CFP Rankings: Not only do UW Huskies rise, but so does Oregon

Nov 28, 2023, 4:33 PM | Updated: Nov 29, 2023, 10:33 am

UW Huskies CFP rankings Rome Odunze Oregon...

UW Huskies WR Rome Odunze catches a pass against Oregon on Oct. 14, 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

For the second straight week, the College Football Playoff committee has rewarded the UW Huskies in the new CFP rankings.

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Washington, one of four undefeated teams left in FBS play, moved up a spot to No. 3 in the rankings released Tuesday afternoon. And it got some more good news not much farther down.

The 12-0 Huskies’ opponent in Friday’s Pac-12 Championship, the 11-1 Oregon Ducks, are the CFP’s new No. 5 team. That should add some extra weight to Washington’s résumé should it lose to Oregon, who are favored to beat the Huskies in Las Vegas even though UW won their first meeting in October.

Last Saturday, UW defeated the WSU Cougars 24-21 on a last-second field goal in the Apple Cup to keep their record perfect, in turn allowing them to leap in the CFP over 11-1 Ohio State after the Buckeyes fell earlier in the day to new No. 2 Michigan (12-0). Ohio State fell four spots all the way to No. 6.

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The UW Huskies cracked the top four of the CFP rankings for the first time last week when they swapped the No. 4 and No. 5 spots with Florida State. The Seminoles (12-0), who had a close win of their own against Florida on Saturday, are back in the top four after Ohio State’s loss.

Georgia (12-0) remains the top team in the country in the rankings.

The top four teams in the next CFP rankings following this weekend’s slate of conference championship games will make up the bracket to determine the national championship. The winners of the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl (both on Jan. 1) will advance to the championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.

Florida State remains a team that the UW Huskies and their fans want to keep their eyes on. The Seminoles will meet No. 14 Louisville on Saturday in the ACC Championship. If UW and Florida State both lose, Washington should have the upper hand based on both its and Oregon’s standing going into the weekend compared to Florida State and Louisville’s.

Also this weekend in games that could impact the Huskies’ CFP hopes: Georgia plays No. 8 Alabama in the SEC Championship; No. 7 Texas takes on No. 18 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship; and Michigan will meet No. 16 Iowa for the Big Ten title (while Ohio State is left to watch at home).

The ESPN Radio broadcast of the Pac-12 Championship between the No. 3 UW Huskies and No. 5 Oregon Ducks will air live at 5 p.m. Friday on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app.