STILLWATER – Oklahoma State continues to get their most favorable ranking from the most important cast of voters as the College Football Playoff Committee moved the Cowboys up one spot in their rankings up to No. 21 after the Pokes easily disposed of Baylor 42-6 in their regular season finale in Waco last Saturday. Oklahoma State climbed back into the USA Today Coaches Poll this past weekend coming in at No. 22, but the Associated Press still has the Cowboys outside the top 25 and receiving votes.
Alabama occupies the top spot in the CFP rankings and they are followed by Notre Dame, Clemson, and Ohio State as the teams that would be in the playoffs if this were the final rather than the penultimate edition of the rankings. Alabama plays No. 7 Florida in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. Notre Dame and Clemson will play in the ACC Championship Game in a rematch of a regular season game Notre Dame won on their home field in overtime with Clemson playing without quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Ohio State will meet Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Out of the Big 12, Iowa State has risen to No. 6 and would have an outside shot at getting in the playoffs if enough weird things happened. Oklahoma is No. 10 and really has no shot at getting in the playoff even if they win the Big 12 Championship.
Texas is the only other Big 12 team that is ranked and they are just in front of Oklahoma State at No. 20. Tulsa, who will play Cincinnati in the AAC Championship on Saturday and lost to Oklahoma State as their only loss of the season, is ranked No. 23.
Oklahoma State will finish their season in a bowl for the 15th season in a row, likely in either the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando or in the Mercari Texas Bowl in Houston.
