University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU in the College Football Playoff


OU Football History & Tradition | Updated Jan. 25, 2020

OU Downed by Alabama in CFP Semifinals

The College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee ranks the top 25 programs to determine a four-team playoff at the end of the year. The CFP places the top teams in its "New Years Six" bowl games, two of which are national semifinals. It should be no surprise that OU has continued to play well throughout the CFP era, earning four playoff berths in the six years since its inception in 2014.

OU in the College Football Playoff
Total Playoff Appearances 4 - T-No. 3 Nationally
Weeks Ranked 40 (of 42 weeks) - No. 4 Nationally
Weeks Ranked in Top 5 12 - No. 6 Nationally
Weeks Ranked in Top 10 28 - No. 4 Nationally
Longest Streak of Weeks Ranked 35 Weeks (2015-2020)

The grid below shows every week of the CFP standings and OU's ranking. The numbers along the top represent the poll week. A dash (-) represents that OU was not ranked in that week's edition while a blank means that there were no CFP standings.
OU in Weekly CFP Rankings
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Bowl
2020
11 11 11 10 6 Cotton Bowl (New Years Six)
2019
9
10
9
7
6
4
Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal)
2018
7
6
6
6
5
4
Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal)
2017
5
5
4
4
3
2
Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal)
2016
14
11
9
8
9
7
Sugar Bowl (New Years Six)
2015
15
12
7
3
3
4
Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal)
2014
18
15
-
21
20
20
-
College Football Playoff Appearances
1. Alabama 6
Ā Ā Ā Ā Clemson 6
3. Oklahoma 4
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ohio State 4
5. Notre Dame 2
6. Florida State 1
Ā Ā Ā Ā Georgia 1
Ā Ā Ā Ā LSU 1
Ā Ā Ā Ā Michigan State 1
Ā Ā Ā Ā Oregon 1
Ā Ā Ā  Washington 1
Weeks Ranked in the CFP
1. Alabama 42
Ā Ā Ā Ā Clemson 42
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ohio State 42
4. Oklahoma 40
5. LSU 33
6. Notre Dame 32
7. Georgia 30
Ā Ā Ā Ā Utah 30
9. Oklahoma State 29
10. Florida 28
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Wisconsin 28
Weeks Ranked in the Top 5
1.Alabama 39
2.Clemson 35
3. Ohio State 22
4. Notre Dame 16
5. Georgia 13
6. Oklahoma 12
7. Michigan 9
8. LSU 8
9. Florida State 7
Ā Ā Ā Ā Oregon 7
Weeks Ranked in the Top 10
1.Alabama 40
2.Ohio State 39
3.Clemson 35
4. Oklahoma 28
5. Georgia 25
6. Notre Dame 23
7. Penn State 16
8. Wisconsin 14
9. LSU 13
Ā Ā Ā Ā Michigan 13

Sources: College Poll Archive