Kirk Herbstreit unveils his updated Top 6 College Football Playoff ranking at end of USC-Notre Dame broadcast

As rivalry weekend wraps up, the college football playoff picture is coming into even clearer focus. Michigan beat Ohio State in The Game, TCU and Georgia stayed perfect, USC moved to 11-1 with a win over Notre Dame, and it all had Kirk Herbstreit ready to share his Top 6 for the penultimate College Football Playoff.

After Saturday’s results, Herbstreit has the Top 6 for the College Football Playoff in the following order:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State

Herbstreit said that he placed Alabama ahead of Ohio State due to the nature of the losses. Alabama has two losses and the Buckeyes only have one, but Alabama’s pair of games were last-second road losses by a combined four points. The Buckeyes got bullied off the field in the second half by Michigan.

The top trio is self explanatory: They’re the three remaining unbeaten Division I FBS teams.

And USC? Well, Herbstreit had just spent the last three-plus hours watching the Caleb Williams-led Trojans dice up Notre Dame and lock up a trip to the Pac 12 Championship Game.

Herbstreit didn’t necessarily break the mold with his latest College Football Playoff ranking Top 6, but the Ohio State-Alabama debate is sure to get interested in the coming days.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren made the case for Ohio State to still get in the College Football Playoff

Saturday’s installment of “The Game” between Michigan and Ohio State had a College Football Playoff feel to it as both teams fought for a spot in the Big Ten Championship. Ultimately, the No. 3-ranked Wolverines came out on top over the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes, meaning Ryan Day’s group finds itself with a tougher path to the CFP.

He has one important person in his corner, though.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren spoke with ESPN’s Pete Thamel about the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff chances and he made the case for a two-bid Big Ten even after Ohio State fell 45-23 at The Horseshoe. Warren was on hand for the matchup and saw Michigan dominate in the second half en route to the win.

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“One hundred percent,” Warren told Thamel. “Clearly, Michigan and Ohio State are two of the best four teams in the country, and I think today proved it. Great football game. Epic football game. Without a doubt, I think I think they are clearly two of the best football teams in the country.”

Ohio State took a 20-17 lead into halftime, but Michigan out scored the Buckeyes 28-3 in the second half to walk away with its second straight win over its arch rivals. But despite Ohio State’s rough second half, Warren said the game was still entertaining and had the feeling of a top-four matchup.

“This was a really good football game from start to finish,” Warren said. “These are two powerhouse teams and clearly two of the top four teams in all of college football. You look at all the games you watch. Put even the rankings to the side. If you ask yourself, who are the teams that are better than these two football teams in the country? These are two of the four best teams in the country. By far.”

Still, there might not be many people giving Ohio State a shot to reach the College Football Playoff, no matter what the commissioner thinks.