Post-Week 11 College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Shaq Lawson, Clemson

College football is a notoriously crazy sport, but as we closed Week 11, we were finally gaining a clearer view on the College Football Playoff. Sure, the final couple weeks of this year are going to be insane (particularly in the Big 12), but it appears we have a strong group of teams vying for a Playoff berth. Here is where the Playoff pictures stands after an interesting eleventh week of the 2015-2016 season:

The Four

1 Clemson Tigers
The Tigers, who have topped the College Football Playoff rankings each of the past two weeks, were far from dominant against Syracuse this past weekend. Even so, they still managed to pull ahead and notch another victory to improve to a flawless 10-0 on the year. Overall, Clemson's resume is as strong and impressive as any in the nation, hence the No. 1 ranking. Notre Dame continuing to win only helps Clemson (who managed to beat the Irish by 2) and if Florida State were to win out, which would mean beating Florida, it would only further help out the Tigers. Another thing that could help strengthen Clemson's claim to the No. 1 spot: the play of North Carolina. The Tar Heels are on an absolute tear and are likely to come out of the ACC Coastal 11-1. Beating them in the ACC Championship game will just add yet another big win to Clemson and Dabo Swinney's resume.

2 Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama heard the questions about their program, loud and clear. Was the Alabama "dynasty" under Nick Saban finally coming to an end? Was their reign of terror over college football coming to an inevitable close? Well, not yet. The Tide have beat up on their two biggest competitors in the SEC West over the past two weeks, pummeling LSU and Leonard Fournette, and blowing out Mississippi State. Alabama's defense, led by a number of future NFL contributors (Reggie Ragland, A'Shawn Robinson, Eddie Jackson, to name a few) has been absolutely insane since a mysteriously poor night against Ole Miss earlier in the year. Though, just as important has been the play of Alabama's offense, particularly Derrick Henry, who has played his way into the forefront of the Heisman conversation. This team is staring to look like the typical Alabama team: a well-built, powerful team with a stud back and a scary defense. For the rest of the nation, that is a very, very bad thing.

3 Ohio State Buckeyes
J.T. Barrett's arrest weeks ago for operating while intoxicated could very well have derailed Ohio State's Playoff hopes. Instead, the Buckeyes managed to win with Cardale Jones under center once more, and played superb in Barrett's return to action this week (he served just a one week suspension). Along with Barrett, running back Ezekiel Elliott has put up insane numbers lately and has pushed himself into serious Heisman conversation, while the Buckeyes have been stout defensively. Up next? A huge meeting with Michigan State, that could well decide the Big Ten East and could completely change the Playoff outlook for the Big Ten.

4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Even with injuries galore, Notre Dame is still in great position to make their first ever Playoff appearance. Their lone loss on the year is a close road loss to the nation's top team, and they have built themselves a strong resume. The Irish own wins over Texas, Georgia Tech and a suddenly relevant Navy team. They could round out their reason in a big way against Stanford, which looked like a possible Playoff play-in game before the Cardinal went out and lost this past week to Oregon. Even so, the Playoff Committee has to respect a team that has had so much success even with injuries to their starting quarterback, running back and more.

Next Four Out

Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Big 12 race has changed completely on it's head these past couple weeks, and it will continue to be interesting down the stretch. Not only did Oklahoma beat Baylor this past week, Oklahoma State responded well after their upset of TCU two weeks ago. That leaves the Cowboys as the lone undefeated in the conference, and likely the best hope for a Playoff berth for the Big 12, which of course missed out on the Playoff altogether last year. Mason Rudolph and J.W. Walsh lead one of the nation's most exciting offenses, but the big reason for the rise of Oklahoma State this season has been a strong defense, led by stud defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. That defense will have to play well in these next two weeks, which include meetings with Baylor and Oklahoma. The good news is that both those games are going to be in Stillwater. If Oklahoma State manages to win out, there should be no doubt they are in.

Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes remain perhaps the most intriguing team in the thick of the Playoff race. They have yet to lose on the year, but don't exactly have a resume stocked with huge wins. Victories against Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Northwestern are solid, but they pale in comparison to some other teams in the Playoff hunt. Even so, Iowa should win out (although a Friday night battle with Nebraska could be tough) until they reach a Big Ten Championship game. Depending on what happens there, they could come out as the top team from inside the conference. With a smart, methodical offense, led by stud back Jordan Canzeri, Iowa very well could surprise some people down the stretch.

