2018 College Football Rankings, Week 11: AP Poll, Playoff Top 25, Vegas Ratings, Coaches Poll

2018 College Football Rankings, Week 11: AP Poll, Playoff Top 25, Vegas Ratings, Coaches Poll article feature image
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  • At this point in the season, the AP Top 25 Poll, College Football Playoff rankings and our Vegas-style betting power ratings each look a little different.
  • Compare all three to see how different groups value each team.

The 2018 College Football Playoff rankings are out, but they'll probably stay the same Tuesday night after a quiet week where pretty much every favorite won outright.

Here, we're comparing the College Football Playoff rankings to the AP Poll and our Vegas-style betting power ratings to see how different groups value each team.



2018 College Football Rankings, Week 11

Remember, our power ratings are meant to be predictive and don't care as much about wins and losses as the AP Poll voters or College Football Playoff committee.

These are the rankings after Week 11. We'll update them as they roll out Sunday, but the College Football Playoff rankings won't be out until Tuesday.

Here are the college football rankings entering Week 11.

Comparing AP Poll, College Football Playoff Top 25, Vegas Ratings

Alabama

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 1
  • AP Poll: 1
  • Vegas Rating: 1

Before Week 11: The clear-cut No. 1 team in the country passed its first major test of the season in a 29-0 rout of LSU. Things don't get any easier this week with a home date against Mississippi State and its excellent defense.

After Week 11: Ho hum. Just another SEC shutout for the Tide. Mississippi State hung tough with Alabama's offense, but just couldn't get anything going when it had the ball. Bama hosts The Citadel and Auburn before the SEC Championship Game.

Clemson

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 2
  • AP Poll: 2
  • Vegas Rating: 2

Before Week 11: Clemson is really finding its stride with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. The Tigers travel to Boston College this week in what could be their smallest point spread until the College Football Playoff, should they get there.

After Week 11: Clemson didn't turn in its most dominant offensive performance against Boston College, but the defense was tremendous, holding the Eagles to just 113 yards.

Notre Dame

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 3
  • AP Poll: 3
  • Vegas Rating: 7

Before Week 11: Notre Dame will be without quarterback Ian Book against Florida State after he suffered a rib injury. The offense has been so much better and more balanced with Book under center, and the Irish will really suffer down the stretch without him.

After Week 11: Without quarterback Ian Book, the Irish rolled Florida State. A pivotal game against Syracuse at Yankee Stadium awaits next week.

Michigan

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 4
  • AP Poll: 4
  • Vegas Rating: 4

Before Week 11: The Wolverines have been high in our power ratings all week, and the AP Poll and College Football Playoff have finally caught up. They're in great shape to reach the national semifinals if they win out.

After Week 11: Rutgers didn't pose much of a challenge for the Wolverines, who have Indiana and Ohio State remaining before a possible Big Ten Championship date against Northwestern.

Georgia

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 5
  • AP Poll: 5
  • Vegas Rating: 3

Before Week 11: The Bulldogs are coming off two huge wins over Florida and Kentucky, but with one loss, will likely have to get past Alabama to reach the College Football Playoff.

After Week 11: Georgia continues to put up quality efforts and is growing in a lot of ways. We expected that after last year's team lost so many veterans. Saturday, the Dawgs ran all over Auburn in a 27-10 win, running for 303 yards against a quality Tigers defense.

Oklahoma

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 6
  • AP Poll: 6
  • Vegas Rating: 5

Before Week 11: The Sooners have flaws, but the offense is so, so good. Even better than last season with Baker Mayfield (statistically speaking). They face Oklahoma State this week as a three-touchdown favorite.

After Week 11: The Sooners needed some help to beat Oklahoma State 48-47, and the defense still has so many questions to answer.

LSU

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 7
  • AP Poll: 9
  • Vegas Rating: 8

Before Week 11: The College Football Playoff committee loves quality wins, and the Tigers still have a bunch despite a blowout loss to Alabama. LSU faces a tricky test at Arkansas in a letdown spot this week.

After Week 11: LSU didn't cover against Arkansas in a 24-17 win, but dominated the game. The Tigers held the Hogs to just 216 total yards and 16 yards rushing.

Washington State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 8
  • AP Poll: 10
  • Vegas Rating: 23

Before Week 11: The Cougars are playing a little above their heads right now, coming in 15 spots higher in the CFP rankings than in our power ratings. Colorado is a live underdog this weekend and Wazzu.

After Week 11: When you think Washington State might go down, the Cougars respond and take care of business. They crushed Colorado in a tricky spot on Saturday, 31-7.

West Virginia

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 9
  • AP Poll: 7
  • Vegas Rating: 12

Before Week 11: West Virginia could play Oklahoma in consecutive weeks to end the season. This week, a home date with a TCU team that's given the Mountaineers trouble in the past.

After Week 11: WVU took advantage of a downtrodden TCU team, blowing out the Horned Frogs 47-10.

Ohio State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 10
  • AP Poll: 8
  • Vegas Rating: 6

Before Week 11: The Buckeyes have a lot of work to do if they want to win the Big Ten, and that starts this weekend with Michigan State.

After Week 11: Ohio State deserves all the criticism it's gotten, but the Buckeyes gutted out a 26-6 at Michigan State on Saturday. On a different day this year, they may have let the adversity and offensive struggles get the best of them.

Kentucky

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 11
  • AP Poll: 12
  • Vegas Rating: 42

Before Week 11: There's a huge disparity between the AP Poll and CFP Top 25 and our power ratings, which rate Kentucky 30 spots lower.

