Perhaps the College Football Playoff selection committee could have skipped its two-day meeting in Grapevine, Texas, this week.
The committee unveiled its latest set of rankings Tuesday night, a carbon copy of last week’s through the top 10 spots.
Georgia remained No. 5 after its 27-10 win over Auburn, staying well-positioned to climb into the four-team playoff if it wins its two remaining regular-season games and defeats Alabama in the SEC Championship game Dec. 1.
Likewise, the four teams ranked ahead of the Bulldogs stayed in the same positions as last week after one-sided victories: No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Michigan.
The Nos. 1, 2 and 3 teams are undefeated. Michigan and Georgia have one loss apiece.
Rounding out the top 10 this week, like last week, are: No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 7 LSU, No. 8 Washington State, No. 9 West Virginia and No. 10 Ohio State.
This marked the first time in the CFP’s five-year history that the order of the top 10 was unchanged from one set of rankings to the next.
The reason for such stability: All teams in the top 10 won their games last week, only two of them by fewer than 10 points.
There was some movement outside the top 10 in the committee’s latest rankings.
Kentucky, No. 11 last week and No. 9 the week before that, dropped to No. 17 after losing to Tennessee – the Wildcats’ second loss in a row and third of the season.
Among other moves: Central Florida, still undefeated, inched up from No. 12 to No. 11. Two-loss Syracuse, No. 13 last week, climbed to No. 12 heading into its game Saturday against Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium in New York. Big Ten Western Division champion Northwestern -- 6-1 in conference play but 0-3 against non-conference opponents -- joined the rankings at No. 22.
The rankings are the third set of the season by the CFP selection committee. The 13-member committee will re-rank teams each Tuesday through November.
The group’s final ranking Dec. 2 will determine the playoff field, with the top four teams at that point securing berths. The No. 1 team will face No. 4 and No. 2 will face No. 3 in the semifinals, which this season will be played in the Orange and Cotton bowls Dec. 29.
The national championship game will be played Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif.
NEW CFP RANKINGS
1. Alabama (10-0)
2. Clemson (10-0)
3. Notre Dame (10-0)
4. Michigan (9-1)
5. Georgia (9-1)
6. Oklahoma (9-1)
7. LSU (8-2)
8. Washington State (9-1)
9. West Virginia (8-1)
10. Ohio State (9-1)
11. Central Florida (9-0)
12. Syracuse (8-2)
13. Florida (7-3)
14. Penn State (7-3)
15. Texas (7-3)
16. Iowa State (6-3)
17. Kentucky (7-3)
18. Washington (7-3)
19. Utah (7-3)
20. Boston College (7-3)
21. Mississippi State (6-4)
22. Northwestern (6-4)
23. Utah State (9-1)
24. Cincinnati (9-1)
25. Boise State (8-2)
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