Oklahoma Sooners
Entering the year, there was some serious questions about the state of the Oklahoma program. The Sooners were coming off an 8-5 year, and had a number of issues on their team. All they've done is respond with a 9-1 start to the year, which now includes victories over Tennessee and Baylor. Sure, the Sooners' loss to Texas earlier in the year hurts, but they looked like the vastly superior team against Baylor this past week. Star quarterback Baker Mayfield has entrenched himself in the Heisman conversation, and the defense looked wonderful against the Bears. Much like Oklahoma State, that defense will have to play well down the stretch as dates with TCU and State could very well push the Sooners into the Playoff if they can win out.

Florida Gators
Very quietly, Florida just keeps on winning. Sure, it is hard to really know what you are getting out of the Gators. They first came on the scene with a last second victory against Tennessee that they followed up by dominating an Ole Miss team that we now recognize as clearly overrated. Their shutdown defense, headed by future NFL cornerback Vernon Hargreaves has been terrific but the offense has slumped down the stretch. That has led to some scary close meetings with teams they have no business losing to (Vandy!). Though, still with just one loss, the Gators could be an intriguing player down the stretch. If they beat Florida State in the regular season finale, they could add a strong victory to their resume. Then, a win over Alabama in the SEC Championship Game could possibly even push them into the Playoff.

Others in the Mix
Stanford Cardinal
Michigan State Spartans
North Carolina Tar Heels
Michigan Wolverines
Baylor Bears
TCU Horned Frogs
Houston Cougars

Post-Week Seven College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Corey Coleman, Baylor

Week Seven was easily the most important week of the 2015-2016 college football season to this point. It pitted a number of Top 25 schools and Playoff contenders against each other, saw a variety of upsets, and overall got us closer to a Final Four group of schools that will be squaring off in the second annual College Football Playoff. Here is what the Playoff picture looks like as the season rages on:

The Four

1 Ohio State Buckeyes
While absolute chaos has been going on behind them, Ohio State just keeps on winning. Sure, they aren't exactly blowing out every opponent like some thought they might have when the year began, but they played a very complete game this Saturday against Penn State. The Ohio State quarterback situation continues to be unclear; J.T. Barrett may have a shot at taking over the starting gig full time, but even so, the weapons around them are pretty incredible. After his shocking debut against Virginia Tech, Braxton Miller has found consistency, Zeke Elliott is on a tear and the defense looks stout. The Buckeyes look like they should roll through their next three opponents before meetings with Michigan and Michigan State.

2 Utah Utes
Things have been absolutely crazy on the West Coast this year but there has been one constant: Utah winning. The Utes didn't exactly dominate Arizona State yesterday but the Sun Devils aren't a bad football team and Utah did look impressive pulling away to a 34-18 win. Back Devontae Booker continues to put up big numbers on the ground, and there is no denying just how impressive Utah has been defensively all year. While Michigan's loss slightly hurt Utah's resume, it still might be the most complete resume in the nation, with wins against the Wolverines, Utah State, Cal and Oregon.

3 Baylor Bears
West Virginia was the first significant "test" for Baylor on the year and the Bears didn't have much troubles with Dana Holgorsen's team. Offense has always been the name of the game for Baylor, but this year they have taken it to another notch. They are putting up record-setting numbers, with an offense that includes Seth Russell, Shock Linwood and Corey Coleman. I'm not completely sold on Baylor being a complete contender yet (they still have a long ways to go defensively) but they have been good enough to get a spot in the Playoff.

4 TCU Horned Frogs
We know this: two Big 12 teams are not going to make the Playoff. TCU and Baylor are both undefeated at the moment but they will eventually meet and one will knock the other out of the race, it inevitable. But, for now both have done enough to get a spot in the field, particularly with the constant shake up near the top of the polls surrounding Ohio State. For the second straight week, TCU got off to a relatively slow start but dominated down the stretch against Iowa State. But, TCU has a decent resume at the moment, with solid wins over Texas, Texas Tech and albeit struggling, Minnesota.

Next Four Out

LSU Tigers
I'll be honest, entering the year, I would not expect LSU to be the last remaining undefeated in the SEC. Sure, the talent in Baton Rouge was undeniable but youth and quarterback questions were sure to rough up the Tigers this year, right? So far, it hasn't. Tasked with their toughest defense seen all year, LSU's inconsistent offense outdueled Florida, putting up 35 points, behind the typically powerful running of Leonard Fournette, but also the play of Brandon Harris, who had his most complete showing off the year at QB. More good news for LSU: beyond Alabama, who is left on their schedule that could really trip them up?

