The CFP rankings are here, and this time they may be even worse than before. As the College Football Playoff gets closer and closer, we need to get them right.

So, as always, A to Z did its own rankings. And these are, of course, the right and best way you should be looking at the rankings. If you’d like to use A to Z Sports’ new College Football Simulator to see where your team could end up by the end of the season, click here.

A to Z Top 25 College Football Poll – November 11

1. Georgia, 173 points
2. Utah, 170
3. UCLA, 161
4. Notre Dame, 149
5. Miami, 141
6. Alabama, 134
7. Indiana, 132
8. Tennessee, 130
9. Texas, 129
10. BYU, 106
11. Wake Forest, 102
12. Kentucky, 99
13. Texas Tech, 92
14. Houston, 80
15. Iowa, 71
16. USC, 64
17. South Carolina, 62
18. Ole Miss, 56
19. Oregon, 46
20. LSU, 44
21. Ohio State, 42
22. Boise State, 24
23. Arizona, 20
24. Missouri, 17
25. New Mexico, 14
    Also receiving votes: SMU (6), Liberty (2)

The differences between the AP Poll and the A to Z Poll

Wake Forest

Wake Forest deserves to be No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings. At 8-1, the Demon Deacons have won six straight games, with their only loss coming against Miami when the Hurricanes were ranked No. 1 in the country. Since then, Wake has put together several impressive performances, including wins over Louisville, NC State and Virginia. The numbers back it up, too. Wake Forest ranks fourth nationally in scoring offense (43.3 points per game) and 13th in scoring defense (15.9 points allowed). This is one of the most balanced teams in the country, and its performance deserves more respect.

The committee currently has Wake at No. 13, behind No. 11 Kentucky (7-2) and No. 12 Texas Tech (8-1). I understand the importance of strength of schedule, but Wake’s only loss came against a top-seven Miami team, while Kentucky just lost by 28 to Tennessee. Wake has also earned a No. 11 ranking in both the AP poll and FWAA-NFF Super 16. I’m not arguing the Demon Deacons belong in the top 10 yet, but an 8-1 team with a top-four offense, a top-15 defense and six consecutive wins has earned more than No. 13. Wake Forest should be No. 11. – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Notre Dame

USC

USC has a clear path to making the College Football Playoff, but they have to go on the road and beat Indiana on Saturday. The Trojans are a much different team on the road than they are at home, and that showed in their Week 9 win over Ohio State. USC’s offense has the playmakers to do damage against the best. A bye week after the win over Ohio State and before facing Indiana should be a positive. Outside of looking lost on the road at Wisconsin in a tough place to play, the Trojans have been a pretty good team this season. Can they finish? – Brandon Little, A to Z Ohio State

Texas Tech

I know the Red Raiders have only one blemish on their resume, but here’s the thing: That blemish was Cincinnati blowing the West Texas boys’ doors off. If you remember the game, the Bearcats nearly hung 40 on Tech, with 427 total yards and over 250 on the ground. Cincinnati, a school new to the Big 12 and Power 4, got down to brass tacks and whooped the well-resourced Red Raiders in the trenches. Cincinnati is not a bad team, but this is the same school that struggled against Miami…Of Ohio.

I’m sorry, when you don’t have any significant wins, play a cupcake schedule, and get out-willed for four quarters by a newly inserted Big 12 school, you’re not a real contender in my eyes. – Rob Gregson, A to Z Alabama

Missouri

I really like where the Missouri Tigers are right now. Austin Simmons has led them to a very successful season, but real questions remain about his health. He suffered a lower-leg injury against the Texas Longhorns last week, and that raises questions for me about what he’ll be in the coming weeks. If he’s good to go, the Tigers should be ranked higher, but with questions, I think ranking them slightly lower is the right move.- Tyler Forness, A to Z Florida

Miami

The committee obviously thought enough of the Hurricanes last week to have them as their top team. Losing by a touchdown without their top player at the No. 5 team warrants a six-spot drop, exactly how? It’s an unfair knee-jerk reaction. Four spots is a fairer placement, and that’s where we properly rank them. – Craig Smith, A to Z Miami

Oregon

The committee simply has Oregon too high. They’re the highest three-loss team, and they don’t even have the best resume among the three-loss teams ranked. In fact, you can make a case that several teams with better records are ranked below them in the committee’s rankings. It’s hard to see this team coming together offensively and somehow becoming a team that can compete for a CFP spot.- Justin Churchill, A to Z Oklahoma

Alabama

Our A to Z sports crew split on Alabama, as many people did, but we still had to rank them below the committee. Yes, their strength of schedule is top-tier (if not first overall), but two losses—one at home to Georgia, and one by 16 points to Tennessee—have to matter. They destroyed almost everyone else. The Tide is playing elite-level football right now. However, they’ve shown weaknesses against the pass in a few games, even against less-than-elite QBs. Don’t believe that? They rank 94th among FBS teams in pass success rate allowed. There are holes in the resume on paper outside just the two losses. We can’t ignore them just because they’re Alabama.- Travis May, College Football Editing Manager