After Week 11: I don't think Kentucky will be gracing the College Football Playoff rankings come Tuesday. The Wildcats were embarrassed by Tennessee in Knoxville, gaining 262 total yards in a 24-7 loss.

UCF

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 12
  • AP Poll: 11
  • Vegas Rating: 30

Before Week 11: The war over UCF's legitimacy as a College Football Playoff contender rolls on. Giving up 670 yards to Temple last week didn't help, even if it came in a Knights win.

After Week 11: UCF took care of business against a down Navy team, but it wasn't easy. The Knights host Cincinnati in a game that should decide the AAC West.

Syracuse

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 13
  • AP Poll: 13
  • Vegas Rating: 46

After Week 11: If you're a Power 5 team that keeps winning, you'll keep rising in the AP Poll, no matter what. Syracuse's best win is home against N.C. State, and its second-best win is … over North Carolina. A Friday night trashing of Louisville probably won't do anything to help the Orange in our power ratings.

N.C. State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 14
  • AP Poll: 22
  • Vegas Rating: 33

After Week 11: These rankings were all from before N.C. State's loss to Wake Forest as a 20-point favorite, so the Pack will fall in a big way. They were already much lower in our power ratings.

Florida

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 15
  • AP Poll: 19
  • Vegas Rating: 13

Before Week 11: The Gators have suffered consecutive losses to SEC East foes, which dropped them to just No. 15 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Wins over LSU and Mississippi State will do that.

After Week 11: Florida needed a strong finish to come back and top South Carolina, but the Gators got it. They're still alive for a New Year's Six bowl for that reason.

Mississippi State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 16
  • AP Poll: 18
  • Vegas Rating: 9

Before Week 11: The Bulldogs can make some serious noise against Alabama this week, but they're out of the College Football Playoff conversation with three losses.

After Week 11: Give Mississippi State's defense a ton of credit, because the Bulldogs played Alabama tougher than anyone has all season. If not for a touchdown at the end of the first half called back by a phantom penalty, this could have been a different game.

Boston College

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 17
  • AP Poll: 17
  • Vegas Rating: 25

Before Week 11: Like Mississippi State, Boston College can vault itself into the top 10 of the AP Poll and CFP Top 25 with a win over Clemson, but that will be tough sledding as a three-touchdown underdog.

After Week 11: Boston College has had a nice season, but it's just not in the same league as Clemson. The Tigers held that vaunted Eagles rushing attack to just 9 yards.

Michigan State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 18
  • AP Poll: 21
  • Vegas Rating: 15

Before Week 11: Back from the dead, Michigan State doesn't have a real shot to win the Big Ten, but can finish second in the division and make a run at a New Year's Six bowl with a win over Ohio State this weekend.

After Week 11: Michigan State caught some bad breaks against Ohio State, but the Spartans didn't deserve to win that game anyway.

Texas

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 19
  • AP Poll: 15
  • Vegas Rating: 20

Before Week 11: The Longhorns have an impressive win over Oklahoma, but really haven't done much outside of that. A road win at Texas Tech this weekend would be a decent résumé booster.

After Week 11: Texas just never makes it easy, does it? The Horns blew a 17-point fourth quarter lead, then converted a beautiful back-shoulder touchdown in the final minutes to win 41-34.

Penn State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 20
  • AP Poll: 21
  • Vegas Rating: 14

Before Week 11: Penn State is still high in our power ratings, but the Nittany Lions clearly have some flaws, especially on offense. They play Wisconsin this weekend in a matchup of teams disappointed with where they're at right now.

After Week 11: The Nittany Lions took care of business against Wisconsin and still have an outside shot at a New Year's Six bowl with games against Rutgers and Maryland to end the season.

Iowa

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 21
  • AP Poll: NR
  • Vegas Rating: 16

Before Week 11: The committee likes Iowa. We like Iowa. What gives, AP Poll?

After Week 11: Maybe the AP Poll was right. The Hawkeyes lost 14-10 to Northwestern, which clinched the Big Ten West with the win.

Iowa State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 22
  • AP Poll: 23
  • Vegas Rating: 17

Before Week 11: Iowa State has been a completely different team with Brock Purdy under center, and might be even higher than No. 17 in our power ratings had he played the whole season. Someone is going to try to give Matt Campbell a dump truck full of cash this winter.

After Week 11: Baylor actually outplayed Iowa State, but the Cyclones have just two Big 12 losses and a shot to reach the conference title game.

Fresno State

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 23
  • AP Poll: 16
  • Vegas Rating: 31

After Week 11: Fresno played Boise on Friday night in by far its toughest test of the season and failed. The Bulldogs lost 24-17 on the blue turf.

Auburn

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 24
  • AP Poll: NR
  • Vegas Rating: 15

Before Week 11: Auburn's brand name got it back into the College Football Playoff Top 25, but it's a 14-point dog at Georgia and will drop out with a loss.

After Week 11: It was a brief appearance back in the Top 25 for Auburn. A 27-10 loss to Georgia will drop the Tigers out.

Washington

  • College Football Playoff Ranking: 25
  • AP Poll: NR
  • Vegas Rating: 15

Before Week 11: Washington is out of the CFP conversation with three losses, but still has a viable path to Pac 12 title game and Rose Bowl.

After Week 11: Washington was off this week, and plays Oregon State and Washington State to end the season.



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