Oklahoma State Moves up to No. 21 in Penultimate CFP Rankings

We’re just five days and a handful of conference championship games away from the College Football Playoff committee’s final ranking. In the second to last one, Oklahoma State is up to No. 21.

The Cowboys were rewarded for their blowout beatdown of Baylor with a one-spot bump in the committee’s rankings.

Unlike the AP and Amway Coaches polls, the CFP’s Top 25 included the Cowboys last week after a disappointing loss to TCU. The Pokes clawed back into the coaches ranking at No. 22, as of Sunday’s poll.

Iowa State remains the Big 12’s highest-ranked team climbing from No. 7 to No. 6, which makes this weekend moderately intriguing, especially if one of the Top 4 were to fall in its title game. Big 12 fans should root for Notre Dame.

But the Cyclones will have a tough enough task topping a No. 10 Sooner squad that barely resembles the one they beat in Ames all the way back on Oct. 3. Texas remains at ranked at No. 20.

The final CFP rankings will be announced on Sunday, and the Cowboys’ bowl destination and opponent will be soon to follow.

Why play the games?

To more title-relevant news, the penultimate Final Four consists of:

1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State

Florida took a bad L to an unranked LSU and dropped one spot. Cincinnati hasn’t played in two weeks, but the Bearcats dropped for the second-straight week. (Cincinnati is still 8-0.) Ohio State has played half the games that most of the teams on the ranking and is one win away from a semifinal berth.

Helmet stickers matter.