2012 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Contenders National Title Contenders Week 13: What a difference a week makes. It was just one week ago that Notre Dame and the entire SEC were going to end up missing out on the BCS title game. Following surprising losses by Kansas State and Oregon, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the Fighting Irish aren’t facing off against an SEC team for the national title in January. In the wake of Saturday’s upsets, the rankings have undergone a major reshuffling heading into the final week of the college football regular season. Here is how the top teams stack up in the latest college football Power Rankings.
2012 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Contenders National Title Contenders Week 13
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-0)
For the first time in program history, the Fighting Irish are ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings. More importantly, their path to the BCS title game is looking easier by the minute. Notre Dame doesn’t have any conference affiliation so there is no championship game waiting to trip them up. More importantly, the final regular season game comes against a USC team that can’t get out of its own way and will have a dinged up Matt Barkley under center if he plays at all. The offense is steadily improving and the defense has been stout all year. Notre Dame is in the driver’s seat to play for a title.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1, 6-1 SEC)
It only took one week for Alabama to regain control of its own destiny. Now, Nick Saban’s bunch just needs to win out to earn a shot at defending its title. The Crimson Tide running game and offensive line are still among the top five in the country, and the defense that was exposed a bit by Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel is still pretty darn good, as well. The Iron Bowl against Auburn and the SEC title game against Georgia are still to come, but it would surprising to see a team this talented squander this second chance.
3. Georgia Bulldogs (10-1, 7-1 SEC)
Since getting hammered by South Carolina, the Bulldogs have been a different team, especially on defense. Quarterback Aaron Murray is one of the best in the country, and with Georgia’s two-headed monster at running back, this team can put points on the board. Meanwhile, the loaded defense led by linebacker Jarvis Jones is finally playing up to its potential. The Bulldogs have more than enough talent on both sides of the ball, and with a date with Alabama looming in the SEC title game, they also control their own destiny. If Georgia wins out, they will play for a national title.
4. Florida Gators (10-1, 7-1 SEC)
The Gators are one of the most physical teams in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and they can hold their own with any team in the country. Unfortunately, an eight-point loss on the road to Georgia is going to keep them out of the SEC title game and make it almost impossible for the Gators to reach the BCS title game. Basically, Florida needs either Georgia or Alabama to lose its final regular season game and then needs whichever team lost its final game to then win the SEC championship. Unless something strange happens, the Gators are going to be on the outside looking in.
5. Florida State Seminoles (10-1, 7-1 ACC)
The voters banished the Seminoles from the national title conversation after a one-point loss in the road to North Carolina State, but Florida State has run the table since their lone loss of the season. Jimbo Fisher’s bunch might be the most underrated in the country, and the Seminoles currently own a top-five scoring offense and a top-five scoring defense. However, their road to the BCS title game requires a lot of help. Florida State can help its cause a ton by winning its regular season finale against the Florida, but like the Gators, the Seminoles need Georgia and Alabama to both lose another game. It’s a longshot, but FSU has the weapons on both sides of the ball to win a championship if given the opportunity.
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