Oklahoma continued to rise Tuesday when the second batch of College Football Playoff rankings hit the airwaves.
The Sooners gained a spot, going from No. 12 in the initial rankings to No. 11 ahead of Saturday’s game against Alabama. The Crimson Tide ranked fourth, the same spot they ranked last week. Because no Group of Five or Atlantic Coast Conference team ranked ahead of Oklahoma, OU would be left out of the Playoff were the tournament to begin on the weekend. Coach Brent Venables’ team is one spot too low – behind rival Texas – to make it.
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As such, the game against Alabama holds major import. A Sooners win would likely mean OU leapfrogs a handful of teams ahead, perhaps even including Alabama. The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, would probably remain with an ‘in’ status with a loss.
Two new teams cracked the projected playoff after Brigham Young, Virginia and Memphis all lost on Saturday. In their stead entered the Longhorns, Miami (FL) and South Florida. The Hurricanes and Bulls actually ranked No. 15 and No. 24, respectively, but because of the FBS protocol, they would make the tournament over Oklahoma and BYU, the No. 11 and No. 12 teams in the rankings.
Notre Dame, USF, Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas are in the most immediate danger of falling from their current spot. OU and Alabama, of course, play each other. Georgia and Texas do, too. Then the Fighting Irish face No. 22 and the Bulls travel to the first-place team in the American Conference, Navy.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma up a spot but still out of CFP bracket
