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The College Football Playoff started in 2014. It produces its own weekly rankings beginning in the middle of the season and they determine the two teams that will play Alabama and Ohio State for the national title. I kid, but almost every iteration has involved Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, and Oklahoma. There are basically two rules: 1. Alabama is in no matter what, and 2. No non-power 5 teams.
The rest of the top 25 is an honor, and usually sued as a measure to justify rule No. 2 by inflating other team’s profiles. Now, for the first time ever Purdue is in the top 25... and not just barely. We’re 19th!
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Cincinnati
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Oklahoma State
- Texas A&M
- Wake Forest
- Baylor
- BYU
- Mississippi
- NC State
- Auburn
- Wisconsin
- Purdue
- Iowa
- Pittsburgh
- San Diego State
- Texas-San Antonio
- Utah
- Arkansas
Wow.
There were (rightful) questions on whether or not Purdue would even make a bowl game this year and if Jeff Brohm should be on the hot seat. Those questions have been answered, as the Boilers find themselves in the top 20 in mid-November with bowl eligibility secured. We only need about 20 upsets ahead of us to make the playoff, too.
Unfortunately, our superpower of being able to knock off top 5 teams is now stripped. Ohio State is in the top five, but we’re now ranked ourselves. In the AP Poll we’re unranked, but they’re sixth. You could argue are inclusion is to make Notre Dame and Ohio State look better so Cincinnati can be pushed out, but hey, we’re in (and in a roundabout way it helps Cincinnati since we’re a quality win for their best win in Notre Dame).
It’s just incredible to make it this far, and an 8-4 regular season is a real possibility, and might even be probable at this point. Just imagine if we had beaten Minnesota like we probably should have.
Let’s enjoy it.