Clemson Tigers
The Tigers are in a weird, but almost envious position. They sit undefeated at the moment and while they aren't seen widely as a Playoff team, they can sit back for the most part and watch chaos unfold in front of them, because their remaining schedule is far from scary. Sure, Florida State is going to be a challenge but other than that, Clemson may breeze through their upcoming slate. The constant worry around the program is that they are going to go out and lose a game they shouldn't, something that is all to familiar for them, but this year's team is different. They have great leadership and impressive depth and talent on both sides of the ball.

Michigan State Spartans
It may well go down as one of the craziest finishes in the history of the sport, right up there with the Kick Six and so many other improbable finishes. Michigan punter Blake O'Neill fumbled a routine snap that would have sealed a win for the Wolverines, and it fell right into MSU's hands, who promptly returned it to win in a crazy, wild, fantastic rivalry game. While the win was exciting and it preserved Michigan State's undefeated mark, there are still questions about this team. The offense looked completely over matched for much of the game and if not for bizarre finishes the past couple of weeks, the Spartans might have multiple losses. Yet, they are still in the mix, and now own a pretty nice resume booster by beating Michigan.

Alabama Crimson Tide
Following their second consecutive loss to Ole Miss and heading into a tough matchup with Georgia, questions began to emerge about the state of the Alabama program. Was the Nick Saban dynasty, that had run all over the rest of the college football world, over? The Tide have answered that question quite simply? No, it is not. They went out and bullied Georgia and only further impressed by handling Texas A&M. A win against LSU down the stretch and Alabama becomes the favorite in the SEC once more, something that would certainly get quite a bit of recognition from the Playoff Committee.

Others in the Mix
Florida State Seminoles
Stanford Cardinal
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Iowa Hawkeyes
Michigan Wolverines
Florida Gators
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Memphis Tigers
Oklahoma Sooners
Texas A&M Aggies
Pittsburgh Panthers

Post-Week Five College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Devontae Booker

It may be a crazy thought, but we are already reaching the halfway point of the 2015-2016 college football campaign. And, while the year has been exciting it has missed one crucial element: an elite team. Neither Ohio State nor Michigan State is playing well, and Ole Miss went on the road and was blown out by No. 25 Florida. Even so, there are still a number of teams that have a claim to the College Football Playoff. Here is what the Playoff picture looks like after Week 5:

The Four

1 Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes went on the road this past week and got yet another close scare from a team that is far from a contender. Sure, Indiana is 4-0 and they played very well, but the Buckeyes play so far this season has been incredibly worrying. Though, even without a very impressive resume, Ohio State is the top team in the nation right now, only because nobody else has proven they are any better. Ezekiel Elliott continues to lead a ground attack that has been terrific but the quarterback situation is worrying. Neither Cardale Jones nor J.T. Barrett have played extremely well and Ohio State's combined QBR is the lowest of any unbeaten. Is Ohio State this year's version of the 2014 Florida State team? Maybe, but winning out in a Power Five conference should still land you a spot somewhere in the four.

2 TCU Horned Frogs
The stock of TCU is rising quickly right now. The Horned Frogs blew out Texas, 50-7 and already own wins against quality opponents in Texas Tech and Minnesota. But, it is hard to really get a sense on just how good the Horned Frogs are. The offense is rolling, with quarterback Trevone Boykin and wide receiver Josh Doctson putting up insane numbers. But, the defense continues to be plagued by inconsistency and youth and the Big 12 is the type of conference that feeds on any defensive deficiencies. Even with some questions, TCU remains a strong Playoff team and a viable No. 1 candidate (for the team being) if Ohio State topples.

3 Michigan State Spartans
While TCU's stock is rising, Michigan State's stock is going in the complete opposite direction. Their claim to a Playoff spot, a win over Oregon, has looked increasingly less impressive throughout the past few weeks. And then the Spartans went out and looked very sluggish against a really bad Purdue team, winning just 24-21 and needing a last minute stop. Their play lately has been worrying, but MSU still appears to be a formidable force in the Big Ten. They've just plain beat who they have supposed to, and been able to survive and move up with losses in front of them. Though, unless the Spartans add some more to their resume they could easily be thrown out of the equation, especially with a loss to Ohio State down the road.

4 Utah Utes
UCLA's loss this past Saturday to Arizona State made one thing clear: Utah is the frontrunner in the Pac-12. The Utes victory over Michigan to open the year continues to look better and better (although that Michigan team was far from the one that is tearing things up right now) and they own a huge blowout victory over Oregon. They could only add to a strong resume by beating the only other remaining unbeaten in the conference: California. Behind a powerful rushing attack and a disciplined defense, Utah has what it takes to get it done.

