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Uh oh, here we are! Auburn’s 40-17 destruction of the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs yesterday paid dividends in the rankings, as the Tigers have risen up to #6 in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls.
Biggest Top 25 movers: No. 2 Miami (up 5 spots), No. 6 Auburn (up 4) and No. 15 Washington St (up 4); No. 7 Georgia (down 5), No. 9 Notre Dame (down 6), No. 16 Washington (down 7), No. 22 Michigan St (down 9) https://t.co/YYjsPWmNaI pic.twitter.com/yq6MeKzKiV
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) November 12, 2017
After dominating Notre Dame, Miami jumps to No. 2 in the latest @AmwayUS Coaches Poll.
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) November 12, 2017
See the full poll https://t.co/tnWDOvgtkm pic.twitter.com/ck4LqL1Oq1
After that victory, it’s pretty apparent that Auburn controls its own destiny. Beat Alabama (and Louisiana-Monroe first, I guess) and the Tigers will likely be a top three team. Look here at what the rest of the top teams have left on their schedules:
#1 Alabama: vs Mercer, @ Auburn
#2 Miami: vs Virginia, @ Pittsburgh, vs Clemson (ACC Championship)
#3 Clemson: vs Citadel, @ South Carolina, vs Miami (ACC Championship)
#4 Wisconsin: vs Michigan, @ Minnesota, vs TBD (Big Ten Championship)
#5 Oklahoma: @ Kansas, vs West Virginia, vs TBD (Big Twelve Championship)
#6 Auburn: vs Louisiana-Monroe, vs Alabama
#7 Georgia: vs Kentucky, @ Georgia Tech, vs TBD (SEC Championship)
#8 Ohio State: vs Illinois, @ Michigan, vs Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship)
Other than these eight teams, there would need to be some major chaos for anyone else to make the playoff. Notre Dame is at #9 in one poll, USC is hanging around, Oklahoma State’s there, but they don’t have real shots at the final four without a ton of help.
So, if Auburn can take care of business and win out, they’d be 11-2, with two wins over #1 and another win over a likely top five Georgia team. In that same span, one of either Miami or Clemson is eliminated in the ACC Championship, and one of Wisconsin/Ohio State’s likely gone in the Big Ten Championship.
That would put Auburn, Miami/Clemson, Wisconsin/Ohio State, and likely Oklahoma in the playoff. If Ohio State wins the Big Ten, their two blowout losses may sway voters to put Alabama in, but the Tide would not have a good resume if they lose to Auburn. 11-1 with few quality opponents wouldn’t help without a conference title to go along with it.
It’s plainly obvious that the top four at this time will not be the top four come December 3rd, what with all the intermingling in upcoming weeks. If Auburn plays the way they did yesterday, they’ll be in. Just one game at a time, so let’s give Kerryon Johnson about five carries this week, and get him and Jarrett Stidham the hell out of there.
War Eagle!