Missouri concluded the 2023 regular season as a top-10 team in both The Associated Press Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings. Despite a 48-14 victory over Arkansas, Mizzou remained at No. 9 in the CFP rankings due to wins by teams like Alabama and Texas. This marks the first time the program secured the same spot in all three rankings – AP poll, Coaches Poll, and CFP.
Georgia maintained its No. 1 position, while Michigan climbed to second after defeating Ohio State. Unbeaten Washington and Florida State occupied the third and fourth spots, respectively. Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, and Alabama rounded out the top eight. This weekend, Georgia plays Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, with Michigan dueling with Iowa in the Big Ten title tilt. Oregon and Washington play on Friday night for the Pac-12 championship in Las Vegas, with Florida State and Louisville battling one another for the ACC championship. Texas will play Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title matchup.
The four-team College Football Playoff faced its most competitive field in its 10-year history, with the final lineup set to be announced on Sunday.
Determining CFP contenders before championship weekend is somewhat subjective. Typically, a Power Five team with only one loss heading into the conference title games is considered in contention, even if not playing. No team with two losses has ever made the CFP, but a team with two losses could be considered, especially when playing for a conference title, as seen with Auburn in 2017.
Championship weekend has historically been about watching if teams play their way out rather than in. Last season, the field was nearly set before Saturday’s games, with Georgia and Michigan securing their spots by winning their conference title games, TCU getting in despite losing the Big 12 title game, and Ohio State slipping in without playing.
Alabama coach Nick Saban advocated for the Tide’s inclusion with two losses, but there was minimal suspense heading into Selection Sunday.