Texas Christian University has been sitting at No.4 in the nation for weeks, but after a massive win by also-undefeated Michigan over now-beaten Ohio State, the Horned Frogs have moved up to No.3 in both the Associated Press and the Coaches Poll.
TCU is expected to move up to the No.3 spot in the college football playoffs (CFP) rankings, which will be released on November 29.
TCU completed its first undefeated season since 2010, when part of the Mountain West Conference, with a resounding smashing of Iowa State.
Playing before the home crowd at Amon G. Carter Stadium for the last time this season, the Frogs are now set to face Kansas State for the Big 12 Championship and possibly a bid for the college football playoff semifinals.
TCU won the title in 2010, then under head coach Gary Patterson, with Andy “The Red Rocket” Dalton at quarterback. Dalton is now the starting head coach of the New Orleans Saints and spent time with the Dallas Cowboys.
In the latest poll from the AP, Georgia (12–0) holds onto the top spot after defeating Georgia Tech, 37-14, in Week 12. The Bulldogs will face No.11 LSU (9-3), who dropped five spots after losing 38-23 to unranked Texas Tech.
Despite three losses, LSU finished the season in first place in the SEC West to earn a shot at the SEC Championship.
The two teams have quite a history against one another in the championship, including a Tigers victory in 2019 over Georgia. The Bulldogs have appeared in four championship games in five years but have not won since 2017. Georgia and LSU will play on December 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans at 3 p.m. CT.
Ranking at No.2 in the country, Michigan is coming off a stunning upset over Ohio State, which tumbled to fifth from second after losing 45-23 to the Wolverines. Michigan is now slated to face Purdue, which captured the Big 10 West division with a victory over Indiana. Unranked Purdue finished the season 8-4 overall and went 6-3 in the conference to secure a shot at the Big Ten title.
No.3 TCU has triumphed in its first year under new head coach Sonny Dykes and will get a shot on December 3 at 12 p.m. CT in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The game will mark the first time TCU has competed in the championship game and Kansas State’s fourth.
Moving up to No.4 in the AP rankings is the University of Southern California, which defeated Notre Dame to finish the season at 11-1. The team’s only loss of the season came against No.14 Utah, whom the Trojans will face in the PAC-10 Championship game on December 2 at 6 p.m. CT.
The CFP semifinals, scheduled for New Year’s Eve this year, will pit the top four teams for a bid to the National Championship Game. The victors of those two games will advance to the National Championship Game on January 9.