Another CFP rankings dropped, with Notre Dame moving up and two SEC teams falling out

The GIST: The College Football Playoff (CFP) is fast approaching, with just two more rankings drops, one week of regular-season play, and conference championship action remaining. Time is running out for teams hoping to punch their postseason ticket — here’s how the playoff picture looks after last night’s CFP rankings reveal:

Who moved up: Most notably, No. 5 Notre Dame. The Irish avoided being bit by the upset bug that plagued college football over the weekend and routed Army 49–14. That alone was enough to move them into the top five, just behind No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas, and No. 4 Penn State, meaning if the season ended today, Notre Dame would host a first-round game. Home sweet home.

Who dropped out: No. 13 Alabama and No. 14 Ole Miss both have three losses, which spells trouble in this competitive field. After Bama failed to score a touchdown against Oklahoma and Ole Miss was upset by Florida last Saturday, both SEC squads currently find themselves without CFP spots, while three of their conference foes — No. 3 Texas, No. 7 Georgia, and No. 8 Tennessee — are currently in.

What’s coming up: A rivalry showdown between No. 12 Clemson and No. 15 South Carolina this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET, which could turn out to be a play-in game for the CFP. South Carolina’s one of the hottest teams in the country, riding a five-game win streak that includes three victories over ranked opponents.

• Clemson, meanwhile, has taken advantage of their weak ACC schedule and is currently 9-2 on the season. It’s not the biggest matchup of the season, but that didn’t stop Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney from calling out ESPN College GameDay for not showing up for this rivalry showdown.