The ACC is underrated and is better than the Big10 and pretty close to being as good as PAC12 and Big12. Although Big12 is having a pretty solid year so far but don’t seem to play much defense. ACC is down and doesn’t get wins that look as good because they start low in the rankings and don’t get any love when they do get wins. The ACC currently has teams with records comparable to other conferences. Clemson is currently on a six game win streak and just now getting their starting qb back. Thought loosing early meant something. Honestly, how is MSU KSU ND LSU(3 losses) currently ranked ahead of Clemson. Guess we will just go on a nine game winning streak then win the Orange bowl and end with a 10 game winning streak without any talk as a legit team with the #1 ranked defense. Then we will start next year at 21. And play two SEC teams for OOC and always play FSU. I just think it’s funny that they think loosing a game is better than winning ugly. That’s basically what the committee said by putting Oregon in front of FSU. A Joke Playoff Committee. Absolute joke. Could go on and on with entire 25 rankings as a whole but we’ll start here.

fsu not not being number one is a flat out joke, if the season dont hurry up and end they could go undefeated and still drop weekly to fifth or six, go figure…

Don’t worry, if FSU wins out they’ll be ok. It doesn’t really matter where any of these teams are ranked, only if they win out they will get in. It’s just FSU is not looking that good right now & their opponents are getting worse, I see The U given the Seminoles fits this week but not winning. Not sure if FSU loses one game that any ACC team will get in, Duke will have to jump many slots but their victories against Va.tech, NC & Wake Forest (if they can win them) will not be that appetizing to the committee.

Last year does not matter. I wont be remotely surprised if FSU loses this week, then we can stop caring about them and their pedestrian schedule.

Thanks for pointing that out, I’m tired of the argument that FSU won their last whatever games and are the defending champs. That means and should mean nothing! Only the last nine matter, with no great teams and not looking good at many points of the season.

The last nine do matter and they are 9-0. Better than every other team in the nation but one. Going undefeated and beating everyone on your list is better than not beating everyone even if the other team in this case Oregon may have a slightly better schedule. Clemson Louisville and ND are equally comparable to who Oregon has played but Oregon has lost. Thought listening to the playoff committee was bad but then I have to read your posts. A joke. Just wait FSU on any given day can and will beat every other team in the nation. You guys keep motivating them. Just admit when you are wrong when you see what will happen.

Slightly better? Michigan St, UCLA, and Utah would demolish Clemson or Louisville and beat Notre Dame more than they would lose to them. Can they beat anyone on any given day? Yes, that’s football, but Florida St would have a losing record if their schedule consisted only of teams ranked in the top 10. Maybe I’m wrong and the Florida St team we got used to seeing last year shows up in the Rose Bowl and then again in the Championship, I’ll admit it, but I don’t see it happening.

Mason. Actually you are wrong. It does matter that they won the national championship last year. It shows the caliber of team they are and have been for the last 26 games or so. They haven’t played perfect football this year but with that being said they have found ways to win and haven’t lost when they haven’t played perfect football. The difference btw FSU & Miss st and the rest of the country is, they haven’t lost. Maybe they should have been beaten but they haven’t and still haven’t played their best football. They can physically match up with any team in the nation and have the best qb in the nation whether he is a fan favorite or not due to his off the field issues. Yeah he has thrown some picks early but when the game is on the line he is the best in the business. Yall keep hating but you’re wrong and will find out when they continue to win out.

Gayson. Wrong again. Say what you want. Do remember other people do read this so your credibility is going down quick with that last statement. None of those teams can or would beat Clemson. And we’ll find out about ND next year cause we do play them. Because we will and do play the best in the nation every year. MSU defense can’t hold Clemson’s jockstrap, write that down. Prolly never heard of Deshaun Watson either. Next year the ACC will have the two best Qbs in the nation. Soak that one up.

Louisville is NOT a Top25 team. When it is reported some team defeated a Top25 team, the ranking refers to the CURRENT ranking. (For example, Missouri defeated South Carolina when the Gamecocks were ranked #13. But the Tigers certainly don’t receive credit for defeating a Top25 team now.)

