Top teams’ hurdles on road to College Football Playoff
At midseason, Baylor, TCU among teams with legitimate College Playoff hope.
Midway through the season, there are at least 15 solid contenders for the second College Football Playoff. And just like last year, No. 2 Baylor and No. 4 TCU are front and center in the conversation.
While the Bears haven’t been tested — and probably won’t be for another month — the Horned Frogs go into their bye week having survived some close calls.
“We might have the worst first-quarter defense in college football right now. Holy smokes,” coach Gary Patterson said after TCU allowed 21 quick points on the road Saturday night before smoking Iowa State 45-21.
“We’re beaten up pretty good. The break is coming at the right time because we need the 12 days to get healthy. All in all, though, I like where we’re positioned.”
A lot of teams around the country feel the same way. A quick glance at the long list of contenders, in order of the AP poll:
Ohio State (7-0): J.T. Barrett
relieved ineffective Cardale Jones and ignited the offense. Will Urban Meyer finally see the light and turn to the Texan full-time? The Buckeyes should cruise until Nov. 21 vs. Michigan State.
Baylor (6-0): A ridiculously explosive team averaging 64 points and nearly 700 yards has a cakewalk until a threegame November stretch of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU. Corey Coleman for Heisman? Or Seth Russell?
Utah (6-0): The Utes, with RB Devontae Booker and their ball-hawking defense, have the best body of work of all. Yet the Pac-12 is loaded, and a trip to USC on Saturday won’t be easy.
TCU (7-0): Trevone Boykin is doing all he can to stay in the Heisman conversation. An even better sign: The Frogs’ patchwork defense pitched a shutout Saturday after the first quarter.
LSU (6-0): Leonard Fournette can run over you, or around you. The Tigers’ defense looks more vulnerable than expected. The annual grudge match with Alabama on Nov. 7 will tell all.
Clemson (6-0): The Tigers have that gritty win over Notre Dame, but we’ll find out about them over the next three weeks: at Miami (4-2), at North Carolina State (4-2), home to Florida State (6-0).
Michigan State (7-0): Somebody up there is looking out for the Spartans. The incredible, last-play win over Michigan will go down as one of the five craziest finishes in college football.
Alabama (6-1): Folks, this is vintage Bama. Power offense. Dominant defense. Remember, the Tide turned the ball over five times in that fluky loss to Ole Miss.
Florida State (6-0): The Seminoles entered the season with lowered expectations. Not any more. Terrific RB Dalvin Cook is carrying this offense.
Stanford (5-1): That opening loss to Northwestern is totally bizarre. Since then, the Cardinal have hung 41, 55 and 56 points on three good Pac-12 teams.
Notre Dame (6-1): The Irish get ready to tackle back-toback trips to Pennsylvania to face a couple of teams (Temple and Pitt) that nobody thought would be ranked.
Iowa (7-0): Hey, look what former Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis is doing with the ground-and-pound Hawkeyes. Their remaining schedule is cupcake city, too.
Florida (6-1): There’s no shame in losing by a touchdown on a trick play in Baton Rouge. If the Gators win the SEC East, they’ll have a crack at the final four.
Oklahoma State (6-0): The Cowboys have Kansas and Texas Tech the next two weeks before a grueling November.
Texas A&M (5-1): The Aggies are surely improved over a year ago but probably no better than No. 3 in the SEC West.
Memphis (6-0): If there’s a Boise State this year, it’s the Tigers, who smashed the SEC’s Ole Miss behind 6-7 QB Paxton Lynch.
Also on watch list: Oklahoma (5-1) ... Cal (5-1) ... Houston (6-0).