LSU makes debut in first 2024 CFB Playoffs Rankings

The first College Football Playoffs Rankings have been revealed for the 2024 season, and LSU’s path to making the expanded 12-team playoff is clear.

With four games left: win.

LSU debuted at No. 15 in the first CFP Rankings released on Tuesday evening.

The target is finishing ranked No. 12 or higher in hopes of locking in an invite to the first 12-team playoffs.

LSU was ranked one spot ahead of No. 16 Ole Miss and one spot behind No. 14 Texas A&M. SMU debuted at No. 13, one spot outside the Top 12 teams projected into the playoffs field. Boise State was the final team inside the Top 12, with Oregon checking in at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Georgia. Miami and Texas round out the Top 5, putting two SEC teams inside the Top 5 and seven in the Top 16 – all within striking distance of winning in November and making the playoffs.

LSU takes on No. 11 Alabama on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. CT in Tiger Stadium before traveling to Florida for the team’s final road game of the season. The matchup with the Gators is set for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Gainesville.

From there, LSU closes out the season with home games against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

While another loss most likely knocks LSU out of the playoffs race, even in a wild SEC season, but a win over the Tide on Saturday night would catapult the Tigers up the rankings and set up three games against teams ranked outside the Top 20 as the final three hurdles to closing out the season with a 4-0 finish, which would put LSU at 10-2 on the season and 7-1 in SEC play.

BREAKING: Initial College Football Playoff Rankings🚨https://t.co/MTD5yvwsOw pic.twitter.com/5RioLyoL2Z

— On3 (@On3sports) November 6, 2024

The latest AP and Coaches Poll Top 25 Rankings

A chaotic college football Saturday moved both LSU and Alabama up the AP and Coaches polls heading into their matchup next week.

The Tigers (6-2) moved up three spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 13 and two spots in the AP Poll to No. 14, while the Crimson Tide (6-2) moved up three spots to No. 11 in both polls.

The old SEC West rivals’ game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium, which will be featured by ESPN’s “College GameDay,” figures to be pivotal in the new 12-team College Football Playoff bracket.

Three of the teams immediately ahead of the Tigers and Crimson Tide on last week’s lists were among those to take the biggest tumbles following their losses to unranked opponents Saturday.

Clemson (6-2), Iowa State (7-1) and Texas A&M (7-2) fell to Louisville (6-3), Texas Tech (6-3) and South Carolina (5-3), respectively, Saturday and into the late teens of both polls Sunday.

Ole Miss (7-2) made the biggest leap, six spots, in the Coaches Poll, all the way to No. 12 — one spot ahead of LSU, which won head-to-head Oct. 12 in Baton Rouge — after routing Arkansas (5-4) this week, 63-31.

The Rebels moved up three spots in the AP Poll to No. 16, two spots behind the Tigers.

SMU (8-1) made a seven-spot jump to No. 13 in the AP Poll after winning a ranked matchup, 48-25, against Pittsburgh (7-1). The Mustangs are No. 15 in the latest Coaches Poll.

AP Poll (Nov. 3, 2024)

1. Oregon (9-0) — Last week: 1
2. Georgia (7-1) — Last week: 2
3. Ohio State (7-1) — Last week: 4
4. Miami (9-0) — Last week: 5
5. Texas (7-1) — Last week: 6
6. Penn State (7-1) — Last week: 3
7. Tennessee (7-1) — Last week: 7
8. Indiana (9-0) — Last week: 13
9. BYU (8-0) — Last week: 9
10. Notre Dame (7-1) — Last week: 8
11. Alabama (6-2) — Last week: 14
12. Boise State (7-1) — Last week: 15
13. SMU (8-1) — Last week: 20
14. LSU (6-2) — Last week: 16
15. Texas A&M (7-2) — Last week: 10
16. Ole Miss (7-2) — Last week: 19
17. Iowa State (7-1) — Last week: 11
18. Army (8-0) — Last week: 21
19. Clemson (6-2) — Last week: 11
20. Washington State (7-1) — Last week: 22
21. Colorado (6-2) — Last week: 23
22. Kansas State (7-2) — Last week: 17
23. Pittsburgh (7-1) — Last week: 18
24. Vanderbilt (6-3) — Last week: NR
25. Louisville (6-3) — Last week: NR

Coaches Poll (Nov. 3, 2024)

1. Oregon (9-0) — Last week: 1
2. Georgia (7-1) — Last week: 2
3. Ohio State (7-1) — Last week: 4
4. Miami (9-0) — Last week: 5
5. Texas (7-1) — Last week: 6
6. Tennessee (7-1) — Last week: 7
7. Penn State (7-1) — Last week: 3
8. Notre Dame (7-1) — Last week: 9
9. BYU (8-0) — Last week: 12
10. Indiana (9-0) — Last week: 13
11. Alabama (6-2) — Last week: 14
12. Ole Miss (7-2) — Last week: 18
13. LSU (6-2) — Last week: 16
14. Boise State (7-1) — Last week: 19
15. SMU (8-1) — Last week: 20
16. Texas A&M (7-2) — Last week: 11
17. Clemson (6-2) — Last week: 8
18. Iowa State (7-1) — Last week: 10
19. Army (8-0) — Last week: 21
20. Washington State (7-1) — Last week: 22
21. Kansas State (7-2) — Last week: 15
22. Missouri (6-2) — Last week: 23
23. Pittsburgh (7-1) — Last week: 17
24. Colorado (6-2) — Last week: NR
25. Vanderbilt (6-3) — Last week: NR