Next Four Out

Baylor Bears
Even five weeks into the season it is tough to get a read on Baylor. They haven't had a close game and looked fantastic this past week against Texas Tech, but it is hard to really get excited about their schedule so far this season. Lamar, SMU, Rice and Texas Tech aren't exactly college football heavyweights, and beating them by five touchdowns doesn't prove much. Even so, Baylor's offense has been on fire this season and the defense has shown plenty of consistency. As long as the Bears keep winning, they should pose a decent case to the committee.

LSU Tigers
Not surprisingly, LSU came away with a victory over Eastern Michigan, behind the powerful running of back Leonard Fournette, who continues to pound opposing defenses. Even with the victory, there are some concerns surrounding the Tigers. Sophomore Brandon Harris has improved at quarterback but is still incredibly inconsistent and lacks the ability to stretch the field. That has made the offense completely one-dimensional (as it was last year), which is extremely worrying. Even so, LSU has a strong enough resume at this point in the season to warrant serious Playoff consideration, with wins over Mississippi State and Auburn.

Clemson Tigers
The constant criticism around the Clemson program has been that they choke games away and can never win the big ones. While, neither of those things happened this past Saturday, at home in muddy and rainy Death Valley against Notre Dame. Although Deshaun Watson was far from as great as we hoped (in what many saw as a Heisman statement possibility for the sophomore) the ground attack was great and the defense was wonderful. Brent Venables, despite severe losses on the defensive side of the ball, continues to lead a fearless unit that should keep the Tigers in every game they play. But, Clemson's closing act against Notre Dame, as they very nearly let the game slip away. This was a very big win for the team, but the Tigers haven't had a game where they've truly looked like a complete Playoff team yet, making this just out of the equation as of right now.

Alabama Crimson Tide
How did Alabama respond with the No. 13 ranking and being an underdog against undefeated Georgia? By dominating the Bulldogs on the road behind a dominant defensive performance and a big day from Derrick Henry. Even better for the Tide was quarterback Jake Coker had probably his best showing of the year, even with a depleted receiver corps to throw to. While Ole Miss' loss to Florida this past Saturday didn't help the Tide, Alabama has made it clear they are still a team to be reckoned with as we head on to the second half of the regular season.

Others in the Mix
Florida State Seminoles
Texas A&M Aggies
Florida Gators
Oklahoma Sooners
Northwestern Wildcats
UCLA Bruins
Michigan Wolverines
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Ole Miss Rebels
Georgia Bulldogs
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Stanford Cardinal
USC Trojans
California Golden Bears

Post-Week Four College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Cardale Jones

We are now a month into the 2015-2016 college football season and we have begun to clearly separate the contenders from the pretenders. Oregon, Auburn and USC? Yeah, they were a little bit overrated. UCLA, Utah and LSU? They appear to have been way undervalued entering the season. With that in mind, here is what the College Football Playoff would look like if the season ended right now:

The Four

1 Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans actually did not have a great Saturday. Sure, they handled Central Michigan by nearly three scores, and didn't seem to have any problems doing it. But, the main reason why MSU is widely viewed as a Playoff team four weeks into the year is because of their victory over Oregon a couple weeks ago. Although it was just a three-point win and it was at home, it appeared to be the type of win that proved the Spartans were legit. Though, Oregon was smashed on Saturday by Utah, losing at home 62-20 in a type of loss that we hadn't seen Oregon suffer since before the Chip Kelly era. Even so, Michigan State is helped by the fact not many of the top contenders entering this season are playing very well. Right now, Michigan State has been strong enough to hold on to their top spot, and should roll before their October 17th meeting with arch-rival Michigan.

2 Ohio State Buckeyes
A week after getting all they could handle from Northern Illinois, Ohio State continued their run on their schedule through Non-Power Five schools against Western Michigan. Unlike their uninspired performance against NIU, the Buckeyes didn't have any trouble with the Broncos, winning handily 38-12. Cardale Jones has had his moments but is still suffering from major consistency issues. Though, Ohio State is still getting into the groove of things and beating Indiana this next week in their Big Ten opener impressively could go a long way in proving this team is a clone of last year's national champ.

