Cowboys Move into the Top 10 in the College Football Playoff Rankings

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is now in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released their second edition of the path to both the playoff and to New Year’s Six bowl games at halftime of the State Farm Champions Basketball event in Madison Square Garden in New York City. ESPN gets exclusive first release of the rankings which saw some change, but not as much at the top as one might have thought with some of the results of last weekend.

Good signs for the Big 12 were Oklahoma (off week) staying at eighth in the rankings and Baylor with a 30-28 loss to TCU dropping just one spot from No. 12 to No. 13. Oklahoma State with the solid defensive dominating performance that included 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and allowing only 133-yards in the 24-3 win at West Virginia moved from No. 11 to tenth in the rankings.

In the teleconference with media afterwards, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee chairperson Gary Barta was asked specifically about how the committee sized up the Cowboys.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

The Cowboys defense in action with one of the eight quarterback sacks at WVU.

“Very impressive. I think like most people across the country have watched Oklahoma State over the years, the fact that their defense is so dominating this year is noted,” Said chairperson Barta, also the athletic director at the University of Iowa. “I know just this past week, I think they had seven (actually eight) sacks, and they really dominated that game at West Virginia, which is a tough place to play. They've beaten Baylor. The only loss is at Iowa State, which is a tough place to play.

“The committee thinks very highly of Oklahoma State,” Barta restated. “They're 10th, and I haven't looked ahead to see who they play next week, but we'll continue to watch them, and very impressed with them.”

Below is the complete rankings for week two of the process.

The CFP rankings will be out again on Nov. 16, Nov. 23, Nov. 30, and then the final rankings and the CFP assignments and invites to New Year’s Six bowls come with the final rankings on Sunday, Dec. 5.