The ACC has the weakest SOS of the P5 conferences. Thus Florida St SOS suffers. That’s how the system works. Duke with only a single loss suffers similarly. Notre Dame getting whipped by Arizona State hurt the entire ACC. The OOC schedules of Duke, NC St and WF hurts the entire ACC SOS. The two ACC losses to ECU, the loss to Akron as well as the loss to Colorado St don’t help. This seasons Fla St-Florida game will not benefit Florida St SOS as it typically would.

But the bottom line is you just want to finish in the Top Four, If the Seminoles win out they will be in the top four.

I see Alabama defeating Miss St and Auburn. Then the Tide will defeat either Mizzo or Georgia in the SEC championship. And Oregon will win out, including defeating Arizona State in Pac-12 championship. Alabama and Oregon will be the top two teams. Florida St winning out, including the ACC championship vs Duke, will be number three. And TCU will be number four. Missi St will play in the Orange Bowl.

Rose: Oregon v Florida St
Sugar: Alabama v TCU

They may have the weakest SOS for the power five confernces but as I have said before that is due to unfair preseason rankings. The preseason rankings set the stage for the entire season. It directly effects it. So yes I can understand that they are said to have the weakest. Doesn’t mean it is accurate. Only way for it to be accurate is to not have rankings until like the forth or fifth week, which will never happen. FSU has played equal competition to Oregon and is undefeated. Doesn’t mean they should pass them. Even Herbstreit, one of college footballs sharpest minds that isn’t a coach, knows Oregon isn’t deserving of that. Because Oklahoma St doesn’t turn out to be as good as thought. Or Florida having a down year. That should hurt FSU. Wrong and wrong again.
What about BC beating USC or VT beating Ohio St. Of course that doesn’t validate the overall parity of the ACC in your eyes but it’s the truth. ACC is much better than people give them credit for. And since everyone’s already counted us out. The ACC still has to play Georgia, SC, & Florida. If we win those games hope people take notice. Georgia is definitely better than people give them credit for and it will be a tough win for GT.

Can anyone find a good reason for the high “jumps” that Georgia and UCLA had this week? I can’t think of any reason. They defeated Kentucky and Washington. Georgia also just lost to Florida in an ugly game the week before. I don’t understand why they rose so much in one week?

Also, why in the heck is Texas A&M ranked? I know the 24 slot doesn’t matter, but now the same team who has one quality win (Auburn) and lost 59-0 (Alabama) stays ranked so past and present teams who beat them get to claim a win over a “ranked” team. An undeserving one. I can’t think of one reason Texas A&M deserves to even be close to the top 25, let alone in the top 25.

I like to give the committee a break and some recognition but these moves baffle me!

I can understand why Georgia moved up but not UCLA. Georgia is in the SEC (beat conf),passes the eye test with flying colors and will be getting Gurly back this coming week. Not to mention they beat a good Clemson team and still have to play GT. All you SEC haters how about that OOC.
I definitely don’t think UCLA is deserving of where they are. They deserve to be ranked right in front of A&M but not in top 25. I am Not up for giving the committee the slightest break. They all signed up for this and may have needed to think about it just a little more. I personally don’t think they are all qualified and I know they are not capable of watching all games. Last Saturday there were four top 25 games going on at the same time. You can’t realistically evaluate and rate teams with four games going on at once. Not to mention I don’t believe they truly know how to break down film and be able to discriminate between two teams. Do they really know what to look for? Because at this level it is a very fine line. I personally believe they want to see the SEC and PAC12 ranked as two best conferences. So they get high preseason rankings and don’t move when they loose and jump when they win. The SEC is deserving and on a different level than the other four conferences.

What???!!!! Georgia passes the “eye test” with “flying colors”? Got to say it again Patrick, you’re spot on. Georgia passes with flying colors, they’re only loses are to a solid Florida team and to a top notch South Carolina squad, but have the solid win against Missouri who just two weeks earlier lost at home to National contender Indiana. Could you please share with us all where you buy your sun glasses? Enjoy your notes and comments, but please…..

