Undefeated Wisconsin Still Out of Top Four of College Football Playoff Rankings

Posted on: November 22, 2017, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: November 22, 2017, 11:09h.

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Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

Wisconsin has done everything right but they still feel that they are being wronged after the latest College Football Playoff Rankings (CFPR) were announced Tuesday evening.

The committee kept the same four teams as last week’s vote but changed the order slightly.

Alabama, who is undefeated, has been the preseason favorite to win the NCAA Championship, opening at 3-1 and moving to 4-5. They remain both the AP Top 25 No. 1 team, as well as the top team in the CFPR.

Miami, who is also undefeated, was No. 3 last week while Clemson was No. 2. Those two ACC teams switched spots in the latest version of the rankings. They will meet in two weeks for the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Hurricanes were a 30-1 pick to win the title before the season and are now at 10-1. The Tigers, who have one loss, started at 20-1 and are now 8-1.

The final team in the quartet is Oklahoma, who is No. 3 in the AP Poll and also has one loss. They opened at 8-1 to win it all and are now the second choice behind Alabama at 9-2.

Tough Test for Contenders

While those four have a firm grip on the top spots their grasp could weaken this weekend. Miami has the toughest schedule out of any of the programs and will be tested when they go on the road to face Pitt.

They have struggled a bit away from South Florida, winning their last two road games by five and four points and only covered the spread in one of them. They are 14-point picks against the Panthers on Friday.

Alabama who has mowed through both non-conference and SEC foes faces its stiffest test of the season when they travel to Auburn on Saturday. The Crimson tide are a 4 ½-point selection, but the Tigers are like Wisconsin and are on the bubble at No. 6. If they could upset Alabama they might be able to crack the top 4.

Oklahoma and Clemson have relatively easy contests this weekend. The Sooners are a 23-point pick at home over West Virginia and the Tigers are 14-point favorites at South Carolina.

Badgers Could Be Excluded

Wisconsin is playing at Minnesota and is a 17-point choice over the Golden Gophers, who are 5-6 on the season and need an unlikely victory to become Bowl eligible.

If the Badgers win as expected they would move to 12-0. Even though they have one of the best defenses in the country and haven’t lost, they were hurt by a schedule that didn’t include Top 25 teams Penn State and Ohio State. They will play the Buckeyes in the Big 10 Championship game Dec. 2 at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

Wisconsin Athletic Director and former football coach Barry Alvarez said he would find it hard to believe that the committee could leave the team out of the playoffs if they finished without any losses.

“I don’t see how an undefeated Power Five conference champion would not be in the final four,” he said. “I just don’t see that happening.”