USC signs up with Georgia, Michigan, TCU in CFP’s leading 4

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and USC are all poised to make the College Football Playoff with wins in their conference championship games this weekend after the choice committee revealed its penultimate rankings Tuesday night.There was no modification at the top, as Georgia(12-0 )stayed No. 1. However after Michigan (12-0) beat Ohio State 45-23 on Saturday, the Wolverines jumped one area to No. 2. TCU(12-0 )stayed at No. 3, and USC(11-1)made its very first look in the leading four after the Buckeyes and LSU lost. “A lot of discussions about the top four,”CFP committee chair Boo Corrigan, the athletic director at NC State, stated on ESPN’s rankings release program. “We didn’t see any factor to move Georgia out of the top spot.” Ohio State dropped to No. 5, and now need to expect upsets

and chaos in the upcoming title games to possibly get a chance to make it back into the playoff mix. But much of that will depend on not only the results, but how the committee would see an undefeated group that loses in the conference title game, since Ohio State will not be playing an additional game. Alabama landed simply behind the Buckeyes at No. 6.2 Associated”It was a tough decision,”Corrigan said concerning the call to

put Ohio State ahead of Alabama.” There’s four groups in front of them, and there’s lots of games that still need to be played this weekend.”Championship game weekend could offer little drama if the top four teams win.

Everything starts Friday night when No. 11 Utah( 9-3)and USC play in the Pac-12 national championship in Las Vegas. Utah handed USC its only loss of the season in October, 43-42, when quarterback Cam Rising ran for a 1-yard touchdown and converted the 2-point conversion attempt with 48 seconds left.On Saturday, Georgia plays No. 14 LSU(9-3 )in the SEC championship game; TCU plays No. 10

Kansas State( 9-3)in the Huge 12 championship game; and Michigan plays Purdue (8-4) in the Big 10 national championship. The leading four CFP groups are preferred to win.If one or more teams lose, the committee may have harder decisions to make. However consider this: Beyond the leading 5, every other

ranked group has 2 or more losses, and no two-loss group ever has made the College Football Playoff.”College football always delivers, “Corrigan said when previewing the weekend.” As a group, we’re delighted to have the chance to get together

and see these games. We look forward to examining all of it.”The highest ranked among the two-loss groups is Alabama, followed by Tennessee at No. 7. Penn State at No. 8, Clemson at No. 9 and Kansas State at No. 10 round out the top 10. Clemson plays No. 23 North Carolina(9-3 )in the ACC national championship Saturday as well, however after the Tigers lost to South Carolina 31-30 last Saturday, they were basically gotten rid of from playoff contention.That win over Clemson assisted South Carolina (8-4) go from unranked to the No. 19 area this week. In addition to beating Clemson, the Gamecocks beat Tennessee 63-38 the previous week– becoming the first unranked group to win consecutive games against AP Top 10 challengers given that Auburn in 2003. Tulane (10-2 )is just ahead of South Carolina at No. 18 and hosts No. 22 UCF( 9-3)on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The winner would nearly surely be the greatest ranked Group of 5 group, and earn an area in a New Year’s Six game.The last

rankings will be launched Sunday, followed by bowl announcements for the groups that don’t make it.