The College Football Playoff Rankings have been revealed for the final time during the 2023 season, crowning the top four teams in the country who will vie for the National Championship. Who’s in? Who’s out?
Final College Football Playoff Rankings Revealed
This season’s final four teams may be the closest race in history. It’s only fitting that the 2023 iteration of the final College Football Playoff Rankings pit six worthy teams for four final spots. Next season, the playoff is expanded. This season, however, at least two teams were going to feel left out.
Coming down to a handful of worthy programs, the College Football Playoffs hosted plenty of drama for some teams while Michigan and Washington sat comfortably ahead of Selection Sunday.
We officially know who is in and who got left out.
Here’s how it shook out.
- Michigan Wolverines
- Washington Huskies
- Texas Longhorns
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Florida State Seminoles
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Oregon Ducks
- Missouri Tigers
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Oklahoma Sooners
- LSU Tigers
- Arizona Wildcats
- Louisville Cardinals
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- NC State Wolfpack
- Oregon State Beavers
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Clemson Tigers
- Liberty Flames
- SMU Mustangs
- Kansas State Wildcats
The Michigan Wolverines sat comfortably ahead of Selection Sunday and now will play TK as the No. 1 seed. Michigan will have their choice of bowl games to play in — the Rose Bowl or the Sugar Bowl.
Similarly, the Washington Huskies had little drama around their placement and now will face the No. 3 seed in Texas.
The Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas Longhorns snuck in over the Florida State Seminoles.
How Did We Get Here?
The College Football Playoff Committee selected their final four teams based on the following criteria:
- Conference Championships Won
- Strength of schedule & head-to-head competition
- Comparative outcomes of common opponents (inventing margin of victory)
- Other relevant factors such as unavailability of key players and coaches that may have affected a team’s performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance
It’s clear that the unavailability of Florida State star QB Jordan Travis was a fever pitch at the committee’s table as much as the result of the head-on early season matchup between Texas and Alabama.