November schedule sure to bring chaos

When contenders face contenders, something must give

Chaos is coming to the Football Bowl Subdivision. This is an absolute certainty.

During the final weeks of the regular season, all but three of the teams in the first College Football Playoff selection committee’s top 25 face at least one other ranked team. Many face multiple ranked opponents. Things will happen, and things will change.

The Big 12 schedule will saddle all three of its unbeaten teams with three games vs. currently ranked opponents this month. Ohio State hasn’t faced a currently ranked opponent all season, but it will do so twice in November. LSU has three top-25 matchups, plus potentially a fourth should it reach the Southeastern Conference championship game.

And many other teams have difficult roads to Dec. 6, when the selection committee will choose the field for the final four. A week-by-week listing of games matching teams currently ranked in the Playoff top 25.

Saturday: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 16 Florida State, No. 2 LSU at No. 4 Alabama, No. 8 TCU at No. 14 Oklahoma State.

Nov. 14: No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 15 Oklahoma, No. 4 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi State, No. 13 Memphis at No. 25 Houston.

Nov. 21: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Michigan State, No. 2 LSU at No. 18 Mississippi, No. 6 Baylor at No. 14 Oklahoma State, No. 8

TCU at No. 15 Oklahoma, No. 12 Utah vs. No. 23 UCLA, No. 13 Memphis at No. 22 Temple.

Nov. 27: No. 6 Baylor at

No. 8 TCU.

Nov. 28: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 19 Texas A&M, No. 3 Ohio State at No. 17 Michigan, No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 11 Stanford, No. 10 Florida vs. No. 16 Florida State, No. 14 Oklahoma State vs. No. 15 Oklahoma, No. 18 Mississippi at No. 20 Mississippi State.

That’s 19 games pitting ranked teams during the final five weeks of the regular season, not counting eventual conference championship games.

Why worry about the debut rankings when chaos is on the horizon?