CFP First Rankings: Who Stands Where Now

**College Football Playoff Committee to Reveal First 2023 Rankings Amidst Heated Contention**

The anticipation among college football fans will reach a fever pitch this Tuesday, October 31st, as the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee unveils its first official rankings of the 2023 season. The crucial initial poll, determining the landscape for the current four-team playoff structure, will be broadcast live on ESPN at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

This marks the commencement of a weekly process that culminates in the final four-team bracket selection on Sunday, December 3rd. While the sport looks ahead to an expanded 12-team playoff in 2024, the immediate stakes remain incredibly high for teams vying for one of college football’s most coveted spots.

Led by NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan, the 13-member selection committee faces the unenviable task of assessing performance, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and other critical metrics to rank the nation’s top programs. Their initial decisions will undoubtedly spark debate and set the narrative for the remaining weeks of the regular season and conference championship games.

Coming off a pivotal weekend of action, a handful of undefeated teams are expected to occupy the top positions, solidifying their early claims to playoff contention. The reigning back-to-back national champions, **Georgia**, continued their dominant run, entering their game against Florida in Jacksonville looking to extend their remarkable winning streak. Also boasting perfect records are **Michigan**, renowned for their suffocating defense following their matchup with rival Michigan State in East Lansing; **Ohio State**, with significant victories already against Notre Dame and Penn State, coming off their game in Madison against Wisconsin; **Florida State**, who impressively defeated LSU and Clemson earlier in the season, having just faced Wake Forest; and **Washington**, who notched a key victory over Oregon and were up against Stanford. These teams have presented compelling cases for inclusion, but the committee’s specific ordering will reveal their perceived hierarchy.

Beyond the unblemished records, a strong contingent of one-loss teams are firmly entrenched in the playoff hunt, with their recent performances critical to their positioning. **Texas**, whose only loss came to Oklahoma, made a resounding statement with an impressive road victory against Alabama in Tuscaloosa earlier this season, having now played BYU in Austin. **Oregon**, with its high-octane offense, suffered its lone defeat to Washington and recently had a crucial showdown against Utah in Salt Lake City. **Alabama**, despite their early setback against Texas, has shown significant improvement and consistency, coming off a major rivalry clash against Tennessee in Tuscaloosa. **Penn State**’s only loss is to Ohio State, keeping them very much in the conversation, as they played Indiana in Happy Valley. **Oklahoma**, whose single defeat was to Kansas, faced a tough road test against Oklahoma State in Lawrence. Even **Ole Miss**, with their lone loss to Alabama, remains a factor, having played Vanderbilt.

The first rankings serve as more than just a snapshot; they provide insight into the committee’s early leanings and highlight potential paths to the playoffs for various contenders. With conference championship races heating up and rivalry games still on the horizon, every snap will be magnified.

Fans can tune in to ESPN at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 31st, to witness the inaugural CFP rankings reveal of the 2023 season. Further updates and analyses will be available on ESPN.com and CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.