Chaos Reigns: Oklahoma’s Upset of Alabama Creates Massive CFP Upheaval

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The third week of the College Football Playoff rankings delivered the kind of chaos that defines late-November football, with a seismic upset at the highest level completely reshuffling the top ten and drastically altering the path to the expanded 12-team playoff. The biggest story is the reverberations from the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners’ dramatic 23-21 road victory over No. 4 Alabama.

The Great Alabama Collapse and Oklahoma’s Leap

The CFP Selection Committee immediately penalized the Crimson Tide for their second loss, dropping them six spots from No. 4 to No. 10, placing them precariously on the bubble for an at-large bid. The Sooners, conversely, were rewarded massively for the monumental road win, vaulting three spots from No. 11 to No. 8. This means Oklahoma, once considered an afterthought, now sits safely inside the playoff picture, while Alabama faces the distinct possibility of missing the expanded field entirely if they falter again.

While the top three—Ohio State (10-0), Indiana (11-0), and Texas A&M (10-0)—remained intact, the rest of the top ten saw major movement: Georgia (9-1) moved up to No. 4, capturing the last projected first-round bye, followed closely by Texas Tech (10-1) at No. 5 and Mississippi (10-1) at No. 6. The committee spent considerable time comparing the two-loss teams, ultimately ranking Oklahoma ahead of both No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 10 Alabama, citing the Tide’s season-opening loss to a now-struggling Florida State as a key differentiating factor.

Heisman Race: A Big Ten Battle

The Heisman Trophy race is equally unsettled, having solidified into a two-man battle at the top, both residing in the Big Ten Conference. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has seized the lead, becoming the odds-on favorite after another virtually perfect performance in the Hoosiers’ march to an 11-0 record. Mendoza, who has accounted for over 2,600 passing yards and 35 total touchdowns, is being lauded for his elite, all-around production. Hot on his heels is Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. Though Sayin boasts great numbers, his campaign is handicapped by the Buckeyes’ consistent blowouts, limiting his signature “Heisman moments.”

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love continue to linger in the top five, but the trophy currently seems destined for the Big Ten. The battle between the undefeated signal-callers of Indiana and Ohio State sets up an intriguing final few weeks before ballots are cast.

The Expanded Playoff Picture

The 12-team CFP bracket is taking shape with unprecedented conference participation. The SEC remains poised to secure up to six bids, with Oklahoma’s jump and Vanderbilt’s steady ascent to No. 14 keeping the pressure on the bubble teams. The Big 12, led by Texas Tech, Utah, and BYU, is fighting for two bids, while the ACC’s highest-ranked team, Miami at No. 13, is still projected to receive the conference’s automatic bid despite ongoing uncertainty in their race. The Group of Five bid currently belongs to No. 24 Tulane, which is clinging to their spot due to crucial wins over Power Four opponents. With three weeks left and high-stakes games across every conference, the playoff field remains anything but settled.