These are not poll rankings, but the official committee rankings that ultimately determine the four playoff teams.
Surprise #1 – Clemson is not in the top four. That doesn’t really matter. They will be in the big four next week, because Alabama and LSU play one another, so one of them will drop to fifth or lower. If Clemson keeps winning, they will make the playoff.
Surprise #2 – The committee did not place either Alabama or LSU in the top spot, but awarded it to THE Ohio State University. That assessment agrees with the computers, but not with the polls. The sportswriters place LSU #1 and the coaches are going with ‘Bama. None of that really matters. Determining the order of the top three at the beginning of November is purely for academic exercises and barroom debates. The only thing that matters during the season is whether a team makes the top four after the final week. And the only thing that matters after that is what happens head-to-head.
Not really a surprise – The committee didn’t rank Baylor and Minnesota, two undefeated teams, as high as the polls did. Not to worry. If Minnesota beats Penn State this weekend, they will rise like towels in a public bath, while Baylor will get the same chance later in the year against Oklahoma.