Copyright CBS Sports
Ranking college football teams gets a little more difficult -- and a lot more meaningful -- as the calendar flips to November and the regular season nears its close. The College Football Playoff selection committee will release its new rankings on Tuesday, but our view is broader: more than 25 teams are competing for excellence on the field each weekend. The CBS Sports 136 ranks every FBS team, and with ballots from experts across CBS Sports and 247Sports, we can see how even top teams are shifting in standing after Week 11. Predictably, there were drops for highly ranked teams such as BYU, Virginia, Louisville, Missouri and Washington following losses over the weekend. But movement isn't limited to the losing side — even winners can see their stock change. Oregon, for example, slipped from No. 5 to No. 8 after surviving a rain-soaked 18-16 thriller at Iowa on Saturday. That drop moved the Ducks from being the second-highest-ranked one-loss team in the CBS Sports 136 to the fifth. It might seem harsh to penalize a team for the way it wins, but results don't exist in a vacuum. One way to view Oregon's fall is that it got jumped. Georgia climbed into Oregon's former spot at No. 5 after an impressive win at Mississippi State that showcased the Bulldogs' full offensive firepower. Another team that leaped the Ducks was Texas Tech, one of the weekend's biggest winners after a dominant showing against previously undefeated BYU. That's how tight the margins are among the one-loss contenders at the top of the sport: every week is a check on your stock price, and even in victory, you can be passed by a team coming off a statement win. The adjustments grow more dramatic beyond the top 30 of our rankings. For more on the biggest and most notable movers, check out the Movers Report below the top 25 table. College football experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports contribute ballots each week, which are averaged together for our rankings. You can see the top 25 below and 26-136 on our rankings page. RankTeamRecordPrevious1Ohio State9-0 12Indiana10-023Texas A&M9-034Alabama8-145Georgia8-166Ole Miss9-177Texas Tech9-198Oregon8-159Notre Dame7-21010Texas7-21311BYU8-1812Oklahoma7-21113Vanderbilt8-21714Utah7-21615Georgia Tech8-11516USC7-21917Miami7-21818Michigan7-22119Cincinnati 7-22320Pittsburgh7-22721Louisville7-21422Tennessee6-32423North Texas 8-12924South Florida7-23025Virginia8-212 Biggest movers No. 51 UNLV (+10): Dan Mullen's Rebels had been in a bit of a rankings free fall after back-to-back losses to Boise State and New Mexico. So this week's change isn't as much a reaction to the 42-10 win at Colorado State as it is a rebound to the edge of the top 50. UNLV is one of just 34 FBS teams with two or fewer losses entering Week 12. No. 46 Wake Forest (+9): All Wake Forest needed was a couple of field goals and a special teams touchdown to knock off Virginia and secure bowl eligibility in Year 1 under Jake Dickert. The Demon Deacons executed a stellar defensive plan to slow down the Wahoos, and with six wins now in hand, it's a house-money situation the rest of the way in Winston-Salem. No. 62 Kentucky (+9): It didn't matter what the coaching situation was -- Kentucky was going to relish the chance to run it up against Florida on Saturday. And relish it the Wildcats did, cruising to a 31-point win to claim back-to-back victories for the first time this season. No. 32 Memphis (-10): Falling into an early hole against Tulane ultimately doomed the Tigers' efforts to hold their lead in the American, and the rankings boost from a comeback win over South Florida was erased following the loss to the Green Wave. Two conference losses make College Football Playoff contention a steep climb, but if Memphis wins out, it could still crack the top 30 in our rankings. No. 44 San Diego State (-10): It seems our voters were paying attention late Saturday night, as San Diego State went from being one of the last one-loss teams in the country to getting routed 38-6 at Hawaii. The Aztecs remain tied for first in the Mountain West standings but slip outside the top 40 in our rankings. No. 36 Washington (-11): Another team that faced inclement weather on Saturday, Washington could not overcome injuries and turnovers as the Huskies fell to Wisconsin. Even accounting for the elements, a loss to the Badgers is a damaging defeat, and our voters responded with a harsh adjustment on their ballots. No. 31 Missouri (-11): Though Missouri tried to run the ball effectively to support its freshman quarterback, the Tigers were outmatched by a Texas A&M team that is increasingly looking like a national title contender. With three losses, Missouri shifts into a different conversation on voters' ballots, resulting in a significant drop despite losing to a quality opponent. No. 25 Virginia (-13): Losing starting quarterback Chandler Morris to injury in the second quarter clearly affected Virginia's loss to Wake Forest, but the close home defeat can also be seen as water finding its level. The Cavaliers had been playing in tight games for more than a month, consistently making the winning plays, but the pendulum swung the other way this week. Now, Virginia is being evaluated as a two-loss team outside the top 20. Check out the rest of the CBS Sports 136: Teams ranked 26-136
