Following the first College Football Playoff rankings, there’s always the common theme when it comes to one-loss teams and teams looking to reach a New Year’s Six bowl.

Follow along with me here.

It tends to take on the look of a WWE Royal Rumble.

If you don’t know, the Royal Rumble is a match where individuals enter the ring at two-minute intervals and the winner gets a shot at a WWE title. You get eliminated by being thrown over the top rope and out of the ring. In this scenario, you suffer a devastating loss.

No championship belts will be handed out for this, but CFP spots and NY6 bids are the reward here.

This week’s CFB Royal Rumble saw a few casualties and one entrant enter the ring for prime CFP positioning.

Oklahoma losing their Bedlam Game finale to Oklahoma State? Goodbye CFP chances.

Notre Dame, searching for a return to the NY6? That’s over, thanks to Clemson.

The entrant into the CFB Royal Rumble? The Alabama Crimson Tide. Yes, I know you may be thinking why? When you look at the everchanging landscape of a season, one-loss teams become more and more scarce, yet valuable.

If Alabama continues to run the table, a potential SEC title game vs. Georgia may have not one, but two CFP bids on the line.

Before we get to that point in the match-I mean season, lets rank some teams.

No. 25 Notre Dame (7-3): Going from NY6 hopeful to a certain lock for the Pop Tarts Bowl is a reality check.

No. 24 Kansas State (7-2): If Kansas State converts in the red zone to end Saturday’s game vs. Texas, things look much different for the Wildcats in the rankings this week.

No. 23 Air Force (8-1): We have to say goodbye to the dream of a flyover at a NY6 game.

No. 22 UCLA (6-3): Any other year, they’d still be in the Pac-12 race, but this isn’t any other year.

No. 21 Oklahoma State (7-2): The final victory in Bedlam (for the foreseeable future) and a shot at a Big 12 title? Pretty good weekend for Oklahoma State.

No. 20 Fresno State (8-1): With the Air Force loss on Saturday, Fresno State appears to be in a fight with Tulane over the group-of-5 bid for the NY6.

No. 19 Kansas (7-2): A few more wins, and Kansas may be playing for a Big 12 title. In football.

No. 18 Tulane (8-1): Back-to-back New Year’s Six appearances for Tulane? It’s possible.

No. 17 James Madison (9-0): *grabs bullhorn* PUT JAMES MADISON IN A BOWL, YOU COWARDS!!!

No. 16 Missouri (7-2): A shot at the SEC East is probably gone, but this week they may see their New Year’s Day bowl hopes go away with a loss to Tennessee.

No. 15 LSU (6-3): Like Missouri, the SEC title is probably gone at this point. In LSU’s case, you just hope Saturday’s loss doesn’t start a potential tailspin to end the season.

No. 14 Utah (7-2): The Utes matchup with Washington this week goes a long way in determining what could happen in the Pac-12 race.

No. 13 Oklahoma (7-2): What hurts worse? Losing a shot at the Big 12 in your final season, or losing the last Bedlam game vs. Oklahoma State? Yes, the answer is yes.

No. 12 Tennessee (7-2): The next two weeks for the Tennessee Volunteers (at Missouri, vs. Georgia) will help define their 2023 campaign.

No. 11 Oregon State (7-2): Gosh, I wish the 12-team playoff existed this season. Why? The Beavers would be a tough out and intriguing matchup.

No. 10 Ole Miss (8-1): Lane Kiffin potentially wrecking the CFB landscape with a win vs. Georgia? I’m intrigued by it.

No. 9 Penn State (8-1): Stop me if you’ve heard this before, Penn State’s James Franklin needs to beat one of the Big Ten heavyweights. This week, it’s Michigan.

No. 8 Alabama (8-1): Run the table to end the season, and a playoff bid may be on the line in Atlanta.

No. 7 Oregon (8-1): Oregon hosts USC this coming weekend, the Ducks may issue a biblical beating to USC’s defense. Everybody else has.

No. 6 Texas (8-1): Texas survives another week, and the playoff hopes remain alive.

No. 5 Ohio State (9-0): Ranked No. 1 in the CFP, but No. 5 in the AL.com Top 25. I might be a harsh critic, but I’m not impressed.

No. 4 Washington (9-0): If the season ended today, Michael Penix Jr. might be your Heisman Trophy winner.

No. 3 Florida State (9-0): Miami this week. Can the Hurricanes wreck another FSU dream season like the good ol’ days?

No. 2 Michigan (9-0): **Yawns** I’m just glad Michigan plays someone with a pulse this coming week.

No. 1 Georgia (9-0): The king stays the king, up next, it’s Ole Miss.

What does next season’s 12-team playoff look like in 2023?

Projected 12-team CFP seedings and matchups (The Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl are the semifinal sites this season)

No. 12 Tulane (highest ranked G5) at No. 5 Ohio State

No. 11 Oregon State at No. 6 Texas

No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 7 Oregon

No. 9 Penn State at No. 8 Alabama

Projected CFP Quarterfinals

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 vs. No. 9 winner

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 6 vs. No. 11 winner

Orange Bowl: No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 7 vs. No. 10 winner

Cotton Bowl: No. 4 Washington vs. No. 5 vs. No. 12 winner