When the University of Oklahoma Sooners rolled into Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, November 16, 2024, no one expected them to leave with a win — let alone a statement victory that reshaped the entire College Football Playoff picture. But they did. A 24-17 road upset of the Alabama Crimson Tide didn’t just snap a five-game losing streak against the Tide; it launched Oklahoma into the Top 10 and sent shockwaves through the selection committee’s deliberations. By Monday, November 18, ESPN released the updated Associated Press Top 25 poll for Week 13, and the Sooners had jumped from No. 12 to No. 8, while Alabama tumbled from No. 10 to unranked. The twist? Both teams now sit at 8-2. And suddenly, the Sooners’ resume looks stronger than anyone’s.
Ohio State Stays Perfect, Indiana Keeps No. 2 Spot
The Ohio State Buckeyes remained the unanimous No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, holding all 57 first-place votes in the AP poll after a 10-0 season that includes wins over four ranked opponents. Behind them, the Indiana Hoosiers (11-0) held firm at No. 2, their only blemish a close win over a 5-6 Purdue team. The Texas A&M Aggies clung to No. 3 with a 10-0 record, but not without drama — they survived a 31-30 comeback win over 3-7 South Carolina, the largest in school history. Their strength of schedule (No. 15 nationally) and record (No. 1) kept them ahead of Georgia, even as the Bulldogs surged.Georgia’s Climb and the Alabama Fallout
The University of Georgia Bulldogs moved up to No. 4 after a dominant 45-10 win over Florida, improving to 9-1. Their only loss? A 27-24 heartbreaker to LSU in September — a game that now looks like a minor speed bump. But the real story was Alabama’s collapse. The Crimson Tide, once the darlings of the playoff conversation, lost their grip on the Top 10 after falling to Oklahoma. They’d entered the game ranked No. 10 with 1,062 points in the AP poll. After the loss? Zero. No votes. It’s rare for a team with an 8-2 record to vanish from the rankings, but Alabama’s schedule — once a strength — now feels like a liability. They lost to LSU, Georgia, and now Oklahoma. The committee might see that as a red flag.Oklahoma’s Resumé Just Got a Lot More Impressive
The Sooners’ win over Alabama wasn’t just a win — it was a resume upgrade. Before that game, Oklahoma had two top-25 wins: a 34-28 road victory over Tennessee and a 41-31 win over Kansas State. After beating Alabama? Three. And here’s the kicker: those two road wins — Tennessee and Alabama — are more impressive than any combination of wins the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-2, No. 9) have accumulated. ESPN’s playoff projection analyst wrote: “Those wins alone are more impressive than any combination of wins Notre Dame has earned.” That’s not just a comment — it’s a blueprint for how the committee might vote. Oklahoma’s head-to-head win over Alabama gives them a tiebreaker no other two-loss team can claim. Notre Dame’s best win? A 38-31 victory over a 7-3 Stanford team. Not even close.The Two-Loss Club Gets Complicated
There are now five teams at 8-2: Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Utah, Miami, and USC. And the committee has to decide who deserves the final playoff spot. The Sooners’ road wins give them an edge. But Notre Dame’s schedule is cleaner — no losses to unranked teams, no blowouts. The Utes lost to Oregon and Utah State. Miami lost to Clemson and Florida State. USC lost to Oregon and UCLA. Only Oklahoma’s losses came to Texas (a 34-31 defeat) and Texas Tech (a 38-31 loss). Both were on the road, both were close. And now, the Alabama win overshadows them. The real question: Will the committee reward Oklahoma’s strength of schedule over Notre Dame’s consistency? Analysts believe the Sooners and Fighting Irish will be a package deal — either both in, or both out. But Oklahoma’s win over Alabama tipped the scales.
Newcomers and Near-Misses
The AP poll welcomed three new teams to the bottom of the Top 25. The University of North Texas Mean Green (9-1) entered at No. 23 after a 38-10 win over Western Kentucky. The University of Houston Cougars (8-2) followed at No. 24, and the Tulane Green Wave (8-2) rounded out the list at No. 25. All three had wins over ranked opponents this season — Houston beat Texas Tech, Tulane beat LSU, and North Texas beat Louisiana Tech in a 45-42 thriller. Meanwhile, teams like Washington, Iowa, and Arizona State were just shy of the cutoff, each receiving between 16 and 56 votes. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-1) were ranked No. 15, but their loss to Georgia in September and lack of quality wins may keep them out of the playoff conversation.What’s Next? The Committee’s Verdict
The College Football Playoff selection committee releases its third and final ranking of the season on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. This is the one that matters. The AP poll is a snapshot of media opinion. The committee’s decision determines who plays for the national title. And right now, Oklahoma’s win over Alabama has created a dilemma: reward the team that beat the best, or the team that stayed consistent? If the committee puts Oklahoma ahead of Notre Dame, it sends a message: road wins over elite teams trump clean records. If they don’t, it says consistency still wins. Either way, the Sooners have forced the conversation. And for the first time since October, the playoff picture feels wide open.Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Alabama drop out of the Top 25 despite an 8-2 record?
Alabama lost three games to ranked opponents — LSU, Georgia, and now Oklahoma — and their only wins over ranked teams came against teams that later fell out of the Top 25. The selection committee values strength of schedule and quality wins, and Alabama’s resume now looks weaker than other 8-2 teams like Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Their loss to Oklahoma, in particular, was a head-to-head defeat against a team now ranked in the Top 10, which sealed their fate.
How does Oklahoma’s win over Alabama impact the College Football Playoff?
It gives Oklahoma the most impressive win of any two-loss team in the country. The Sooners now have two road victories over Top 10 opponents (Tennessee and Alabama), something no other contender can claim. The committee has signaled in the past that beating elite teams on the road carries extra weight. That win could be the deciding factor in putting Oklahoma ahead of Notre Dame for the final playoff spot.
Is Georgia still in contention for the playoff?
Yes — but only if Indiana or Ohio State loses. Georgia’s 9-1 record is strong, but their only loss came to LSU, a team that’s now unranked. The Bulldogs have no wins over teams currently in the Top 10, and their schedule lacks the marquee victories that the committee rewards. They’re likely the first team out unless a major upset happens in the conference championships.
Why is Notre Dame still ranked higher than Oklahoma in some polls?
The AP poll reflects media opinion, and some voters still favor Notre Dame’s clean record and lack of blowout losses. But the selection committee doesn’t care about polls — they care about wins, strength of schedule, and head-to-head results. Oklahoma’s win over Alabama gives them a clear advantage, and most analysts expect the committee to override the AP’s current ranking in favor of the Sooners.
What do the new teams at No. 23–25 say about this season?
It shows how deep and unpredictable this season is. North Texas, Houston, and Tulane all earned Top 25 spots with 8-2 or 9-1 records, and each beat at least one ranked team. This isn’t a two-team race anymore — it’s a 10-team scramble. The gap between the Top 10 and the bubble teams has never been smaller, and that’s why the committee’s decision on Tuesday will be so critical.
What’s the most likely playoff lineup after Tuesday’s announcement?
The most likely scenario: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma. Ohio State and Indiana are locks. Texas A&M’s strength of schedule and perfect record make them a safe pick. Oklahoma’s win over Alabama gives them the edge over Notre Dame. The committee will likely see the Sooners’ resume as more compelling than any other two-loss team, even if it means dropping a team with fewer losses.
