As we went over yesterday there are only 14 teams with a mathematical path to College Football Playoffs. That of course is in line with the ESPN Football Power Index. There will be major movement in tonight’s selection committee’s rankings, as eight ranked teams lost last week. There are a few burning question America will have tonight, here are two examples. One will be how much margin of error does TCU actually have? Another is that will a two loss LSU team have a path to the CFP if they win out. Everyone has an idea of what the College Football Playoff Committee should do, but the big thing is what will they do. Since it’s inception in 2014 this process has been difficult to pin down. Here is the CFP Top 25 Predictions from Fifth Quarter.
The Top 4
- #1: Georgia
- #2: Ohio State
- #3: Michigan
- #4: TCU
The committee’s job here has been made pretty easy where they can keep the same top 4 as last week, and not even have to shift them around for now. As long as these four teams keep winning they will remain in the top 4. Obviously we all know Michigan and Ohio State have the high chance of cancelling each other out due to playing each other in two weeks. The question is will that allow room for two SEC teams, or maybe another one loss conference champion?
Rankings 5-10
- #5: Tennessee
- #6: LSU
- #7: Alabama
- #8: USC
- #9: Clemson
- #10: Penn State
I have a feeling I am going to catch a lot of heat from Oregon, USC, and PAC 12 fans in general. I think the committee is going to start under valuing the PAC 12 by a hefty margin soon. No PAC 12 team has any out of conference win worth flexing, and I think that will hurt the conference in general. I think Clemson settling in at #9 is a quality spot for them. Right now Florida State is Clemson’s best friend as that win continues to look better and better. I understand a loss is a loss but Notre Dame is quietly rising up the ranks making it look more understandable.
Rankings 11-25
- #11 North Carolina
- #12 Utah
- #13 Washington
- #14 Oregon
- #15 Ole Miss
- #16 Notre Dame
- #17 UCF
- #18 Florida State
- #19 Kansas State
- #20 Tulane
- #21 UCLA
- #22 Oregon State
- #23 Coastal Carolina
- #24 Oklahoma State
- #25 Duke
If Duke makes it tonight it would be the first time since the CFP started in 2014. I firmly believe PAC 12 fans will be upset tonight, but I think the conference is in desperate need of out of conference wins.
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