3 TCU Horned Frogs
TCU's conference opener was a classic Big 12 shootout. Although the Horned Frogs' victory might have ended up on a lucky play (the ball bouncing off receiver Josh Doctson's hands and into back Aaron Green's hands with just moments to play) the win came against a Texas Tech team that is worlds better than last year's 4-8 squad. TCU's defense is extremely youthful still, so it is not surprising that they struggled against the Red Raiders' air raid attack. Even so, it was very fun to see Trevone Boykin and the TCU offense doing what they did all of last season, when they rolled to a 12-1 mark. While some may look at a close win over Texas Tech as a negative, I think it adds a nice, solid win to TCU's resume, which now includes road wins against Minnesota and TTU.

4 Ole Miss Rebels
Much like TCU, Ole Miss opened their conference schedule up this past weekend. Sure, Vanderbilt pales in comparison to Texas Tech, but it was still significant that the Rebels didn't fall apart a week after their huge win over Alabama. Chad Kelly continues to put up huge numbers and may be a serious name in the Heisman conversation, while the rest of the offense has also proven to be awfully explosive. With that huge win over 'Bama still on their resume, the Rebels have done enough to be part of the top four.

Next Four Out

LSU Tigers
Leonard Fournette continues his race towards the Heisman, leading the way for the Tigers. He ran for 244 yards and two touchdowns, pummeling a Syracuse defense that was no match for the bruising tailback. If the sophomore back continues to run the way he has been, it is extremely tough not to recognize the Tigers as one of the nation's top teams. Mississippi State nor Auburn are top tier SEC teams but they are still quality wins that show the Tigers are clearly something to be reckoned with.

Baylor Bears
It is pretty amazing that Baylor notched 70 points this past Saturday and it almost seemed normal. Sure, Rice doesn't have a fantastic defense, but the Bears' offense has looked as good as ever this year, with back Shock Linwood and much more leading the way. While lighting up the scoreboard was significant perhaps more important was the way Baylor's defense. Again, it is hard to get overly excited about shutting down Rice, but the Bears defense looked as disciplined and great as ever.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
It is still hard to gauge just how good the Irish are at this point. Sure, having any type of success with the amount of injuries the Irish have had (QB, back and a number of important defensive contributors) is impressive. But, are the Irish really a Playoff contender? A dominating victory over Texas doesn't look very nice, and Georgia Tech's loss to Duke this Saturday makes that eight-point victory a lot less impressive. Though, a win this past week against Clemson would certainly make a statement this Irish team is a serious contender.

Utah Utes
There was a lot of hype entering the season about the Pac-12 South. Both Arizona schools were coming off big years and the two teams in Los Angeles, UCLA and USC, looked ready to compete for the conference crown. Then there was Utah. They were coming off a 8-5 year and looked look a solid team entering the year, but probably not a serious contender. Suddenly, that has all changed. First, the Utes outplayed Michigan start to finish (who has looked fantastic ever since) and then had their coming out party this weekend. They punished Oregon 62-20 on the road, led beyond back Devontae Booker. While it is still too early in the year to overlook into one win, the Utes have proven that, along with UCLA, they are the class of the Pac-12.

Others in the Mix
Georgia Bulldogs
UCLA Bruins
Clemson Tigers
Florida State Seminoles
Texas A&M Aggies
Alabama Crimson Tide
Oklahoma Sooners
USC Trojans
Michigan Wolverines
Northwestern Wildcats
Stanford Cardinal
Wisconsin Badgers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
West Virginia Mountaineers

Post-Week Three College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Connor Cook

The third week of a still fresh college football season was easily the year's craziest. An unimpressive showing by Ohio State against a MAC school, a loss by Alabama and plenty of big wins for teams in the Playoff hunt made it a very pivotal week concerning the Playoff. Here are what the Playoff should look like as we near the end of September:

The Four

1 Michigan State Spartans
A brand new team sits atop the Playoff power rankings, following two straight uninspired performances by Ohio State. The Spartans didn't absolutely crush Air Force this past week, but still played a complete game and showed their offense was one to be feared. Most important, Michigan State owns perhaps the nation's top non-conference victory with that victory over Oregon and they haven't been significantly challenged. With a number of top heavyweights starting the season off slow, that is enough for now.

2 Ohio State Buckeyes
Certainly, there has to be some worry about Urban Meyer's football team. Easy wins against Virginia Tech and Hawaii to begin the year didn't show the whole story (that the team was far from dominant in either) and then there was this week. The Buckeyes were held to less than 300 yards of offense and turned the ball over constantly in a slim victory over a decent Northern Illinois team. That performance has left the quarterback position a problem, and after a flaming hot start, Braxton Miller has cooled off significantly at H-back. Even so, the talent up and down this roster and the fact that the team is still flawless is enough to anchor them in the top four.

