LSU moved up to fifth and Southern Cal was sixth Tuesday night in the College Football Playoff rankings behind Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and TCU.
The top four remained the same for the third straight week, but the teams chasing changed order after Tennessee lost to South Carolina on Saturday night.
Two huge games this weekend could create more clarity.
Michigan is at Ohio State on Saturday, and USC hosts Notre Dame, which checked in at 15th in the selection committee’s rankings.
There are two more rankings left. The final ones Dec. 4 set the field for the College Football Playoff. The semifinals will be played Dec. 31 in the Peach and Fiesta bowls. The national championship game will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Alabama was seventh, though the Crimson Tide don’t seem to have a realistic route to make the College Football Playoff for the eight time in nine years. LSU and Georgia are already locked into the SEC title game.
Clemson came in at ninth and Tennessee fell to 10th.
Penn State is at No. 11.
