Boise State moves in playoff rankings. After a close game, do Broncos still hold a bye?
Despite Boise State football’s less-than-convincing victory over Wyoming this past weekend, a chaotic weekend across college football allowed the Broncos to hold on to their College Football Playoff first-round bye.
The Broncos were No. 11 in Tuesday night’s CFP committee rankings — still ranked higher than any Big 12 team. That means as one of the four highest-rated conference champions, they slot into one of the first-round byes, getting the No. 4 seed.
As things stand in the mock bracket, ahead of the final rankings on Dec. 8, Boise State would face the winner of No. 2 Ohio State (5 seed) and No. 16 Arizona State, which slots in as the 12 seed as the lowest-rated of the five conference champs that get automatic bids. The matchup would likely be in the Fiesta Bowl, with bowl games being assigned based on honoring historic bowl traditions and proximity.
So much could change over the next two weeks that the Broncos have no time for rest. Losses for now-No. 19 BYU and No. 25 Colorado last weekend helped, leaving Arizona State as the team trying to jump them in the rankings for the final bye spot.
The Sun Devils defeated BYU 28-23, putting them in position to make the championship game in the Big 12, which has a logjam in the standings. Next up for Arizona State is the Duel in the Desert against Arizona — the Wildcats are only 2-6 in conference play, and a win for the Sun Devils (9-2, 6-2) would put them in the title game.
BYU, Colorado and Iowa State also are 6-2 in the Big 12.
Meanwhile, Boise State has already clinched hosting privileges for the Mountain West championship game on Friday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. The opponent isn’t yet confirmed, but it will be No. 22 UNLV if the Rebels beat Nevada this weekend. The Broncos defeated UNLV 29-24 in Las Vegas earlier this season.
If Boise State wins its final two games — starting with Oregon State on Friday — it’s a certainty that it will be the Group of Five conferences’ representative in the postseason.
If the Broncos were to be upset by the Beavers and then win the Mountain West title game, their outlook is less clear. Another team from a Group of Five conference, the most likely candidate being No. 17 Tulane, could jump Boise State in the rankings.
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