With rivalry week in the rearview and the playoffs looming in the near future, it’s time to take a look at where the top teams stand in college football.

The Game

The biggest game of rivalry week was the annual clash between Ohio State and Michigan, two of the top programs in the country. What ensued was a double-overtime thriller that saw Ohio State walkoff with a touchdown run. The win saved OSU’s chances of making the College Football Playoff (CFP), which the top four teams in the country make. Ohio State stands at number two going into their final game. The loss hurts Michigan’s chances by dropping them to fifth. Their only chance to sneak into the top four is a loss next week by one of the top teams.

The Iron Bowl

Auburn and Alabama met with Auburn looking for an upset against the best team in the country. But, the Crimson Tide proved unflappable again, handily beating Auburn 30-12 as they look forward to next week’s SEC Title matchup against Florida, with a third straight trip to the CFP in their sights. Alabama has looked like the best team all season long and they expect to make it consecutive trips to the CFP championship.

Clemson

The Tigers easily took their matchup against South Carolina, winning 56-7. Heisman hopeful QB Deshaun Watson threw for six touchdowns. Clemson needs to win next week’s game against Virginia Tech in order to hold their number three spot in the CFP as they look to make it to the championship game in consecutive seasons.

The Apple Cup

The yearly matchup between University of Washington and Washington State had more national attention than usual with both teams being nationally ranked. UW had something to prove against a WSU team that had played great this season after starting off 0-2 and they proved their worth. They won 45-17 with Heisman candidate Jake Browning throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The Huskies jumped Michigan to take the number four seed. UW has one more chance to prove they belong in the CFP next week against Colorado, who have one of the best passing defenses in the country. A win will seal their spot in the top four while a loss may allow Michigan to take their spot back.

Coaching Changes

The biggest news to come out of this weekend may not even have to do with a team, but a coach. That coach is Tom Herman who is the hottest name in college football right now. After being in charge of Ohio State’s high octane offense from 2012-14, he has been the head coach at Houston the past two seasons with impressive results. He has just been tapped as the new head coach for University of Texas after they fired Charlie Strong. Herman now has a chance to lead a legendary program out of some if its darkest days.

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