Arizona drops a spot in CFP rankings after escaping TCU matchup with win

Arizona football beat TCU on Saturday, but needing a pooch onside kick to go its way late proved to be less than impressive to the College Football Playoff committee.

The Wildcats were ranked No. 23 in Tuesday’s updated rankings, one spot lower than before their win over the Horned Frogs.

Arizona trailed TCU by eight in the final two minutes before scoring a touchdown and failing to get the 2-point conversion. The pooch onside kick improbably went through the hands of a TCU player trying to corral it, setting up a game-winning field goal. It was a bounce-back win for the Wildcats after coming up short at Texas Tech the previous week.

Arizona was the fifth of six Big 12 teams in the top 25, ahead of No. 25 Oklahoma State and behind No. 2 Utah, No. 10 BYU, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 14 Houston.

The conference would get two teams into the 12-team playoff if the season ended today, as Texas Tech would get bumped out by the top Group of 6 team, No. 24 Boise State.

There are massive Big 12 implications in Arizona’s showdown with Utah in Tucson on Saturday, as the undefeated Utes clinch a Big 12 title berth with a win and the two-loss Wildcats would greatly help their playoff hopes with a win.

This is the final season of the 12-team format. A 24-team format will take its place beginning next season, and the Wildcats would be in with the No. 23 ranking and Boise State right behind representing the lone bid the Group of 6 teams are guaranteed.

The final field for the CFP bracket will be revealed on Dec. 6, the Sunday after all conference championship games have been played.

College Football Playoff Top 25 and CFP bracket

Here's what the #CFP bracket would like if the season ended today 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/5Gekzx3WdU

— CFP (@CFBPlayoff) November 11, 2026

1. Georgia
2. Utah
3. Alabama
4. UCLA
5. Notre Dame
6. Texas
7. Miami
8. Tennessee
9. Indiana
10. BYU
11. Kentucky
12. Texas Tech
13. Wake Forest
14. Houston
15. Iowa
16. Oregon
17. South Carolina
18. USC
19. Ole Miss
20. Ohio State
21. LSU
22. Missouri
23. Arizona
24. Boise State
25. Oklahoma State

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