Another swap at the top of CFB Playoff Rankings, Clemson holds at No. 3
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The Playoff Committee released its fourth set of rankings for 2019 a few minutes ago, and Clemson held on to the No. 3 spot in the polls. This season, landing in the top spot seems to be more significant than it has ever been as currently, the top team would avoid facing Clemson in the semifinals.
"I'm excited to see who's number one after tonight. There's really kind of an exciting race going on between LSU and Ohio State. It's a race I think that's worth watching over these next couple weeks because I think there's a lot at stake, ESPN’s Jesse Palmer stated. “One, we know that whoever finishes No. 1 locks up the best possible home-field advantage. Number two, whoever goes into the conference championship game as No. 1 gives themselves the best chance to stay in the top four if one of those two teams were to slip in their conference championship game, but then three maybe most importantly, you get to avoid Clemson in the semifinal.”
His partner on GameDay Final, Joey Galloway, who had Clemson No. 1 until LSU knocked off Alabama a few backs, responded in jest, "Why do you want to avoid Clemson people have been telling me all season long Clemson's not that good of a football team."
As for the poll, Ohio State took back the top spot in the CFB Playoff standings, leaving LSU again in a matchup with Clemson in the No. 2 vs. No. 3 semifinal. Georgia continues to hold on to the No. 4 position after a win over Texas A&M this past weekend.
Alabama and Utah are just outside looking in from the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively.
Clemson is 11-0 with a matchup against South Carolina (4-7) coming up Saturday in Columbia. The Tigers are currently riding the nation’s longest winning streak at 26 games.
Clemson has been in the Top 4 of the College Football Playoff ranking 27 times, second only to Alabama’s 28 weeks.
| CFB Playoff Era | National Titles | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | Total Weeks Ranked |
| Alabama |
🏆🏆 |
18 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 28 |
| Clemson |
🏆🏆 |
8 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 27 |
| Notre Dame |
|
0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| Ohio State |
🏆 |
2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| Oklahoma |
|
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| Michigan |
|
0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Florida State |
|
0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Oregon | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| Mississippi State | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | |
| Georgia | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| LSU | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |
| Auburn | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| Washington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| TCU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Miami | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Ole Miss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Penn State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Texas A&M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2019
|
Week 1 |
#1 Ohio State |
#2 LSU | #3 Alabama |
#4 Penn State |
| Week 2 | #1 LSU | #2 Ohio State | #3 Clemson | #4 Georgia |
| Week 3 | #1 LSU | #2 Ohio State | #3 Clemson | #4 Georgia |
| Week 4 | #1 Ohio State | #2 LSU | #3 Clemson | #4 Georgia |
2018
|
Week 1 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 LSU |
#4 Notre Dame |
| Week 2 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Michigan |
| Week 3 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Michigan |
| Week 4 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Michigan |
| Week 5 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Georgia |
Playoff |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson |
#3 Notre Dame |
#4 Oklahoma |
2017
|
Week 1 |
#1 Georgia |
#2 Alabama | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Clemson |
| Week 2 |
#1 Georgia |
#2 Alabama | #3 Notre Dame |
#4 Clemson |
| Week 3 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Miami |
#4 Oklahoma |
| Week 4 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Miami | #3 Clemson |
#4 Oklahoma |
| Week 5 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Auburn | #3 Oklahoma |
#4 Wisconsin |
Playoff |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Oklahoma |
#3 Georgia |
#4 Alabama |
2016
|
Week 1 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Michigan |
#4 Texas A&M |
| Week 2 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson | #3 Michigan |
#4 Washington |
| Week 3 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Ohio State | #3 Michigan |
#4 Clemson |
| Week 4 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Ohio State | #3 Michigan |
#4 Clemson |
| Week 5 |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Ohio State | #3 Clemson |
#4 Washington |
Playoff |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Clemson |
#3 Ohio State |
#4 Washington |
2015
|
Week 1 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 LSU |
#3 Ohio State |
#4 Alabama |
| Week 2 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Alabama |
#3 Ohio State |
#4 Notre Dame |
| Week 3 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Alabama |
#3 Ohio State |
#4 Notre Dame |
| Week 4 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Alabama |
#3 Oklahoma |
#4 Iowa |
| Week 5 |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Alabama |
#3 Oklahoma |
#4 Iowa |
Playoff |
#1 Clemson |
#2 Alabama |
#3 Michigan State |
#4 Oklahoma |
2014
|
Week 1 |
#1 Mississippi State | #2 Florida State | #3 Auburn |
#4 Ole Miss |
| Week 2 | #1 Mississippi State | #2 Florida State | #3 Auburn |
#4 Oregon |
| Week 3 | #1 Mississippi State | #2 Oregon | #3 Florida State |
#4 TCU |
| Week 4 | #1 Alabama | #2 Oregon | #3 Florida State |
#4 Mississippi State |
| Week 5 | #1 Alabama | #2 Oregon | #3 Florida State |
#4 Mississippi State |
| Week 6 | #1 Alabama | #2 Oregon | #3 TCU |
#4 Florida State |
Playoff |
#1 Alabama |
#2 Oregon |
#3 Florida State |
#4 Ohio State |
If the College Football Playoff started today
#1 Ohio State (11-0) vs #4 Georgia (10-1)
#2 LSU (11-0) vs #3 Clemson (11-0)
Outside looking in:
5. Alabama (10-1)
6. Utah (10-1)
7. Oklahoma (10-1)
8. Minnesota (10-1)
9. Baylor (10-1)
10. Penn State (9-2)
11. Florida (9-2)
12. Wisconsin (9-2)
13. Michigan (9-2)
14. Oregon (9-2)
15. Auburn (8-3)
16. Notre Dame (9-2)
17. Iowa (8-3)
18. Memphis (10-1)
19. Cincinnati (10-1)
20. Boise State (10-1)
21. Oklahoma State (8-3)
22. USC (8-4)
23. Iowa State (7-4)
24. Virginia Tech (8-3)
25. App State (10-1)