Only one week remains to settle which teams will play in the College Football Playoff, and which teams will be left on the outside looking in.
That said, a chaotic Rivalry Week led to the possibility of several teams making the Playoff, including one Playoff-caliber team that was among those that fell in Week 13. Losses by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Clemson culled the latter two from contention, though the Buckeyes stand to slide in depending on how conference championship weekend plays out.
No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan have likely ensured their entrance to the CFP this season, regardless of whether they lose to LSU or Purdue in their respective conference championship games. But if either of No. 3 TCU or No. 4 USC lose in their games, then Ohio State could conceivably move into the No. 4 spot.
MORE: Watch the CFP rankings release live with fuboTV (free trial)
Another team that has found itself suddenly in contention for a Playoff bid is Alabama, which would need both the Horned Frogs and Trojans to lose if it places in the sixth spot in the penultimate CFP rankings (the same would be true of Ohio State if it is in that position).
The path to the Playoff is simple for each of the top six teams, though it remains to be seen whether chaos rears its head one last time before it's all said and done. With that, The Sporting News breaks down how to watch the most important CFP rankings to date this season:
What time are the College Football Playoff rankings released?
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 29
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
The penultimate College Football Playoff rankings will be revealed on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. It is the final set of rankings that will be unveiled at that time, with the last set of rankings getting announced on Sunday at noon.
MORE: College football Week 14 bowl projections
CFP rankings schedule 2022
The College Football Playoff committee has unveiled its rankings every Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, which will continue to be the case this week. The committee will not wait until the Tuesday after conference championship weekend, however, instead revealing the final top 25 and CFP teams on Sunday, Dec. 4.
| Date | Time (ET) |
| Tuesday, Nov. 1 | 7 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Nov. 8 | 7 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Nov. 15 | 9 p.m.* |
| Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 7 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Nov. 29 | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | Noon |
* The third set of Playoff rankings was released between Kentucky-Michigan State and Duke-Kansas at the Champions Classic college basketball event.
MORE: CFP ranking schedule, release dates & more to know
How to watch the CFP selection show
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN App, fuboTV
The fifth set of rankings will be revealed exclusively on ESPN. Streaming options for the announcement include the ESPN App and fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
MORE: Projected Week 14 CFP rankings
Projected CFP rankings: Who are the top four teams in college football?
1. Georgia (12-0)
2. Michigan (12-0)
3. TCU (12-0)
4. USC (11-1)
Next two out:
5. Ohio State (11-1)
6. Alabama (10-2)
The top three spots should go to the three undefeated teams: Georgia at No. 1, Michigan at No. 2 and TCU at No. 3. Following that, the No. 4 spot should go to the only one-loss team competing for a conference championship this week: USC.
The next two positions will generate the greatest debate heading into the final week of play, however. Should Ohio State or Alabama come in at No. 5? Whichever team is placed in that position will be in position to slide into the top four with a loss among the top four, most likely one of the Horned Frogs or Trojans.
The Buckeyes have a better record at 11-1, but ended their season with a 45-23 thrashing at home vs. No. 3 Michigan. The Crimson Tide have a 10-2 record — no two-loss team has ever made the Playoff — but beat Auburn 49-27 the same day Ohio State lost. Moreover, their two losses were by a combined four points on game-ending plays against top-10 teams on the road.
Which of those factors will matter more to the Playoff? Only time will tell, though it's worth noting it could all be a moot point if the top four go undefeated this week. If being the operative word.
