The Sportsletter - Selection Night: 1st CFP Rankings 🏈

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BY JEFF YODER

NOV. 6, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning,

Yesterday was relatively quiet across the sports world, for obvious reasons, but that didn’t stop the football chatter. November means playoff positioning talks in the CFB and NFL. The NFL trade deadline had a few big splashes, and the first CFP rankings are out.

Not a football fan? Hang tight. Basketball, hockey, and soccer will take over tomorrow’s edition.

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CFP Rankings Reveal (1 of 6)

Image via CollegeFootballPlayoff.com

CFP Rankings Reaction: Big Ten & SEC Make Up 8 of Initial 12-Team CFP Rankings Reveal

Americans across the country were glued to the TV for hours last night to see... which teams would garner the votes for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. It’s the first of six CFP reveals by the College Football Playoff committee. If you’re unfamiliar with how this works, the next five reveals will be announced every Tuesday until mid-December to determine the bracket. Let’s highlight the 12 teams and provide some analysis.

The 1st 12-Team CFP Playoff

1. Oregon (9-0)

2. Ohio State (7-1)

3. Georgia (7-1)

4. Miami (9-0)

5. Texas (7-1)

6. Penn State (7-1)

7. Tennessee (7-1)

8. Indiana (9-0)

9. BYU (8-0)

10. Notre Dame (7-1)

11. Alabama (6-2)

12. Boise State (7-1)

Analysis & Reactions

The first thing that popped out to CFB fans was the conference breakdown of the top-12, featuring eight teams (four each) from the Big Ten and SEC. In keeping with the state-by-state themes of the week, the state of Indiana (my home) is the only state with more than one team in the 12-team playoff (Notre Dame & Indiana). I don't see major glaring issues in the rankings, but a long list of SEC teams are knocking on the door with a path to get in down the stretch — Texas A&M, LSU and Ole Miss.

CBS Sports: CFP Selection Committee Drops First Top 25 Rankings

B/R: Biggest Takeaways From the 1st College Football Playoff Rankings

NFL

Trade Deals + Power Rankings

Photo: Lauren Leigh Bacho / Getty Images

Commanders, Lions & Steelers Among Biggest Winners at NFL Trade Deadline

The NFL Trade Deadline Day was ripe with movement. Contenders added pieces to their (hopeful) Super Bowl puzzles, and things just got interesting. The Lions found pass-rush help after the loss of Aidan Hutchinson. The Commanders found a lock-down corner to fill a positional need. The Bengals, Cowboys and Steelers also added offensive weapons. Will any of these acquisitions save a team’s season? Here are all the top moves from yesterday:

Trade Deadline Tracker

CB Marshon Lattimore (Saints) → Commanders

WR Jonathan Mingo (Panthers) → Cowboys

DE Za’Darius Smith (Browns) → Lions

RB Khalil Herbert (Bears) → Bengals

CB Tre'Davious White (Rams) → Ravens

WR Mike Williams (Jets) → Steelers

DE Preston Smith (Packers) -→ Steelers

Power Rankings (Week 10)

1. Lions (7-1) | —

2. Chiefs (8-0) | —

3. Bills (7-2) | —

4. Steelers (6-2) | —

5. Commanders (7-2) | —

6. Eagles (6-2) | —

7. Ravens (6-3) | ↑2

8. Falcons (6-3) | ↑3

9. Vikings (6-2) | ↑1

10. Packers (6-3) | ↓3

Teams 11-20

11. Texans (6-3) | ↓3

12. 49ers (4-4) | —

13. Chargers (5-3) | ↑4

14. Buccaneers (4-5) | ↓1

15. Cardinals (5-4) | ↑6

16. Bengals (4-5) | ↑6

17. Rams (4-4) | ↑3

18. Seahawks (4-5) | ↓2

19. Broncos (5-4) | ↓5

20. Bears (4-4) | ↓5

Teams 21-32

21. Cowboys (3-5) | ↓3

22. Colts (4-5) | ↓3

23. Jets (3-6) | ↑6

24. Dolphins (2-6) | ↓1

25. Jaguars (2-7) | —

26. Browns (2-7) | ↓2

27. Giants (2-7) | ↓1

28. Raiders (2-6) | ↓1

29. Titans (2-6) | ↑2

30. Patriots (2-7) | ↓2

31. Panthers (2-7) | ↑1

32. Saints (2-6) | ↓2

More Power Rankings

SI: NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs Slip Despite Remaining Unbeaten

CBS Sports: Week 10 Power Rankings: Jim Harbaugh Has Chargers Playing Like Contenders

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HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

⚽️ Champions League

Milan def. Real Madrid (3-1)

Milan Overcome 23 Shots by Real Madrid

Sporting def. Man. City (4-1)

Viktor Gyokeres Nets Hat Trick in Upset

Liverpool def. Leverkusen (4-0)

Luis Diaz Scores Hat Trick in Blowout

Celtic def. RB Leipzig (3-1)

Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn (2G) Leads Celtic

🏒 NHL

Sharks def. Blue Jackets (2-1, OT)

SJ Goalie Vitek Vanacek Records 49 Saves

Islanders def. Penguins (4-3, S/O)

Bo Harvat Seals S/O Win

Flames def. Canadiens (3-2, OT)

Matt Coronato (2G) Scores OT Winner

Maple Leafs def. Bruins (4-0)

Anthony Stolarz Notches 1st Shutout of the Year

STORYLINES

⚾️ The Top 50 MLB Free Agents

The dust has settled on the Dodgers’ World Series win, and free agency is next in line. Juan Soto comes in as the No. 1 free agent, but what about 49 more? Plus, landing spots for every player. Let the frenzy begin. (CBS Sports)

🏀 NBA Stars Bombing Away From 3

For a while, it seemed like the 3-point revolution had leveled off. Early in 2024-25, however, it’s clear that the deep ball is on the rise again. And this time, it’s the best young players who are exhibiting the greatest increases. (The Ringer)

🏈 Heisman Trophy Race Heats Up

There’s a new favorite at the top of the betting board. Miami QB Cam Ward leads the pack after 400 yards and 5 TDs last weekend. Colorado's Travis Hunter, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty and a batch of QBs are in the mix. (FOX Sports)

NEWS 📰

🎾 Novak Djokovic Withdraws From ATP Finals With Unknown Injury (SI)

🏈 Ex-Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner Comes Out of Retirement to Join Son on Staff in Vegas (CBS Sports)

🥊 MMA Vetera Hiromitsu Miura Dies at Age 43 From Acute Leukemia (Yahoo! Sports)

⚽️ Lightning Strike Kills Soccer Player, Injures 4 Others During Match in Peru (ESPN)

🏀 76ers’ Joel Embiid Suspended 3 Games for Shoving Columnist (ESPN)

⚾️ Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Has Shoulder Surgery After Injury in World Series (NBC)

🏒 Blues’ Dylan Holloway Hospitalized After Being Hit in the Neck by Puck (ESPN)