Key change in new College Football Playoff rankings

The top three teams remain unchanged in the committee’s rankings this week: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Michigan.

Washington moved up one spot from last week’s No. 5.

This week’s top four teams have 9-0 records and are the only unbeaten teams from the five power conferences.

Behind Washington, a couple of once-beaten teams with serious playoff aspirations loom: No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Louisville. Both have 8-1 records. Ohio State hosts Michigan on Nov. 26.

Four teams with 7-2 records round out the top 10: No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Auburn and No. 10 Penn State.

Last week, the selection committee said it ranked A&M ahead of Washington because of the Aggies’ superior strength of schedule. But this week, Ohio State’s stronger schedule wasn’t enough to overcome the Huskies in the rankings.

Committee chairman Kirby Hocutt, appearing on the ESPN show that unveiled the new rankings, said the difference is that a week ago A&M’s only loss was to No. 1 Alabama, whereas Ohio State’s loss is to No. 10 Penn State.

The selection committee will re-rank teams each week through Dec. 4, when it will place the top four in the national semifinals, which this season will be played in Atlanta’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

If the top four remain the same on Dec. 4 as on Tuesday night, Alabama would face Washington in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve at the Georgia Dome.

But there is plenty of time and opportunity for things to change, as Texas A&M found out last weekend.