College football rankings: AP top 25 teams moving up, down after Rivalry Week

Rivalry Week never disappoints, and what traditionally has been the most consequential Saturday in college football could prove to be so once again as several teams jockey for position around the top dozen with the playoff selectors keeping a close eye.

No change likely among the top two after Ohio State and Indiana did their jobs against rivals, but there will be some jostling for position around the top-ten after third-ranked Texas A&M failed their last test on the road against their biggest rival, spoiling their undefeated season.

Let’s take a shot at predicting who’s moving up, and who’s going down, in the polls as we look ahead to the our first postseason action on Championship Saturday.

Rankings reflect AP top 25 poll

Moving up: Oklahoma

College football rankings: AP top 25 teams moving up, down after Rivalry Week — Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 8

Oklahoma defied the odds and played themselves into College Football Playoff consideration on the back of statement wins at Tennessee and Alabama behind one of the most consistently ferocious defenses in the country.

All they had to do was beat a down LSU team to stay on the right side of the bracket, even if OU’s offense tried its best to give the game away with John Mateer handing over 3 interceptions, but he also located Isaiah Sategna and Deion Burks on two huge touchdowns in a 17-13 win.

If the Sooners are going to do anything in the playoff, their defense will have to do it. The other side of the ball is still very sloppy, especially on the ground, and only scored in this game because LSU’s defense obliged them by inexplicably leaving the field open on those two big plays.

For now, Oklahoma will be among those other top-ten teams that benefit from Texas A&M’s fall from No. 3, and the playoff selectors will keep them among the top dozen.

Moving down: Michigan

Last week’s ranking: No. 15

Michigan could have put itself into the College Football Playoff conversation with a win over undefeated, top-ranked Ohio State, something they did the last four years.

But those hopes were ambushed by a determined rival that put itself in the Big Ten title game with a win here.

Michigan’s defenders couldn’t contain Ohio State’s skill threats or run game late, and their offense couldn’t move the ball on the Buckeyes’ suffocating defense.

Moving up: Georgia

Last week’s ranking: No. 4

As we noted after Black Friday’s results, the Bulldogs are a sure thing to move into the No. 3 position in this week’s rankings after taking out Georgia Tech combined with Texas A&M’s upset loss at rival Texas.

That combination puts Georgia in the SEC Championship Game next weekend, where they’ll have a chance to make it two-straight conference titles.

Moving up: Vanderbilt

Last week’s ranking: No. 12

For the first time ever, Vanderbilt and Tennessee were both ranked in their rivalry game, and Vandy was the one that made the most of that history, exposing Tennessee’s defense for over 550 total yards to win 10 games for the first time as a program.

Diego Pavia’s final regular season game for Vanderbilt was one they’ll never forget, ripping apart the Vols’ defense with more than 400 combined passing and rushing yards in a 45-24 victory on Rocky Top.

Credited with helping revive the Vanderbilt program, Pavia averaged over 400 total yards and accounted for 16 total touchdowns in the last four games, putting this team in the playoff hunt and himself in the Heisman Trophy race.

Moving down: Tennessee

Last week’s ranking: No. 18

Josh Heupel might want to look into making some changes among his defensive coaching personnel after allowing 45 points to rival Vanderbilt at home.

Granted, the Vols weren’t going to the College Football Playoff anyway, but were still in the running for a better bowl game if they could stay at three losses. So much for that.

Moving up: Texas

Last week’s ranking: No. 16

Considered out of the College Football Playoff race with those three losses, seemingly all the Longhorns had to play for was the privilege of taking down undefeated in-state rival Texas A&M and spoiling their SEC championship hopes. That they did.

Is it enough to propel Texas back into the playoff bracket? Probably not, but it should be at least a question posed in the selection committee room. For now, the Longhorns will jump loser Michigan and back into the top-15.

Moving down: Texas A&M

Last week’s ranking: No. 3

Playing perfect football all year -- against what critics would argue was the worse half of the SEC -- put the Aggies in the hunt to get a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, but a loss in the regular season finale against rival Texas appears to have ended those ambitions.

They’re out of the SEC Championship Game with the loss, and their chance at a first-round bye is also in peril. One will go to the eventual SEC champ, as will the Big Ten winner, and potentially the runner-up, while Texas Tech looks in line to take another.