As long as FSU stays undefeated, including winning the ACC Cahmpionship game, they will be in the 4 team playoff. If they lose to Miami Saturday night, they will more than likely drop down to 9 or 10, or even out of the Top 10.

And all that would do is prove what a joke the committee is and has been so far. It is early but I expected more.

@Paritck Ryan…that’s all you do is criticize other peoples posts and the committee rankings, and cherry pick the data to fit your pseudo-analysis WITHOUR providing how you might rank teams.

So what are “your” Top25 rankings at this point of the season? And forecasting how the remainder of the season might unfold, what are your projected rankings for the end of the season.

And why do you link your name to fbschedules? Are you an intern?

Miss St, FSU, Alabama, Oregon, TCU, ASU, Auburn, Baylor, Ohio St, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Georgia, Clemson, Arizona, ND, MSU, Duke, KSU, GT, UCLA, Minnesota, LSU, Louisville, Utah.
I am very confident about the first five. I do think defense has been fairly poor for both TCU and ASU. That’s where I think they would struggle the most with other teams that are just more physically talented and deeper overall on O-Line and D-Line.

I do criticize people’s comments and they are welcome to criticize mine. Let’s just all try to speak how we feel and not try to get under each other’s skin with ridiculous comments tho.

So those are my top 25. I think Clemson is a top team now that they are getting Deshaun Watson back and with the defense they have. Blame it all on our schedule and the offenses that we have played if want. More than welcome to feel that way doesn’t mean you’re right. With more time and research I think I could better accurately rank the teams. Of the two loss teams Clemson is the best- 6 game winning streak without starting qb and number 2 overall defense. Other things to take into account other than just what a team wins by.

New to the whole “on the line” stuff. Haha. If I’m gonna make posts and comments I’m gonna use my name and not shy away.

Anyone else wanna share their top 25. Love to read some more views.

FSU for the first time may have all their backs ready.

How many people realize TCU is really only one play away from being Undefeated? They (Coach Patterson) made a poor decision right before halftime against Baylor in attempting to punt instead of running down the clock and leaving Baylor poor field position if they failed to make their first down. The failed punt attempt resulted in an over snap of the punter and left Baylor great field position and 1 second left prior to half time that resulted in a successful field goal. That one simple mistake is the different between no loses and one lose. Good teams find ways to win, period. At the end of the day, no matter what conference, the best teams will rise to the top and should be judge on their record and not “what ifs” or “they’re in “that” conference”.

I would like to know how many of those committee members have taken the time to actually watch the teams play. I bet none of them has even watched one Marshall game. Even if they are in the Conference USA their margin of victory is more impressive than FSU’s numerous come from behind wins. Until they have a playoff system that includes all conferences there will be controversy coming from those that have actually watched the games from all of the conferences.

Don’t go comparing Marshall and FSU. Have you not been watching FSU the last 26 games. Best team in the business. Everyone needs to quit examining things that are meaningless. The overall level of play is not equal thru all conferences. Far from it however it is getting better. Depth speed strength size. Hard to see all that without watching actual film and watching games live in person. And FSU has all of them. But don’t get me wrong evey once in a while a team like Marshall could compete with FSU. FSU just has the “it” factor and when the game is on the line they are the best and have been for a long time. Miami is a good team and only getting better sure hope FSU gets recognized for being a complete team. Winning all of your games is/should be more important than not winning all of your games. Especially if you are in one of the P5’s. At this point in the season I would make a case for any team that they should have a right to be #1 if they were undefeated. Especially if they are only taking four.

Yeah, I agree. FSU knows how to win games, bottom line. Not sure if Marshall is in the same league as FSU & if they are how much would they get beat by? Remember 2012 when they put N.Illinois in a bowl with FSU & lost 31-10. Marshall come from behind wins are properly a little different then FSU’s. Not sure if Marshall could keep up with Louisville or Miami speed. Marshall is doing great this year & I take nothing away from that.