Upset Saturday -- with the Nos. 2-3-4 teams all going down in the same day for the first time since 1985 -- resulted in some shake-up to the third edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings, though not as much as you might think.
The CFP Selection Committee gave us some juicy premature seminfinal matchups that almost certainly will not be the same in three weeks. No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Clemson in a rematch of last year's championship game, and No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan which needs no further explanation.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will play each other in Columbus, Ohio, next weekend and there are no realistic scenarios that have them playing a rematch in a CFP semifinal.
The choice by the committee to put Michigan ahead of Clemson was interesting. That was likely more about the quality of each team's loss, which favors Michigan, instead of strength of schedule, which favors Clemson. The Wolverines do have three wins against teams in the top 10 this week, all at home, of course.
Strength of schedule was also cast aside in the Washington vs Wisconsin debate for No. 6. Wisconsin has an extra loss but has played a much tougher schedule than the Huskies. Washington benefits this week from Stanford being added to the rankings, giving the Huskies another win against a current top 25 team.
