College Football Rankings: B/R's Top 25 After Week 14

If you wanted to see an overhaul in the College Football Playoff picture, Week 14 did not provide any drama. Ten of the nation's top-12 teams played, and none lost.

However, the showdown between No. 13 BYU and No. 18 Coastal Carolina featured a goal-line tackle as time expired. Along with BYU, another non-Power Five team endured its first loss of 2020 and caused a shake-up in the back end of the Top 25.

B/R's five-man panel of experts—David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard—each submitted a Top 25 ballot. A first-place vote counted for 25 points, followed by 24 points for second, 23 for third, etc.

          

B/R Post-Week 14 Top 25

1. Alabama (Last week: 1)
2. Notre Dame (2)
3. Ohio State (3)
4. Clemson (4)
5. Cincinnati (5)
6. Florida (6)
7. Texas A&M (8)
8. Coastal Carolina (12)
T-9. Indiana (9)
T-9. Miami (11)
11. Iowa State (13)
12. Oklahoma (14)
13. Northwestern (16)
14. Louisiana (18)
15. Georgia (16)
16. BYU (7)
17. USC (19)
18. Tulsa (20)
19. Colorado (23)
20. Liberty (22)
21. Buffalo (24)
22. North Carolina (NR)
23. Iowa (NR)
24. Nevada (NR)
T-25. Marshall (12)
T-25. San Jose State (NR)

Others receiving votes: Missouri, Texas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPvGMlDFse4

How's that for a dramatic ending?!

Clinging to a 22-17 lead as three seconds remained, Coastal Carolina needed a stop. BYU quarterback Zach Wilson dropped back and confidently fired a pass to receiver Dax Milne, who caught the ball at approximately the 3-yard line with his momentum going toward the end zone.

Three Chanticleers, however, converged on Milne and stopped him literally feet shy of the goal line. It was almost a re-creation—sans the outstretched arms—of Super Bowl XXXIV when the St. Louis Rams stopped the Tennessee Titans.

Just an incredible game.

Thanks to the victory over No. 13 BYU, the 18th-ranked Chanticleers should rise substantially in the Top 25. They're 10-0 and a contender for a New Year's Six bowl berth.

Wisconsin is also a deserving choice following its 14-6 loss at home to Indiana, which started its backup quarterback.

Marshall, though, had a disaster of a Saturday.

Heading into the weekend, the Thundering Herd boasted a No. 21 national ranking with a 7-0 record. They hosted Rice—a 1-2 program that has only played once since Halloween—so it seemed Marshall would painlessly cruise to another win.

Instead, the Herd lost 20-0 despite surrendering just 213 yards. Freshman quarterback Grant Wells tossed five interceptions—one more than his season total entering the game.

On the bright side, Marshall can seal a place in the Conference USA Championship Game with a victory over Charlotte next week. But any dreams of a New Year's Six bowl have vanished.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0) W 55-17 at LSU

Mac Jones threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns, and Najee Harris scampered for 145 yards and three scores. Alabama is a win over Arkansas and then Florida in the SEC Championship Game from holding the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

              

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0) W 45-21 vs. Syracuse

After a low-scoring first quarter, Notre Dame started to pull away before halftime. Javon McKinley caught two of his three touchdowns to help the Irish build a 24-7 lead at the break. They finished off a comfortable win and, heading into the ACC Championship against Clemson Dec. 19, might've even sealed a place in the CFP.

           

3. Clemson Tigers (9-1) W 45-10 at Virginia Tech

With a loss, Clemson may have ceded its place in the ACC Championship Game to Miami. But the Tigers smacked the Hokies and locked in the rematch with Notre Dame. Clemson needs a win to make the CFP but is guaranteed a spot with one.

                  

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) W 52-12 at Michigan State

Despite being short-handed because of positive coronavirus tests, Ohio State had zero problems rolling over the Spartans. Quarterback Justin Fields accounted for 303 yards and four touchdowns. (Shoutout to punter Drue Chrisman, who apparently owns Spartan Stadium.) If the Buckeyes keep winning, they're in good shape. What they don't want is both Florida and Clemson to win conference-title games.

                 

5. Texas A&M Aggies (7-1) W 31-20 at Auburn

Texas A&M stayed alive but didn't do itself any favors in the aesthetics department. The selection committee has cited Ohio State's "offensive firepower" as justification for a higher ranking, and the Aggies won't require a reevaluation this week.

              

6. Florida Gators (8-1) W 31-19 at Tennessee

Two garbage-time touchdowns made the score appear much closer; Florida held a 31-7 lead in the fourth quarter. While quarterback Kyle Trask continued his Heisman Trophy pursuit with 433 yards and four touchdowns, the result didn't alter the team's outlook. To make the CFP, the Gators need to beat LSU next weekend and upset Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

              

7. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-0) IDLE

This team's optimal path involved a Texas A&M loss, which didn't happen. Cincinnati ends the season with two games against No. 24 Tulsa, the latter of which is the AAC Championship Game. Win both, and the Bearcats have a shot. They're rooting for Alabama, Notre Dame and any team playing Ohio State and A&M.

Big Ten guidelines say Ohio State must play a sixth contest to be eligible for the Big Ten Championship Game. Michigan, however, is dealing with a coronavirus outbreak and might not be healthy enough collectively to take the field next Saturday. That, in theory, puts the Buckeyes' title hopes in jeopardy.

There may be a change on the way, though.

Brett McMurphy of Stadium reported the Big Ten will "likely" eliminate the requirement of a sixth game for eligibility.

Yes, the reversal would be met with some criticism. Especially after the league didn't allow Nebraska to schedule a nonconference team, it might appear the Big Ten is catering to Ohio State.

But, honestly? Good!

Ohio State has already proved it's the best team in the East Division. Why stick to a temporary rule that is a product of the conference's own mishandled season timeline?

Besides, if Michigan can't play, what's stopping the Big Ten from allowing the Buckeyes to play a healthy league team? Every conference has adjusted on the fly in 2020, so it would be no different and offer no competitive advantage to find another B1G opponent for the Buckeyes.

One way or another, the Big Ten should get Ohio State on the field next weekend. Short of that, the biggest storyline to monitor is whether the conference alters the six-game requirement.