Key lessons learned from the Top 25 rankings for school football season

The College Football Season Finishers Council released their final rankings on Tuesday night, with Oregon coming in at No. 1. Ohio State stayed in second, while Georgia, Miami and Texas shared the top five.

Georgia ranks third, its highest ranking for a team with losses, while Conference Five's Boise State leads the division at No. 12. Here's a rundown of the most important key data points in the rankings: **Key Date for Rankings, November 5th** **No Big Surprises at the Top** The CFP rankings are mostly in line with the Associated Press and AFCA Coaches Poll, with some slight changes. Oregon topped the list, with Georgia, Ohio State, Miami and Texas topping the other ratings. However, the CFP committee chose a different strategy, placing Ohio State at No. 2 and Georgia at No. 3. This strategy targets teams ranked 6th through minus 10th, with Penn State, Tennessee, Indiana, BYU and Notre Dame ranking similarly in all rankings, albeit in different positions. **Boise State vs. Big 12 Champion** In the season finale between the 12 teams, the team champion will receive a bye in the first round. Oregon (#1), Georgia (#3) and Miami (#4) take the top three spots, with a tight battle for fourth place. Currently, #9 ranked BYU leads the Big 12, but #12 ranked Boise State is hot on their heels. If BYU falters, or if Iowa State (#17), Kansas State (#19) or Colorado State (#20) win the Big 12, Boise State could get a first-round bye as a #4 seed. **SEC and Big Ten Lots** Big Ten and SEC teams dominate the rankings, making up 12 of the top 25 teams. Seven teams from these matchups are in the top eight, with Miami being the only exception. **SMU on the Rise** After the win over Pitt, SMU has risen in the rankings, jumping seven spots in the AP Top 25 and landing at #13 in the CFP rankings. Head coach Rhett Lashlee's team is now a contender for the ACC title and a playoff berth. **Predicting the 12-team field based on November 5 rankings** **Top 4 teams (first-round byes)** 1. Oregon (projected to top the Big Ten) 2. Georgia (predicted to win SEC) 3. Miami (predicted to win ACC) 4. BYU (predicted to win Big 12) **First round showdown** 5. Ohio State vs. 12. Boise State (top 5 team) 6. Texas vs. 11. Alabama 7. Penn State vs. 10. Notre Dame 8. Tennessee vs. 9. Indiana **Second Round Games** *(held at bowl sites)* - No. 1 Oregon vs. Tennessee/Indiana champion - No. 2 Georgia vs. Penn State/Notre Dame winner - No. 3 Miami vs. Texas/Alabama champion - No. 4 BYU vs. Ohio State/Boise State champion **Week 11 games to watch with potential position changes** 1. Alabama at LSU 2. Georgia at Ole Miss 3. Colorado at Texas Tech 4. BYU at Utah 5. South Carolina at Vanderbilt **Complete CFP rankings as of November 5th** 1. Oregon (9-0) 2. Ohio State (7-1) 3. Georgia (7-1) 4. Miami (9-0) 5. Texas (7-1) 6. Penn State (7-1) 7. Tennessee (7-1) 8. Indiana (9-0) 9. BYU (8-0) 10. Notre Dame (7-1) 11. Alabama (6-2) 12. Boise State (7-1) 13. SMU (8-1) 14. Texas A&M (7-2) 15. LSU (6-2) 16. Ole Miss (7-2) 17. Iowa State (7-1) 18. Pittsburgh (7-1) 19. Kansas State (7-2) 20. Colorado (6-2) 21. Washington State (7-1) 22. Louisville (6-3) 23. Clemson (6-2) 24. Missouri (6-2) 25th Army (8-0)