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College Football Playoff rankings: Wisconsin jumps to No. 14

After surviving a trip to Iowa City, the Badgers jumped two spots in the latest playoff rankings.

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

On the heels of an exciting road win over Iowa, the Wisconsin Badgers jumped two spots to No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night.

The Badgers lead the Big Ten West by a game entering Saturday's Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe vs. No. 18 Minnesota. The rivalry has been boosted this week thanks to the wackiness surrounding the plans for the Axe trophy, but something more important is at stake for both teams: the winner secures the division and the resulting berth in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6.

No. 6 Ohio State has already clinched the East division title. The Buckeyes play Michigan in their annual rivalry game Saturday afternoon.

Michigan State is also ranked at No. 10. The Spartans face Penn State on Saturday to close out their regular season.

Should Wisconsin run the table and claim the Big Ten championship, it might have an outside shot at securing the last spot in the four-team playoff. More likely, though, is a scenario where the Badgers earn one of the remaining New Year's Day bowls, and a matchup with a big-name opponent.

Rank Team Last week Week 13 result Toughest opponent left (per F/+) If the season ended today ...
1 Alabama (10-1) 1 Won 48-14 vs. Western Carolina Auburn Sugar Bowl vs. Mississippi State
2 Oregon (10-1) 2 Won 44-10 vs. Colorado Oregon State Rose Bowl vs. Florida State
3 Florida State (11-0) 3 Won 20-17 vs. Boston College Florida Rose Bowl vs. Oregon
4 Mississippi State (10-1) 4 Won 51-0 vs. Vanderbilt Ole Miss Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama
5 TCU (9-1) 5 Idle Texas New Year's bowl
6 Ohio State (10-1) 6 Won 42-27 vs. Indiana Michigan New Year's bowl
7 Baylor (9-1) 7 Won 49-28 vs. Oklahoma State Kansas State New Year's bowl
8 UCLA (8-3) 9 Won 38-20 vs. No. 19 USC Stanford New Year's bowl
9 Georgia (9-2) 10 Won 55-9 vs. Charleston Southern Georgia Tech Orange Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
10 Michigan State (9-2) 11 Won 45-3 vs. Rutgers Penn State New Year's bowl
11 Arizona (9-2) 15 Won 42-10 at No. 17 Utah Arizona State
12 Kansas State (9-2) 12 Won 26-20 at West Virginia Baylor
13 Arizona State (9-2) 13 Won 52-31 vs. Washington State Arizona
14 Wisconsin (8-2) 16 Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska Minnesota
15 Auburn (8-3) 14 Won 31-7 vs. Samford Alabama
16 Georgia Tech (9-2) 18 Idle Georgia Orange Bowl vs. Georgia
17 Missouri (9-2) 20 Won 29-21 at Tennessee Arkansas
18 Minnesota (8-3) 25 Won 28-24 at No. 23 Nebraska Wisconsin
19 Ole Miss (8-3) 8 Lost 30-0 at Arkansas Mississippi State
20 Oklahoma (8-3) 21 Won 44-7 vs. Kansas Oklahoma State
21 Clemson (8-3) 22 Won 28-0 vs. Georgia State South Carolina
22 Louisville (8-3) 24 Won 31-28 at Notre Dame Kentucky
23 Boise State (9-2) NR Won 63-14 at Wyoming Utah State New Year's bowl
24 Marshall (11-0) NR Won 23-18 at UAB Western Kentucky
25 Utah (7-3) 17 Lost 42-10 vs. No. 15 Arizona Colorado