Projected playoff field of four tightly bunched
Rich Brooks, one of 13 members of the Football Four Playoff Projection panel, has a brief but apt summation of college football’s Week 4. “Some very shaken top-ranked teams this week,” the ex- Oregon and Kentucky coach said. “No one was dominant.”
That led to the narrowest gap between the four playoff teams all season. The committee views Florida State as a clear No. 1 seed, but two points separate the remaining three seeds, Alabama, Oklahoma and Oregon.
Oklahoma and Oregon tied with 53 voting points; Oklahoma was awarded the better seed because the Sooners were higher on seven of the 13 ballots. Panelist Tommy Bowden stuck with the Ducks as his top team, citing the biggest win on their résumé.
“I’m big on strength of schedule, and we might see Michigan State in the final four,” he said.
Each panelist submits six teams, ranked 1 through 6. Teams get 6 points for a No. 1 vote, 5 for a No. 2 vote, 4 for a No. 3 vote and so on. This week’s projected field is No. 1 Florida State (68 points), No. 2 Alabama (55), No. 3 Oklahoma (53) and No. 4 Oregon (53).
Oregon was the top seed last week with a season-high 70 voting points, but the Ducks had a tight game Saturday, winning 3831 at Washington State. Florida State beat Clemson 23-17 at home in overtime, but the Tigers are considered a stronger team.
“If (coach Jimbo) Fisher can galvanize his team around (quarterback Jameis) Winston’s childlike behavior, the ’ Noles are still the team to beat,” panelist Jim Ross said.
In addition to the four project- ed playoff seeds, Texas A&M (19 points), Auburn (17), Baylor (4), Mississippi State (3) and Michigan State (1) received votes.
The Playoff Projection’s 13person committee, modeled after the College Football Playoff selection committee, votes weekly to show what the playoff pairings might be if they were to be set today. It is purely a mock selection with no bearing on the playoff selection committee’s decisions, but its panel draws on vast reserves of knowledge and experience.
In addition to Brooks, Bowden and Ross, the Playoff Projection panel includes former Football Bowl Subdivision coaches Jim Grobe and Rick Neuheisel, former FBS athletics directors Bill Byrne and Jim Livengood, and USA TODAY Sports college sports staff members Nicole Auerbach, Joe Fleming, Paul Myerberg, George Schroeder, Daniel Uthman and Dan Wolken.