College Football Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 14 (2020)
We’ve made it to December and we have a pretty clear idea of who the best three teams in the country are.
Alabama, Notre Dame, and Clemson all put up performances ranging from impressive to downright dominant in Week 13. But it’s the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff that is completely wide open.
Ohio State seemed to have the easiest path to the CFP, but a COVID-19 outbreak within the team could change those plans. We’ll discuss the Buckeyes situation further in our Week 14 Top Ten Power Rankings.
View consensus odds from all major sportsbooks for Week 14 of NCAAF >>
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0, 8-0)
No Nick Saban, no problem. Alabama blew out in-state rival Auburn in another disappointing edition of the Iron Bowl. Mac Jones continues to make a case for the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 302 yards and five touchdowns in the 42-13 blowout. The Crimson Tide will wrap up its regular season against LSU next weekend before heading to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game.
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-0, 8-0)
Notre Dame passed its toughest test remaining on its schedule in really impressive fashion. The Irish shutout an explosive North Carolina offense in the second half using exotic blitzes and stunts up the middle that flustered Tar Heels quarterback Sam Howell. As someone who bet the over in that game, I was thoroughly disappointed. However, I also came away even more impressed by Notre Dame’s defense. That unit gives the Irish a legitimate chance at winning the national title. ND gets a miserable Syracuse team at home before traveling to Wake Forest to conclude the regular season.
3. Clemson Tigers (8-1, 7-1)
Clemson had a few weeks to stew over its loss to Notre Dame, and they came out angry against Pitt. The Tigers put up 31 first quarter points in a 52-17 rout over the Panthers. Clemson is currently scheduled to conclude its regular season at Virginia Tech, although its postponed game against Florida State could be made up. Let’s hope we get a rematch between Clemson and Notre Dame in the ACC title game. Both teams are clearly deserving to be in the Playoff.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0, 4-0)
So… here’s where things get interesting. The Buckeyes had to cancel Saturday’s matchup at Illinois due to COVID concerns. Ohio State has already lost two games due to COVID-19. Now, they have no margin for error as their season sits in jeopardy. The Big Ten announced that a team will have to play at least six games to be eligible to play in the Big Ten Championship game. That means the Buckeyes will have to play their next two games against Michigan State and Michigan to qualify.
While that isn’t impossible, it’s definitely not going to be easy. The Big Ten ruled that a player must be held out 21 days if they test positive. And many programs have had to miss two weeks of action after a virus outbreak.
And while Ohio State could still qualify for the College Football Playoff with just five games played, that would be a really hard decision to justify. Ohio State’s only true quality win would be last week’s victory over Indiana. But with no Big Ten title on their mantle, it’d be tough to include the Buckeyes in the top four.
5. Texas A&M Aggies (6-1, 6-1)
Texas A&M is so boring, yet they keep winning. The Aggies took care of LSU, 20-7, in College Station. The only thing Texas A&M has going is its win over Florida, who I believe is still a better team. There’s a scenario out there where the Aggies have the best win and the best loss in the country if Florida can upset Alabama in the SEC title game.
But are the Aggies really one of the four best teams in the nation? They still have opportunities to pad their resume against mediocre Auburn and Tennessee. But I need to see a lot more
Texas A&M still has two opportunities to pad its resume against mediocre Auburn and Tennessee teams. But I need to see a lot more from the Aggies to believe in them as a playoff contender.
6. Florida Gators (7-1, 7-1)
The Gators put together a dominant second half in a 34-10 victory over Kentucky. Kyle Trask padded his Heisman resume with three more touchdown passes. Florida clinches a trip to the SEC title game with a win over Tennessee next week.
7. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-0, 6-0)
Cincinnati lost a great opportunity to pad its CFP resume when its game against Temple was cancelled due to COVID. The Bearcats have one more road test against a tough Tulsa team before playing in the AAC title game later in the month. At the very worst, the Bearcats control their destiny as the Group of 5 representative in a New Year’s Six bowl.
8. BYU Cougars (9-0)
In this unique year, I’d really like to see the Cougars square off with Cincinnati in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Let’s think about it: No PAC 12 or Big 12 team is really deserving of placement into a grand bowl game. The ACC and SEC could get two teams in the Playoff. And the Big Ten probably only deserves to get two teams into the New Year’s Six. The Cougars of course have to take care of business in their regular season finale against San Diego State. But come on, CFP committee. Let’s make this matchup happen.
9. Indiana Hoosiers (5-1, 5-1)
Kudos to the Hoosiers for avoiding the letdown spot at home against Maryland a week after falling to Ohio State. Indiana took care of business and now has new life when it comes to making the Big Ten title game. Indiana faces another stiff test next week when they travel to Wisconsin. Of course, we’ll see if this game actually gets played.
10. Coastal Carolina (9-0, 7-0)
I could put Georgia here. I could put Miami here. But that’s so boring. 2020 is all about giving props to the Coastal Carolina’s. The Chanticleers destroyed Texas State, 49-14. Next up for Coastal is a really exciting matchup against 9-1 Liberty. I’m not kidding when I say this has the makings to be one of the best games of Week 14.
View the top deposit bonuses and promo codes for each sportsbook >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including Common Sports Betting Terms — or head to more advanced strategy — like 10 Tips to Become a Sharper Sports Bettor — to learn more.
Matt Barbato is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Matt, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @RealMattBarbato.