The final week of the 2024 college football regular season featured some impactful results, but none were bigger than Syracuse’s upset win over Miami. The Hurricanes were sixth in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into Week 14, and they had a 21-0 lead over the Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. But Miami quickly allowed that lead to evaporate, and Syracuse ended up coming away with a 42-38 victory. Pretty much everybody knew what was coming from there.
In ESPN’s Week 14 College Football Playoff rankings reveal, we found out that Alabama was the 13th-ranked team in the nation. That meant that if anybody slipped up, the Tide would have their shot at the 12-team field. Well, a Miami team that flirted with danger all year long lost to an unranked opponent, and the final College Football Playoff rankings showed that the Hurricanes paid the ultimate price. Meanwhile, the Tide made out like bandits, getting themselves into the mix despite having lost three games and failing to reach the SEC Championship Game. Here’s a look at the Top 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings after Week 14:
- 1) Oregon (11-0)
- 2) Texas (11-1)
- 3) Penn State (11-1)
- 4) Notre Dame (11-1)
- 5) Georgia (10-2)
- 6) Ohio State (10-2)
- 7) Tennessee (10-2)
- 8) SMU (11-1)
- 9) Indiana (11-1)
- 10) Boise State (11-1)
- 11) Alabama (9-3)
- 12) Miami (10-2)
- 13) Ole Miss (9-3)
- 14) South Carolina (9-3)
- 15) Arizona State (10-2)
- 16) Iowa State (10-2)
- 17) Clemson (9-3)
- 18) BYU (10-2)
- 19) Missouri (9-3)
- 20) UNLV (10-2)
- 21) Illinois (9-3)
- 22) Syracuse (9-3)
- 23) Colorado (9-3)
- 24) Army (10-1)
- 25) Memphis (10-2)
While Miami is 12th in the rankings right now, that doesn’t mean much of anything. The Big 12 doesn’t currently have a top-12 team, but the winner of the Big 12 Conference Championship Game between Iowa State and Arizona State will get an automatic bid. That means that one of the hottest debates from Sunday to Tuesday is over. Miami, a team that many were betting to make the playoff at +800 or higher, won’t be in the field. And Alabama, which was +180 at DraftKings Sportsbook to make the playoff on November 25th, is very much alive.
The only thing that can keep the Tide out is a Clemson win over SMU in the ACC Championship Game. If that happens, Dabo Swinney’s team will get the automatic ACC bid. The committee would then have to decide between a two-loss SMU and three-loss Alabama.
As things stand, DraftKings Sportsbook has Alabama at -370 to make the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, SMU is -400 to make the 12-team field.
Now that we know Alabama is ranked higher than Miami, there isn’t too much that can change during Championship Week. Oregon, Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee and Indiana are all in. Then, the Big 12, ACC and Mountain West champions will take the other three spots. All that’s left to sort out is the ending of the Alabama saga.
With all of that out of the way, here’s a look at DraftKings Sportsbook’s updated odds to win the national title:
- Oregon (+350)
- Texas (+400)
- Ohio State (+450)
- Georgia (+500)
- Notre Dame (+800)
- Penn State (+900)
- Alabama (16-1)
- Tennessee (18-1)
- SMU (28-1)
- Indiana (40-1)
- Clemson (50-1)
- Arizona State (80-1)
- Boise State (100-1)
- Iowa State (110-1)
- UNLV (250-1)
- Army (1000-1)
You can find all of those odds (in that exact order) here!
