Clemson and Alabama remained the top two teams in the third-to-last committee rankings. But the No. 9 Cowboys (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 11 CFP) still have plenty at stake in Saturday night’s regular-season finale against No. 5 Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1, No. 3 CFP). Jake Rudock is firing on all cylinders and MI has won four straight, with a chance to make it six by beating Ohio State and – if the Nittany Lions win at MI State – Iowa in the Big Ten title game. No. 3 Oklahoma is now getting a pass from the committee for its loss to 4-6 Texas because the Sooners have been playing well and beating better opponents.
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“It was more about the performances of Oklahoma and MI State that propelled them ahead of Notre Dame”, committee chairman Jeff Long said.
Notre Dame vs. Stanford and Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma could be two of the most two important games of the season.
Clemson and Alabama are in the playoff if each win out, and you figure whoever survives the Big Ten Championship game is secured a spot. The inaugural College Football Playoff champions are entering Week 11 on the strength of an unbeaten 9-0 slate.
Undefeated Iowa edges one-loss MI State. At No. 5, MI State appears to control its destiny, with Iowa up next in Indianapolis if the Spartans win their regular-season finale. The top remaining team with the highest ranked conference champion from the Group of 5 conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt) also will receive a spot.
Despite being regarded as the best conference in the country, the SEC may not even have two teams ranked inside the top-15. If Notre Dame and Ohio State win their respective games, they might just reenter the top-four.
The Big 12 has five of the top seven national scoring leaders – 1. “This is all just preliminary stuff in which they’re evaluating teams and as long as we’re in a position to try to crack it at the end of the year, we’ll be fine”.
Western MI: Beat Toledo, and they deny them the chance to play for the MAC title.
Stanford can still make a run at the four-team field, starting with a win over Notre Dame this weekend. I would like to enjoy my school’s first ever 11-0 start without having to defend the Hawkeyes honor. Oklahoma State (10-1, Big XII) 12.
Cause for concern: Iowa’s defense has allowed 27.3 points per game to its last three opponents: Purdue, Minnesota and IN – none of which have a winning record. The Big Ten is all over the playoff rankings. They have the same record as their in-state rivals and could claim the Big 12 title for themselves if they beat Oklahoma and TCU knocks off Baylor.
Clemson continues to win and has shown no reason why they should not be the top team in the Top 25.
No. 7 Baylor and No. 9 Stanford round out the top 10 teams in this week’s poll. No way would the Sooners play in the Cotton Bowl as the fourth-ranked team; that would be too much of a homefield disadvantage for the No. 1-ranked team. If the Tigers win their final two games, they’re in.
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The question is ultimately this for Notre Dame: will the committee favor a one-loss independent or a one-loss conference champion? Deyonta Davis will likely draw the responsibility of keeping Clifford off the boards, though the 6-10 freshman has proved to be more of a scorer than a stopper so far this season. But without a conference championship game, the Spartans could probably do the same like when Ohio State jumped Baylor and TCU past year.
