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SPORTS Wednesday 31 OctOber 2018
CFP RANKINGS al semifinals.
Continued from Page 18 Coaches began down-
Oregon athletic director playing the significance of
Rob Mullens, who is in his first the rankings even before
season as committee chair- they were revealed on na-
man, said LSU's FBS-leading tional television.
six victories against teams "I didn't even know that
with winning records gave was tonight. I didn't realize
the Tigers the edge over that was going on," Geor-
undefeated Notre Dame. gia coach Kirby Smart told
The Irish play at Northwest- reporters. "But I should have
ern (5-3) on Saturday. talked to my team about
UCF was the highest ranked that. I didn't bring it up to
team from outside the Pow- them. So who knows what
er Five conferences at 12th. they'll be thinking tonight."
The highest ranked team Ranking teams is a time-
from the so-called Group honored tradition in col-
of Five conferences at the lege football, going back
end of the regular season to first Associated Press poll
is guaranteed a spot in the in 1936. But what, if any-
New Year's Six bowls. The thing, can be learned from
Knights, riding a 20-game the first four years of CFP
winning streak, earned that rankings?
spot last year, beat Auburn Of the 16 teams the com- In this Jan. 7, 2018 file photo Charley Green buffs the NCAA college football championship trophy
in the Peach Bowl and pro- mittee ranked in the top before a coaches news conference in Atlanta.
claimed themselves na- four of its initial rankings Associated Press
tional champions. from 2014-17, half made the
UCF has yet to beat a team playoff. No team ranked unbeaten team, like it did had already lost. The Semi- made the longest climb
that currently has a win- third in the first CFP rankings Tuesday with LSU and Notre noles went into the Rose from first committee rank-
ning record. The strength of has ever made the playoff. Dame. Bowl semifinal as the No. 3 ing to final was Ohio State,
schedule held the Knights The very first committee In 2014, unbeaten defend- seed and lost to Oregon. which started 16th in 2014
back, Mullens said. "But you rankings, in 2014, had just ing champion Florida State Among the eight teams and made the semifinals as
balance that against what one eventual playoff team. dropped to No. 3 behind over the past four seasons the fourth seed — and won
you see when you watch They included three teams once-beaten Oregon in the that were part of the initial the championship. Iowa,
the games," he added. from the Southeastern Con- committee's third rankings. committee top four but did which has already lost two
Last season, UCF started ference (though not the It seemed to send a signal not make the playoff, only games, was No. 16 in Tues-
18th and rose to 12th by one that eventually made the committee would be one was unranked on se- day's rankings.
the final rankings. the playoff) along with Flor- different from traditional lection Sunday. Texas A&M The last two seasons, none
HISTORY LESSON ida State. polls that tended to honor in 2016 was somewhat of a of the eventual playoff
If form holds, two of the top That year, the committee win-loss record above all. surprising No. 4, and then teams were ranked worse
four teams in the first CFP first showed its willingness The second-to-last rankings proceeded to lose three of than sixth (Ohio State in
ranking of the season will to rank a team that had had Florida State at fourth, its final four games. 2016) in the committee's
go on to play in the nation- lost a game ahead of an behind three teams that The playoff team that first ranking.q
Djokovic beats Sousa in straight sets at Paris Masters

By JEROME PUGMIRE set up match point with an vanced to the third round.
AP Sports Writer ace and sealed victory on He led 6-2, 2-0 against Mat-
PARIS (AP) — Novak his third match point when thew Ebden when the Aus-
Djokovic began his bid for Sousa returned a second tralian retired.
a record-extending fifth serve long. Returning from a right knee
Paris Masters title with a The U.S. Open champion injury , Nadal faces Span-
7-5, 6-1 win against Joao won four of the last five ish countryman Fernando
Sousa in the second round tournaments he has en- Verdasco on Wednesday,
on Wednesday, and lent a tered, including Wimble- with 20-time Grand Slam
helping hand to a specta- don, the U.S. Open and champion Roger Federer
tor in the process. most recently the Shanghai also in second-round ac-
Serving for the match at 5-1, Masters. tion against Milos Raonic.
Djokovic handed a towel Djokovic is seeking to re- Federer leads the big-serv-
to a man in the crowd who claim the top ranking from ing Canadian 11-3 overall. In this Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 file photo, Novak Djokovic of Serbia
seemed unwell and who Rafael Nadal at a tour- Federer's last appearance celebrates after defeating Borna Coric of Croatia in their men's
wiped his forehead with it. nament Nadal has never at the Paris indoor event singles final match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament
"It seemed he was sweat- won. Djokovic next faces was a third-round loss to at Qizhong Forest Sports City Tennis Center in Shanghai, China.
ing and he seemed dizzy, Damir Dzumhur. big-serving John Isner in
so he just needed help," Fifth-seeded Marin Cilic, 2015. There were doubts The 37-year-old Federer is three straight tournaments.
Djokovic said. "I just gave the Australian Open runner- Federer would play after a selective of when he plays But the third-ranked Feder-
him the towel." up, won his second-round grueling past week which in order to keep his body er feels comfortable with it.
Djokovic revealed he also match 6-3, 6-4 against saw him clinch his ninth as fresh as possible, and "I feel like it's better for me
was not feeling very well Philipp Kohlschreiber of victory at the Swiss Indoors he skipped the entire clay- to play matches rather
out on court. Germany. and 99th overall. court season for the sec- than practice," Federer
"I wasn't," he said. "I don't Dzumhur upset 14th-seed- "I feel good," Federer told ond straight year. said. "As long as I don't feel
want to get into details but ed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, a news conference. "I feel With the season-ending like I'm taking a chance on
I think it's a minor thing." 6-3, while big-hitting Russian like I recovered well from ATP Finals in London start- my health prior to London,
The second-ranked Serb Karen Khachanov also ad- last week." ing Nov. 11, he is playing that's the key as well."q