The Southeastern Convention’s losses have been nearly everybody else’s achieve within the School Soccer Playoff rankings, with SMU nudging its approach into the highest 12 and Indiana staying within the combine at No. 10 regardless of a lopsided lack of its personal.
The 12-team bracket launched Tuesday positioned undefeated Oregon on prime for the fourth straight week.
It didn’t embrace Alabama or Mississippi of the SEC, each of which suffered their third losses of the season final week.
That helped transfer SMU up 4 spots to No. 9, becoming a member of No. 6 Miami to provide the Atlantic Coast Convention two groups within the 12-team bracket.
They may meet within the ACC title recreation in two weeks. Clemson, ranked twelfth, can be within the combine.
“We’ve been in that position where, so far, our resume hadn’t been good enough, so we needed some help,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee stated a couple of hours earlier than the rankings have been launched.
All eyes have been on Indiana, and the way harshly the committee would penalize the Hoosiers for his or her first lack of the season, a 38-15 thumping by No. 2 Ohio State.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti scoffed on the thought the Hoosiers weren’t a playoff group.
The choice committee agreed, solely bumping the Hoosiers down 5 spots.
“We were impressed with some of the things Indiana did,” stated Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chair of the choice committee. “They dropped five but we still felt their body of work was strong enough to remain in the top 10.”
The committee wasn’t almost as beneficiant to the Large 12. Losses by its prime two groups final week — BYU and Colorado — vaulted Arizona State, which beat BYU, into the bracket.
The Solar Devils have been ranked sixteenth.
That afforded them the twelfth and ultimate spot within the bracket because the fifth-best projected convention champ, however gave the Large 12 the distinct really feel of a one-bid league.
One other bid would belong to Boise State of the Mountain West.
The Broncos have been ranked eleventh however received the fourth seed within the bracket because the fourth-best projected convention champion.
SEC chief Texas was ranked third.
Alabama dropped six spots to No. 13 and Ole Miss dropped 5 spots to No. 14.
Each are out of the combination, however not fully out of the query, because the committee wrestles over the subsequent two weeks with whether or not a three-loss group belongs within the playoff.
“The appetite is there to rank the teams as we see them,” Manuel stated, whereas stating that within the 10-year historical past of the CFP, the committee has positioned 22 three-loss groups within the prime 12.
Earlier than this 12 months, in fact, solely the highest 4 seeds mattered.
Different rankings: No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee.
There are two extra rankings to come back out — subsequent week, then the final one on Dec. 8, which can set the pairings for the playoffs that begin Dec. 20. The nationwide title recreation is about for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
Video games to observe
Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State: A Buckeyes win units up a rematch with Oregon within the Large Ten title recreation (with a 3rd assembly attainable within the playoffs).
No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M: The winner performs Georgia for the SEC title. The Longhorns would presumably make the 12-team bracket both approach.
No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: The Palmetto Bowl for an opportunity to remain on the fringes of consideration for the CFP.
This week’s projected first-round matchups
Groups listed by seed, not rating.
No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Ohio State: Enjoyable truth: The Large 12 is NOT assured a spot in these playoffs, and Tulane of the American Athletic Convention is No. 17, just one spot behind ASU.
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Georgia: The Bulldogs are susceptible to a 3rd loss within the SEC title recreation. This might be rematch of Georgia’s 31-17 win on Nov. 16.
No. 11 Indiana at No. 6 Penn State: An argument might be made that had these Large Ten foes performed this season, each may not be right here.
No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Notre Dame: They haven’t squared off since 1989, however are scheduled to play once more in 2026.
