Consider this a one-week reprieve.
After weeks of chaotic movement in the US LBM Coaches Poll and a few days ahead of a make-or-break Thanksgiving weekend, there will be no changes to the top 10 after a largely uneventful Saturday for the top College Football Playoff contenders.
All of the seven teams in action — Indiana, Mississippi and Texas Tech were off — won by double-digit margins, including blowouts of Power Four competition by Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Texas A&M and Alabama rolled over Championship Subdivision competition and Georgia cruised past Charlotte.
In the closest and maybe most important result, Oklahoma held off Missouri for a 17-6 win to stay alive in the playoff race.
Here’s how the top 10 will look when the Coaches Poll is released later on Sunday:
1. Ohio State (11-0)
The Buckeyes ran for 254 yards, a season high in Bowl Subdivision games, and held Rutgers to 147 yards in a 42-9 win. The Buckeyes look ready to beat Michigan and reach the Big Ten championship game — but we’ve said that before.
2. Indiana (11-0)
The idle Hoosiers close things out against Purdue. While losing the rivalry game is nearly impossible to imagine, a shocking loss wouldn’t keep Indiana out of the Big Ten championship unless Ohio State also lose, which would send Oregon and Michigan to Indianapolis.
3. Texas A&M (11-0)
Next up is Texas, which looked very good on offense against Arkansas’ very bad defense. As with Ohio State and Michigan, the Aggies look constructed to slow down the Longhorns’ offense and deliver the key plays through the air to win the rivalry and stay unbeaten. But this one is bound to be a dogfight.
4. Georgia (10-1)
Georgia will play Texas A&M if Alabama loses to Auburn. The Bulldogs look to close things out the easy way against Georgia Tech after last year’s game took eight overtimes before going their way.
5. Oregon (10-1)
Finally, Oregon was able to deliver a statement win to show to the playoff committee. That should leave the Ducks nearly locked into an at-large berth heading into the rivalry against Washington. They’d be in trouble with a loss to the Huskies if Brigham Young then beats Texas Tech to win the Big 12, as one possible scenario.
6. Mississippi (10-1)
Amid all the drama and controversy over Lane Kiffin’s future, the Rebels are poised to close the door on the program’s finest regular season in decades and decades with a win against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.
7. Texas Tech (10-1)
The Red Raiders can always get into the playoff by winning the Big 12, but they’d do themselves a big favor by not slipping up against West Virginia. Having already topped BYU once, Tech can afford to drop the rematch and still land an at-large spot.
8. Oklahoma (9-2)
The offense just isn’t very good, and hasn’t been very good all season. Looking ahead, it’s the lack of punch and explosiveness that will keep Oklahoma from advancing far in the playoff. But getting there is extremely important to the program’s development, and beating Missouri keeps the Sooners on track to host a first-round game by winning against LSU.
9. Notre Dame (9-2)
Notre Dame scored 35 points in the first quarter and just embarrassed Syracuse 70-7. Since the Irish can’t do anything about drawing the Orange and Stanford to end the year, maybe they’re planning on obliterating both teams to make sure the committee doesn’t try any funny business.
10. Alabama (9-2)
It’s the biggest Iron Bowl in a few years. A loss is very bad for Kalen DeBoer, giving him three regular-season losses in each of his two years. Alabama should win and shouldn’t struggle doing so, but crazy and crazier things have happened before in this rivalry at Jordan-Hare.