Twelve teams vie for semifinal spots
It was another tumultuous weekend in college football.
There were highs and lows as College Football Playoff darlings Georgia and Notre Dame saw their hopes dashed, while Auburn and Ohio State played well enough to earn a sliver of hope they can work back into the playoff mix.
Now with the regular season quickly coming to a close, there are few remaining chances to make a positive impression on the playoff selection committee.
Take a closer look at the dozen teams hoping to stay in the playoff mix:
The biggest knock on Alabama has been what the committee perceives as a weak strength of schedule. That Florida State win at the beginning of the season carries no weight, leaving the Tide to rely on wins over LSU and Mississippi State. A loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl in two weeks denies the Tide an SEC West title and probably a spot in the playoffs.
Welcome to the playoff discussion, Miami! The Hurricanes should wind up in the top four this week — probably at No. 2 — but there’s still work to be done with two regular season games left against Virginia and Pitt. Then there’s a meeting with Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. Win all three games and then we can discuss whether or not The U is back.
Much like Alabama, Wisconsin has felt the harsh sting of the selection committee’s criticism of its schedule. The Badgers feature one of the worst strength of schedules among the undefeated COMMENTARY and one-loss teams the committee is evaluating. But the committee values conference championships more, so things should work themselves out if Wisconsin wins the Big Ten title.
The good news for Clemson is that the Tigers feature one of the toughest strength of schedules among the playoff contenders. Dabo Swinney’s team has clinched a spot in the ACC title game and will face a really good Miami team in Charlotte on Dec. 2. You would figure a win over a top-10 ’Canes team would be enough to push Clemson back into the semifinals for the third consecutive season.
Outside of Miami and Auburn, Oklahoma may be playing some of the best football out there. But that doesn’t guarantee the Sooners a spot in the semis. They’ve all but clinched a spot in the Big 12 title game but must face either TCU or Oklahoma State in a rematch. That early season win over Ohio State continues to hold up in the eyes of the committee.
Yes, losing to Auburn was horrible, but let’s not forget that Georgia already has a spot in the SEC Championship Game. As long as the Bulldogs don’t suffer another setback, they still have a chance with an SEC title win.
TCU needs to win its two remaining games against Texas Tech and Baylor to force a rematch with Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. If the Horned Frogs beat the Sooners, they could become the first two-loss team to make the playoff.
If you stare at the playoff picture long enough, you might see a scenario in which the Buckeyes find their way into the final four mix. But don’t look too hard because it can give you a headache. Win the East, beat Wisconsin and hope for myriad of other teams to lose.
If you’re a fan of chaos, then you’re a fan of this team. Auburn controls its own fate and, thanks to its win over Georgia, is one step closer to a possible playoff spot. But the Tigers still need to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl and Georgia in the SEC title tilt to earn a semifinal spot. Simple, right?
The Trojans are now the Pac-12’s best hope for a playoff team and that’s saying something. It’s highly unlikely even if USC wins out that the selection committee would push a two-loss USC team ahead of a handful of better qualified teams.
It’s been a great season for Brian Kelly and the Irish, but without a conference championship, there’s no shot at the playoffs. Unfortunately, their parting gift was a turnover chain.
Washington’s playoff hopes were already on life support to begin with thanks to a mediocre schedule and that was before losing to Stanford Friday night.