CFP Rankings Update: Undefeateds Stay Put

There are certain charms emphasized in college football that truly make it the special game that it is: small towns, proud communities, boisterous university bands and, of course, the AP Top 25.

However, in the CFP -- or College Football Playoff -- era, it is all about landing one of those elusive top-four spots. And on the Tuesday of Week 11, we received our second official CFP rankings for the 2023-24 season.

Here is the full list, as follows:

*Denotes 2022-23 CFP top-four qualifier.

In some seasons (or entire epochs, even), the top teams don't offer much parody. But 2023 has already shown to be a year where the competition feels a little closer together.

Entering this week's slate, one that includes a clash between the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines and No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions at Happy Valley, let's have a look at 2023's second set of College Football Playoff rankings, placing focus on the contenders.

All college football odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

CFP Rankings

1) Ohio State Buckeyes

Odds To Make the CFP: +115

The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes may have started slowly against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights last Saturday, but defensive resilience from OSU was absolutely a theme. In the second quarter, Rutgers managed to produce three unanswered scoring drives, but the Buckeyes did well to ensure each of those were held to field goals. By the game's end, Ohio State triumphed 35-16, even covering the set spread of 18.5 points.

The Buckeyes' recent win in New Jersey was strong enough to keep them atop the latest CFP rankings. Considering OSU's defense is allowing 10.7 PPG (second-best clip in FBS) to this point in the season, it will be tough for any opposing offense to consistently move the chains against a unit that showcases linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.

Of course, the offense from Columbus is certainly no slouch. With big shoes to fill from C.J. Stroud and Justin Fields, quarterback Kyle McCord has come into his own. In 2023, McCord is sporting an impressive 82.8 QBR (ninth in FBS). Naturally, working with playmakers like Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson will inflate your numbers some -- the former has scored 10 touchdowns this year and is currently favored to win the upcoming Fred Biletnikoff Award.

Ohio State still has an elephant in the room in terms of CFP qualification. As dominant as the Buckeyes have been, their playoff trajectory will be largely determined by the regular season finale in Ann Arbor. Against the archrival Wolverines at the Big House, can OSU reign supreme?

2) Georgia Bulldogs

Odds To Make the CFP: -210

After falling down to No. 2 in last week's CFP rankings reveal, the Georgia Bulldogs are standing pat. Whether or not UGA is happy about it is a different story.

Georgia is fresh off besting the No. 14 Missouri Tigers by more than a touchdown. With the latest win between the hedges, the Bulldogs have now been victorious in 26 consecutive contests; they still have not lost since the 2021 SEC Championship Game (when they fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide in Atlanta).

As a top-10 FBS team in both offensive (39.3 PPG) and defensive (15.4 PPG) scoring, UGA has very real aspirations of winning their third straight national championship (FanDuel Sportsbook has the Dawgs at +250 in the natty market). A national three-peat has only been accomplished once in CFB history, but I certainly would not rule it out for the current campaign.

Bulldog quarterback Carson Beck has thrived this year in his role as starter. Taking over for Stetson Bennett, Beck is efficiently sporting a 4:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio with a sharp 72.2% completion clip. Frankly, the 6-foot-4 junior checks most boxes at his position.

At the moment, the Dawgs show -210 odds to make this year's College Football Playoff. For FanDuel Sportsbook, that is the second-shortest price in the market. Still, UGA will need to handle their business over the next two games -- they host the No. 9 Mississippi Rebels before traveling to Rocky Top where the No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers await.

3) Michigan Wolverines

Odds To Make the CFP: -180

Just like the headlines of alleged misdoings, Michigan keeps on rolling out the wins. Like all other teams in the CFP top four, the Wolverines have played to an undefeated 9-0 record in 2023. The Block M has had a 34-point average margin of victory this season. Scarily, that difference is even greater in Big Ten games, showing 37.7 points.

Transparently, Michigan has not faced the toughest competition in this campaign. However, that will change this weekend when the Wolverines head to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. When looking at the power rankings on numberFire, the Nittany Lions (fourth/28.05 nERD) are the first team within the top-35 schools that U-M will face this year.

This weekend's meeting in State College will factor majorly into Michigan's postseason contention, but losing Saturday will not necessarily eliminate the Wolverines from CFP's top four. If the contest versus Penn State shows respectable efforts on both sides, Michigan could lose and still make the playoffs by beating Ohio State in the regular season finale.

The Wolverines have a Heisman hopeful in quarterback J.J. McCarthy. In 2023. McCarthy has posted a 92.3 QBR, which is second-best in the nation. With a 75.7% completion rate, he is one of the most accurate passers in FBS. McCarthy's offensive line is stellar, as well. The group has won the Joe Moore Award in back-to-back years and may do so again this season.

Still, amid a notable illegal sign-stealing investigation in Ann Arbor, what will be the looming consequences? Could head coach Jim Harbaugh serve his second suspension of the year?

4) Florida State Seminoles

Odds To Make the CFP: -330

As the ACC's top team in 2023, the No. 4 Florida State Seminoles have been quite impressive. This is only head coach Mike Norvell's fourth season in Tallahassee, and he already has the 'Noles in national contention. Additionally, FSU shows -330 odds to qualify for the upcoming CFP; that is the shortest price of any institution on the board.

The Seminoles are led by dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis. As a senior, Travis is in his third season as Florida State's starting signal-caller. In 2023, he has passed for 19 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. On the ground, Travis has found the end zone seven times -- one more score would be his career-best in any single year.

FSU is much more well-rounded compared to recent years. Of course, there is skill on offense. Along with Travis, 6-foot-4 wide receiver Keon Coleman -- who has already caught nine touchdowns in 2023 -- is one of the top players at his position. However, the Seminoles have been flying around on defense, as well.

Right now, Florida State shows six different players with an interception. Additionally, the defense is allowing only 192.3 passing yards per game. Senior linebacker Kalen DeLoach leads the 'Noles in most defensive categories, such as tackles (49), TFL (8.5) and quarterback sacks (5). Simply, I don't think any remaining offense that Florida State will face in the regular season should stand a chance.

Outside Looking In

5) Washington (+175 to make the playoff)

6) Oregon (+100)

7) Texas (+115)

8) Alabama (+250)

9) Ole Miss (+15000)

10) Penn State (+900)

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.