The first official College Football Playoff rankings just dropped and the USC Trojans come in at number 20. This is 4 slots higher than their latest ranking in the AP Top 25 Poll where they are listed at 24th.
The full rankings are as follows:
- Ohio State (8-0)
- Georgia (8-0)
- Michigan (8-0)
- Florida State (8-0)
- Washington (8-0)
- Oregon (7-1)
- Texas (7-1)
- Alabama (7-1)
- Oklahoma (7-1)
- Ole Miss (7-1)
- Penn State (7-1)
- Missouri (7-1)
- Louisville (7-1)
- LSU (6-2)
- Notre Dame (7-2)
- Oregon State (6-2)
- Tennessee (6-2)
- Utah (6-2)
- UCLA (6-2)
- USC (7-2)
- Kansas (6-2)
- Oklahoma State (6-2)
- Kansas State (6-2)
- Tulane (7-1)
- Air Force (8-0)
A two-loss team has never made the College Football Playoff, so the USC Trojans are definitely in uncharted territory, however, because of their remaining schedule, there is a very slim chance, and a very compelling argument if they are able to win out.
Over the final three weeks, as it stands right now, SC plays the 5th-ranked Washington Huskies, the 6th-ranked Oregon Ducks (on the road), and then closes out the season against the 19th-ranked UCLA Bruins. If they win out, that should garner a bid to the PAC12 Championship (they would only have one conference loss). If they win the PAC12, they would have beaten 4 ranked opponents in a row and would be the champion of the best conference in America.
Unprecedented? Absolutely. Impossible? Nope.
Related: USC Trojans Path To The CFP
If we have learned anything over the last 12 months it’s that the entire sport of College Football is completely unpredictable. Why not throw another curveball?
But regardless, USC needs to win out and then have some things fall their way. And in order to win out, they are going to have to begin playing much better football. It starts on Saturday at the Coli, we will see if they can complete the first step.