How closely will the final AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll polls mirror the final College Football Playoff rankings?
The traditional top-25 rankings have diminished importance at this point of the season, as college football faithful hang on to every decision of the CFP selection committee. But they’re still worth monitoring, as it gives an early indication of how the committee could order its final top 25 and, more importantly, its top four.
MORE: College Football Playoff Picture for Week 15
Four games from Saturday will order the top of the rankings of the AP and Coaches polls: No. 1 Georgia’s 41-24 loss to No. 3 Alabama in the SEC championship; No. 2 Michigan’s 42-3 win over No. 13 Iowa in the Big Ten championship; No. 4 Cincinnati’s 35-20 win over No. 16 Houston in the AAC championship; and No. 5 Oklahoma State’s 21-16 loss to No. 9 Baylor in the Big 12 championship.
Those games will have the biggest impact at the top of the rankings, but there was more to conference championship weekend than just those games. No. 17 Utah shellacked No. 10 Oregon again in a 38-10 win in the Pac-12 championship game, setting up the Utes for their first-ever Rose Bowl berth. And No. 15 Pitt whipped No. 16 Wake Forest 45-21, setting up a New Year’s Day 6 berth in either the Peach or Fiesta bowl for the ACC champions.
Sporting News takes a look at how those games and more affected the latest AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll rankings following conference champion weekend:
TOP-5 LOSSES: Oklahoma State | Georgia
College football rankings for Week 15
AP Top 25
| Rank | Team | Record | Points (No. 1 votes) |
| 1 | Alabama | 12-1 | 1,535 (50) |
| 2 | Michigan | 12-1 | 1,480 (9) |
| 3 | Georgia | 12-1 | 1,408 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 13-0 | 1,404 (3) |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 11-1 | 1,280 |
| 6 | Baylor | 11-2 | 1,228 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 10-2 | 1,177 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 10-2 | 1,101 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 11-2 | 1,060 |
| 10 | Utah | 10-3 | 929 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 10-2 | 895 |
| 12 | BYU | 10-2 | 854 |
| 13 | Pitt | 11-2 | 838 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 10-2 | 807 |
| 15 | Oregon | 10-3 | 595 |
| 16 | Louisiana | 12-1 | 480 |
| 17 | Iowa | 10-3 | 447 |
| 18 | N.C. State | 9-3 | 405 |
| 19 | Clemson | 9-3 | 396 |
| 20 | Wake Forest | 10-3 | 394 |
| 21 | Houston | 11-2 | 359 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 8-4 | 280 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 8-4 | 172 |
| 24 | UTSA | 12-1 | 147 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 9-3 | 131 |
Others receiving votes: Utah State 109; Wisconsin 66; San Diego State 63; Minnesota 38; Purdue 36; Louisiana Tech 11; App State 9; Army 7; Mississippi State 4; Penn State 4; Northern Illinois 1.
MORE: College Football Playoff: Comparing Georgia’s resume to Notre Dame, Baylor’s
Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Record | Points (No. 1 votes) |
| 1 | Alabama | 12-1 | 1,540 (54) |
| 2 | Michigan | 12-1 | 1,474 (5) |
| 3 | Georgia | 12-1 | 1,420 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 13-0 | 1,392 (3) |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 11-1 | 1,266 |
| 6 | Baylor | 11-2 | 1,204 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 10-2 | 1,170 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 10-2 | 1,134 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 11-2 | 1,036 |
| 10 | Michigan State | 10-2 | 903 |
| 11 | Utah | 10-3 | 893 |
| 12 | Pitt | 11-2 | 886 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | 10-2 | 853 |
| 14 | BYU | 10-2 | 792 |
| 15 | Oregon | 10-3 | 589 |
| 16 | Iowa | 10-3 | 561 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 12-1 | 444 |
| 18 | N.C. State | 9-3 | 436 |
| 19 | Wake Forest | 10-3 | 389 |
| 20 | Kentucky | 9-3 | 327 |
| 21 | Houston | 11-2 | 315 |
| 22 | Clemson | 9-3 | 252 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 8-4 | 239 |
| 24 | Arkansas | 8-4 | 185 |
| 25 | UTSA | 12-1 | 146 |
Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 105; Utah State 85; San Diego State 62; Minnesota 17; Air Force 15; Penn State 5; Fresno State 5; UCLA 3; Mississippi State 2; Coastal Carolina 2; App State 2; Purdue 1.
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