This Saturday is bringing six AP top-20 matchups, tying for the most ever in AP poll history for a single weekend, and it’s shaping up to be arguably the most impactful single day of the College Football Playoff era, which dates all the way back to 2014. Seriously, get ready to glue your eyes to the screen because half of college football’s most meaningful games left in the regular season are going down this weekend.
This Week’s Wild Slate Is History in the Making
The entire season has been pure chaos, right? And now we’re staring down what could easily be called the best-ever slate in the CFP era. This is not hyperbole, folks. You’re gonna need that remote ready on Saturday, because the sheer number of first-round-caliber matchups is insane. We’re talking about so many new data points for the selection committee next week, especially after that wild first set of rankings dropped. This is exactly what an expanded playoff promised: more teams with incredibly meaningful games down the stretch. We’re talking substantial weight within the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 title discussions, plus Notre Dame’s huge prove-it stage against the No. 1 and unbeaten Miami. This is for all the marbles, and the contenders are aiming to strengthen their grip on those coveted seeds.
When November Chaos Rocked the Playoff Race Before
If you think this level of crazy is new, think again. We’ve seen November weekends absolutely flip the script on playoff rankings over the last 15 seasons. It’s wild how often stunning results just rewrite the narrative.
Remember **November 12, 2016**? Talk about a bloodbath! No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Michigan, and No. 4 Washington all got beaten, along with No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Auburn. This was during the four-team era, and it literally shifted Ohio State from No. 5 up to No. 2, while Washington dropped to No. 6. And get this: Michigan somehow didn’t budge despite losing to Iowa. Unreal.
A year later, on **November 11, 2017**, rivalry games were just brutal for the top dogs. Top-ranked Georgia lost to Auburn, and third-ranked Notre Dame got absolutely clobbered by Miami. Both the Bulldogs and the Fighting Irish fell out of the top 4, and suddenly, the Hurricanes and Oklahoma moved right in.
Then came **November 5, 2022**. After the initial CFP rankings that season, No. 1 Tennessee lost to Georgia. Notre Dame managed to climb past fourth-ranked Clemson. And the biggest shocker? LSU toppled sixth-ranked Alabama in overtime. Georgia shot up to the No. 1 spot the following week, and TCU entered the top 4. Absolute madness!
And who could forget **November 24-25, 2017**? Both CFP Nos. 1 and 2 lost during rivalry weekend! Second-ranked Miami suffered an upset loss to Pittsburgh on Friday night, and then top-ranked Alabama had their setback against Auburn the next day in the Iron Bowl. The Hurricanes plummeted to No. 7, and the Crimson Tide fell to No. 4. One of those teams rebounded, reached the CFP, and won the national championship under the legendary Nick Saban. Talk about a comeback!
This Saturday is going to be epic. Parity could absolutely resurface, just like it has weekly this fall, for contenders who are desperately trying to solidify their spots. The margin for error is nearing zero for so many teams. The selection committee is going to have their hands full after this one. You know we’ll be glued to the next set of rankings after this weekend shakes everything up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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