Badgers move up to No. 4 in College Football Playoff rankings

MADISON, Wis. - If the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers beat No. 8 Ohio State this weekend in the Big Ten Championship Game, they will make the College Football Playoff.

That's after the playoff's selection committee released their last batch of rankings before they make their final selections on Sunday, moving the Badgers up to No. 4 from No. 5 last week after two top four teams lost last weekend.

If the current rankings remain the same after this weekend, the Badgers would take on No. 1 Clemson in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1. No. 2 Auburn and No. 3 Oklahoma would square off at the Rose Bowl on the same day.

Just lurking out of the top four are No. 5 Alabama and No. 6 Georgia, both of whom are hoping to shake things up this weekend. Alabama will be idle while Auburn and Georgia play in the SEC Championship Game.

There's still a lot of football to be played this weekend, which could mess up the rankings before Sunday. But the committee's message to Wisconsin was simple: if you win, you're in.