3 Ole Miss Rebels
People were quick to overreact after Ole Miss' victory over Alabama a season ago, pushing them to the top of AP polls and digging them as a legit Playoff contender. Injuries and more contributed to the downfall of a 9-4 team, but realistically they shouldn't have been ranked as high as they were. This season, the Rebels are coming off a huge win over Alabama, but this one was much more impressive. Even on the road, with a young quarterback in Chad Kelly, Ole Miss promptly took down the Tide and forced five turnovers. Sure, there were some lucky breaks and the Tide's offense was nowhere to be found for much of the game but it was a statement victory. Paired with two punishing victories over much lesser opponents to begin the season and Ole Miss should get the attention they deserve this year.

4 TCU Horned Frogs
Quietly, TCU just keeps on winning. Sure, they aren't putting up 82 points on the scoreboard, but they have shown of offensive firepower in consecutive weeks against Stephen F. Austin and SMU. Though, what is hurting the Horned Frogs right now is that their signature win, Minnesota, has been very unimpressive to begin the year. The Gophers, who TCU beat by just six, have barely survived against inferior competition, with three-point victories over Colorado State and Kent State. That means that for now, TCU is a fringe Playoff team, instead of a lock.

Next Four Out

LSU Tigers
While the Alabama-Ole Miss tilt was certainly the biggest game of the week for the SEC West, LSU's dominating win over Auburn was definitely important as well. Beyond the powerful running of Leonard Fournette, who has thrust himself into the Heisman spotlight, the Tigers obliterated the visiting Tigers. Sure, Auburn is far from the team that many picked to win the SEC, but is was still a powerful showing for an LSU team that has begun the year with two straight SEC victories.

Baylor Bears
The Bears had a bye this past week, getting an off week before a meeting with Rice and then a trip to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech to begin their Big 12 slate. A resume with wins over SMU and Lamar isn't exactly ideal for Baylor, but the Bears haven't really had an off week and the Big 12 will get them numerous chances to strut their stuff. The offense appears to have not missed a beat, even with the graduation of QB Bryce Petty.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish 
Are the Irish this year's Ohio State? Even without their starting quarterback and running back, the Fighting Irish managed to hang on and take down a surging Georgia Tech team. Quarterback DeShone Kizer had some ups-and-downs but back C.J. Prosise proved he could be the playmaker in the backfield the offense needed, with three total touchdowns. Though, the big story was on the defensive side of the ball, where the Irish continue to play terrific. A home game against UMass will be a welcome break for the Irish before their brutal schedule picks up again with a trip to Clemson.

Georgia Bulldogs
The SEC West has already begun to beat itself up, but the Bulldogs have emerged as the clear cut favorites to take over the Eastern side of the league. That was only further indicated this past week, with a terrific showing against a South Carolina team that just looked overmatched. Nick Chubb continues to race his way towards a Heisman, with another dominating performance. Though, what was most refreshing for the Bulldogs was the big day from quarterback Greyson Lambert. After a pedestrian start to the year, Lambert exploded for 330 yards and three touchdowns. If the Georgia passing game can continue to play well, this offense becomes extremely tough to stop.

Others in the Mix
Oregon Ducks
Clemson Tigers
Florida State Seminoles
Alabama Crimson Tide
UCLA Bruins
Oklahoma Sooners
Texas A&M Aggies
Arizona Wildcats
Utah Utes
USC Trojans
Wisconsin Badgers
Stanford Cardinal
Missouri Tigers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Northwestern Wildcats

Post-Week Two College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Trevone Boykin

Week Two of the 2015-2016 college football season saw one of the top games of the year, Oregon against Michigan State, in a game that did not disappoint, and the week also boosted a flurry of upsets or near upsets. After an interesting week, there was sure to be some shaking up in the polls. As we continue into mid-September here is what the College Football Playoff field should look like as of now:

The Four 

1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State took care of business at home this past Saturday, easily cruising past Hawaii, 38-0. Sure, the Rainbow Warriors are far from a serious threat, but this team did beat Colorado a week ago and is led by USC transfer Max Wittek at quarterback. The win begins a long stretch of really cupcake games for the Buckeyes, which has led to some open criticism about their schedule from media and coaches alike. Although that could certainly be a question down the line when it comes to seeding and more, Ohio State has given us no clear reason not to put them at No.1.

