College Football Playoff rankings and reaction: Washington is No. 4, but it should have been Ohio State

The second College Football Playoff rankings were released this Election Day evening. Here’s how it shakes out:

Top 4: Alabama (NC), Clemson (NC), Michigan (NC), Washington (5)

5 and 6: Ohio State (6), Louisville (7)

Everyone else: 7. Wisconsin (8), 8. Texas A&M (4), 9. Auburn (NC), 10. Penn State (12), 11. Oklahoma (14), 12. Colorado (15), 13. Oklahoma State (18), 14. Virginia Tech (19), 15. Utah (16), 16. West Virginia (20), 17. North Carolina (21), 18. Florida State (22), 19. Nebraska (10), 20. Southern Cal (NR), 21. Western Michigan (23), 22. Boise State (24), 23. Washington State (25), 24. LSU (13), 25. Arkansas (NR)

The committee made the wrong call in simply moving Washington up to #4.

Ohio State blew out then-#10 Nebraska on Saturday. I thought that given the fact that their win (on paper) looked more impressive than Washington’s win over Cal that it would be enough to move them to 4th in Texas A&M’s spot, but apparently not. To me, it’s a puzzling move by the committee.

Not sure I fully understand this reasoning.

Louisville’s best hope appears to be a team above them slipping, and I think it will be Washington who does.

Southern Cal will be far from a cakewalk for the Huskies, and neither will Washington State and (potentially) Colorado in a possible Pac-12 championship showdown. Louisville has Wake Forest, Houston and Kentucky remaining, and they have a much better chance of running the table. I foresee the Cardinals in the Top 4 when it’s all said and done.

Why did LSU drop 11 spots after losing by ten to Alabama?

I figured that the Tigers would drop a few spots after dropping a 10-0 decision to the Crimson Tide. I didn’t think it would be a full eleven spots. That’s especially considering that Nebraska fell nine spots after being humiliated against Ohio State. Granted, LSU is a three-loss team, and they have a strong chance to run the table against Arkansas, Florida and Texas A&M, but I’m puzzled that the committee punished them so harshly.

Penn State is in prime position to get to a major bowl.

As I presumed, the Nittany Lions moved up, and they are now #10 in the new rankings. For a program fighting its way back from scandal, James Franklin has done a terrific job in his third year. After back-to-back 7-6 seasons, he needed to have a good year to show that hiring him was the right move - and he’s gone above and beyond expectations. With Indiana, Rutgers and Michigan State remaining, they have no chance of making the Top 4 barring a major collapse above them. However, those final three games represent some landmines (especially Rutgers) and a loss in either one will spell the end of their New Year’s Six hopes.