Clemson makes top four of first 2018 College Football Playoff rankings

For the third time in the ranking’s five-year history, the SEC sits atop the first College Football Playoff ranking of the season.

The Crimson Tide opened at No. 1 this season in the rankings released Tuesday night, matching its AP Poll ranking. Its SEC West foe, LSU, sits at No. 3.

Both teams collide in a battle of SEC titans and playoff contenders Saturday in Baton Rouge.

Clemson plants its flag at No. 2, and Notre Dame at No. 4 rounds out the top teams this week. The Irish are ranked ahead of LSU in the AP Poll ranking at No. 3 and 4 respectively.

Clemson has now been ranked in the Top 4 of every rankings release since 2015 — 19 straight rankings.

The first two teams out are Michigan, ranked No. 5, and Georgia, ranked No. 6. The Bulldogs stumbled in the playoff picture after a loss at LSU two weeks ago but made a message with last week’s win over Florida, ranked No. 11 in Tuesday’s release.

Ohio State opens at No. 10, falling after the 49-20 Oct. 21 loss at Purdue. Penn State sits at No. 14, having lost back-to-back games this season to the Buckeyes and to Michigan State. The Big Ten’s final representative is No. 16 Iowa.

No. 7 Oklahoma is the highest-ranked Big 12 team, leading a list that includes No. 13 West Virginia, No. 17 Texas and the 24th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones.

Clemson is joined by ACC teams No. 19 Syracuse, No. 21 NC State, No. 22 Boston College and the Virginia Cavaliers, who at No. 25 round out the poll.

The Pac-12 is represented by No. 8 Washington State and No. 15 Utah.

The SEC has seven teams ranked, with No. 9 Kentucky, No. 18 Mississippi Stateand No. 20 Texas A&M joining the Tide, the Tigers, the Dawgs and the Gators.

Undefeated UCF, which made a case for itself to appear in last season’s playoffs after a 13-0 record that included a 34-27 Peach Bowl victory over then-No. 7 Auburn, is ranked No. 12. It’s the same ranking UCF finished at in the final release of the 2017 rankings, tied for the highest by a Group of 5 team.

Fresno State, No. 23, rounds out the Group of 5 representatives.

College Football Playoff Ranking

1. Alabama (8-0)
2. Clemson (8-0)
3. LSU (7-1)
4. Notre Dame (8-0)
5. Michigan (7-1)
6. Georgia (7-1)
7. Oklahoma (7-1)
8. Washington State (7-1)
9. Kentucky (7-1)
10. Ohio State (7-1)
11. Florida (6-2)
12. UCF (7-0)
13. West Virginia (6-1)
14. Penn State (6-2)
15. Utah (6-2)
16. Iowa (6-2)
17. Texas (6-2)
18. Mississippi State (5-3)
19. Syracuse (6-2)
20. Texas A&M (5-3)
21. NC State (5-2)
22. Boston College (6-2)
23. Fresno State (7-1)
24. Iowa State (4-3)
25. Virginia (6-2)

ESPN Contributed to the writing of this article.