2 Alabama Crimson Tide
It was pretty much an off week for Alabama, who dominated Middle Tennesee in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Derrick Henry had three touchdowns for the second consecutive week, meaning he could well be the Heisman frontrunner (although you wonder how much that means at this point in the year), while Jake Coker continues to lead the offense at quarterback. Unlike Ohio State though, the Crimson Tide begin what will turn out to a brutal stretch, as they open SEC play against Ole Miss. A win there, with two wins against ranked teams, could give the Tide quite the claim to the top spot in all of the land.

3 TCU Horned Frogs
Questions arose about TCU following a pretty sloppy offensive performance against Minnesota on the road two weeks ago, in which they just managed 23 points. Then, they went out and put up 70 on the board, easily handling FCS foe Stephen F. Austin. Sure, the Lumberjacks aren't exactly a great football team, but it was still very reassuring for Horned Frogs' fans to see the offense rolling, behind the huge arm of Trevone Boykin, who had four touchdowns. TCU gets a road meeting with a motivated SMU team next week, before Big 12 play opens.

4 Michigan State Spartans
No team's stock increased as much as Michigan State this week, who came away with a huge victory against seventh-ranked Oregon in a primetime duel. Offensively, the team played very strong, posting 31 points and letting QB Connor Cook take advantage of a weak Oregon secondary. On the defensive side of the ball, the Spartans also played well, limiting the big play and containing the Ducks' offense for the most part. Even though it was at home, this win adds a major victory to the Spartans' resume and one that certainly will give the team momentum going forward.

Next Four Out

Baylor Bears
For the second straight week, the Bears started slow out of the gates, being tied with Lamar pretty deep into the second quarter. Though, once again the Bears turned on the jets and came away with a blowout victory. While it looks nice on the stat sheet, nobody is going to be impressed by a big win against Lamar. Unfortunately though, the Bears can't change their non-conference slate right now, they just have to go out and do the best they can and impress the Playoff Committee.

USC Trojans
Much like a number of other undefeated teams at this point in the year, USC hasn't really had a chance to prove themselves against stellar competition. Though, the Trojans have certainly still found ways to impress, capped by a 50-point walloping of lowly Idaho this week. Big armed quarterback Cody Kessler continues to put up huge numbers and the speedy quick USC defense continues to shut down opponents.

Oregon Ducks
Even with the tough loss to Michigan State, Oregon's stock might have also took a major boost this week. The Ducks played very well against the Spartans despite having an experienced (at least in the Oregon system) Vernon Adams at QB and going on the road. Big play threat Bralon Addison continues to impress after missing all of last season, while Royce Freeman leads an explosive ground attack. While the Ducks do sit at 1-1, this MSU game showed the entire nation that Oregon was still quite the team, even without Marcus Mariota leading the way.

LSU Tigers
The SEC West is the toughest division in college football, and there are no easy gigs in conference play. Which is why the Tigers' win over Mississippi State was so huge, to begin their 2015 season (opener against McNeese State cancalled). Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris had some major ups-and-downs but showed flashes. Even so, the story was all about back Leonard Fournette and LSU's ability to hang on to the win. The victory for the Tigers gives the team a strong statement to add to their resume early on.

Others in the Mix
Georgia Bulldogs
Auburn Tigers
Texas A&M Aggies
Florida State Seminoles
Oklahoma Sooners
Clemson Tigers
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
UCLA Bruins
Arizona Wildcats
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Ole Miss Rebels
Missouri Tigers
Oklahoma State Cowboys

Post-Week One College Football Playoff Power Rankings

Jake Coker

Finally, after months and months of waiting, college football has made a triumphant return. Although Week One really was devoid of any major upsets, it still will have a major impact on the race to the College Football Playoff months from now. Sure, it is quick to overreact and jump to conclusions (remember when Kenny Hill and Texas A&M looked like the best team in the nation a year ago after the first week?), but if the season ended after just one week, here is how my Playoff would stack up:

The Four

1 Ohio State Buckeyes
It is hard to really take too much away from Ohio State's victory against a solid Virginia Tech squad. Sure, the final score indicated a blowout victory on the road for the Buckeyes, while in reality the team was down at halftime. Though, an injury to the Hokies' quarterback, Michael Brewer, helped push OSU over the top to a breeze of a win. The Buckeyes' offense looked particularly lethal against a stout Tech defense, with impressive performances from H-back Braxton Miller, receiver Michael Thomas, and Cardale Jones, who started at quarterback. Though, the scary thing about this Ohio State team is that they are only going to get better in Week 2 and onward; All-American defensive end Joey Bosa returns from suspension, along with offensive playmakers Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson. That makes this team even more scary to oncoming opponents. Even with a relative scare early on, Ohio State did enough to cement themselves as the team to beat in the nation right now, until someone proves them wrong.

