The Southeastern Conference losses were almost everyone's gain in the College Football Playoff rankings, as SMU worked its way into the top 12 and Indiana remained in the mix at No. 10 despite its lopsided loss.
The 12-team bracket was released Tuesday to put undefeated Oregon State ahead for the fourth straight week.
It did not include the SEC's Alabama or Mississippi, both of whom suffered their third loss of the season last week.
That helped move SMU up four spots to ninth, joining sixth-place Miami to give the Atlantic Coast Conference two teams in the 12-team bracket.
They could meet in the ACC title game in two weeks. Clemson, which is ranked 12th, is also in the mix.
“We've been in that position, up until now, where our resume wasn't good enough, so we needed some help,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said a few hours before the rankings were released.
All eyes were on Indiana, and how harshly the committee would punish the Hoosiers for their first loss of the season, a 38-15 loss to No. 2 Ohio State.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti scoffed at the idea that the Hoosiers were not a playoff team.
The selection committee agreed, and was only down five places.
“We were impressed with some of the things Indiana did,” said Michigan athletic director Ward Manuel, chairman of the selection committee. “They lost five but we still felt their act was strong enough to stay in the top ten.”
The committee hasn't been nearly as generous toward the Big 12. Losses to the top two teams last week — BYU and Colorado — pushed Arizona State, which beat BYU, into the bracket.
The Sun Devils finished 16th.
That gave them the 12th and final spot in the bracket as the fifth-best projected champion in the conference, but it gave the Big 12 the distinct feel of a one-bid league.
Another offer may belong to Boise State in the Mountain West.
The Broncos finished 11th but earned the fourth seed in the bracket as the fourth-best projected conference champion.
SEC leader Texas ranked third.
Alabama fell six spots to 13th and Ole Miss dropped five spots to 14th.
Both are out of the mix, but not completely out of the question, as the committee grapples over the next two weeks with whether a team that has lost three times belongs in the playoffs.
“The desire is there to rank the teams as we see them,” Manuel said, noting that in the CFP’s 10-year history, the committee has placed 22 of the three losing teams in the top 12.
Before this year, of course, only the top four seeds mattered.
Other rankings: No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee.
There are two more rankings to be released – next week, and then the final rankings on December 8, which will determine the pairings for the qualifiers starting on December 20. The national title game is scheduled for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
Matches to watch
Michigan over No. 2 Ohio State: The Buckeyes' win sets up a rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten title game (with a possible third meeting in the playoffs).
No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M: Winner plays Georgia for the SEC title. The Longhorns are supposed to make a 12-team pool either way.
No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: The Palmetto Bowl for a chance to remain on the fringes of CFP interest.
Expected first round matches this week
Teams are listed by seed, not ranking.
No. 12 Arizona State No. 5 Ohio State: Fun fact: The Big 12 is not guaranteed a spot in these playoffs, and Tulane of the American Athletic Conference is ranked 17th, just one point behind ASU.
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Georgia: The Bulldogs are vulnerable to their third loss in the SEC title game. This will be a rematch of Georgia's 31-17 win on November 16.
No. 11 Indiana at No. 6 Penn State: An argument could be made that if these Big 10 foes had played this season, both might not be here.
No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Notre Dame: They haven't competed since 1989, but are scheduled to play again in 2026.