2 Alabama Crimson Tide
The big game of the weekend was the neutral site clash between Alabama and Wisconsin, two power-run teams who were sure to create an exciting game. Instead, Alabama had no problems with the Badgers, easily getting past them. Derrick Henry quickly inserted his name into the Heisman conversation with a three touchdown day against a Wisconsin defense that looked lost, and long awaited Florida State transfer Jake Coker led the aerial attack which looked strong, even without Amari Cooper making every catch. Defensively, Alabama dominated the line of scrimmage against the Badgers and never let them get into any rhythm offensively. Overall, it was a statement that the Tide are certain to be reckoned with, and should be serious Playoff contender, even with a brutal schedule that is statistically the nation's toughest.

3 TCU Horned Frogs
TCU managed to add a quality win to their resume, taking home a road victory against Minnesota. Although, it wasn't the prettiest of games, TCU's defense played terrific, certainly a good sign for a unit that has questions with the losses of a number of key contributors. Offensively, the Horned Frogs, who averaged 46.5 points per game a year and return 10 starters, didn't absolutely dominate, but considering it was their first game, some struggles were to be expected. Trevone Boykin still kept his name on the Heisman short list with a quality game, while the ground game was able to rack up a ton of yardage led by explosive senior back Aaron Green. The win was a solid start to the year for TCU, and gives the Horned Frogs a leg up over Baylor and others with a nice non-conference vcitory on the road.

4 Auburn Tigers
Much like TCU, the Tigers weren't exactly dominant in their opener. The offense had some rough moments, particularly QB Jeremy Johnson. Hyped as a Heisman dark horse entering the season, Johnson threw three interceptions. Even so, Peyton Barber and Roc Thomas along with a solid showing by the defense was enough to land Auburn a good win over a quality Louisville team. Although Auburn won by just one touchdown, the team held a lead the whole game and the victory should look nice in the committee's eyes and could help bump the Tigers over some other teams.

Next Four Out

Baylor Bears
The final score of the Baylor-SMU game might have the look of a blowout, when in reality, the Mustangs played pretty competitive against the Bears in the first game of the Chad Morris era. Baylor still obviously got the victory and certainly kept themselves in the Playoff mix, and the offense looked as sharp as ever under the leadership of new QB Seth Russell. But, the defense wasn't great and it was not the dominating victory Baylor needs with a cupcake non-conference slate.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
To be frank, Texas is not that good of a football team. Charlie Strong's team managed just 163 yards of total offense against the Irish in a Week One battle of college football heavyweights. Sure, ND's defense did play very well, but the Longhorns have a ton of problems and their struggles are more on them probably than the Irish D. Even so, Malik Zaire shredded Texas' defense and Jaylon Smith leads a hungry Irish defense. Even with Texas clearly struggling, a 35-point win over a team with that type of recognition will only help ND.

Michigan State Spartans
Quietly, P.J. Fleck has built a strong program in Kalmazoo, Michigan. But, the Western Michigan Broncos still were no match to Michigan State, who dominated the game from start to finish. Big name NFL prospect and Heisman candidate Connor Cook put together a big game against a flustered WMU defense, while the Spartans' defense was as strong as ever, even without defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi (now Pitt's head man) leading the charge.

Oregon Ducks
Just a few weeks ago, it wasn't clear whether or not Vernon Adams was going to for Oregon. The Eastern Washington transfer put up prolific numbers at the FCS level but was going to make a jump during his senior year to Oregon, hoping to boost his pro aspirations. Adams ended up playing against his former team, a still solid Eastern Washington squad. The Ducks' high-powered offense had no problems under the leadership of Adams but the defense allowed 500-plus yards to a FCS team. That's extremely worrying, what are they going to do when they face some of the elite spread offenses in the Pac-12, like both Arizona schools, UCLA and USC?

Others in the Mix
USC Trojans
Texas A&M Aggies
Georgia Bulldogs
Florida State Seminoles
Clemson Tigers
LSU Tigers
UCLA Bruins
Ole Miss Rebels
Arkansas Razorbacks
Oklahoma Sooners
Missouri Tigers
Tennessee Volunteers
Arizona Wildcats
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets