So theoretically even if Notre Dame and Oklahoma win in the same fashion, the Irish should close some ground on the Sooners. That sets the table for a dramatic final two weekends for the top contenders. OU jumped Iowa, which doesn’t matter so much, and Notre Dame, which matters a bunch. Here is the improbable, but possible path to the postseason. They are in control of its own destiny in both the Big 12 and the playoff heading in to this weekend’s showdown with the rival Cowboys.
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“Oklahoma’s entire body of work, with another win against a Top 25 team (in TCU) this week and what it has done over the last few weeks when added in vaulted them into that No. 3 spot”, Long said. A loss combined with an Ole Miss win would give the Rebels the SEC West title and hand Alabama two losses, something even the Tide couldn’t overcome.
Oklahoma led 23-7 at halftime before its star quarterback, Baker Mayfield, left for the remainder of the game due to a concussion.
Help needed: The Sooners appear to be a lock with a win at Bedlam on Saturday, but they might need some style points to feel secure.
Nov 21, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops reacts during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
That won’t stop us from prognosticating, however, especially after Michigan State’s victory at Ohio State on Saturday, a game that nearly certainly knocked the defending champion out of the hunt while vaulting the Spartans smack into the middle of the conversation. “It’s so hard”, fifth-year senior linebacker Joe Schmidt said after an underwhelming win vs. Boston College. Rhoads went 32-54 and won just eight games the last three seasons.
The teams in the top four spots when the final rankings are released December 6 will compete in a four-team playoff December 31 for the right to play in the national championship game January 11. They will face the No. 9 Stanford Cardinal in their season finale. It’s pretty simple: Defeat TCU and Texas.
Notre Dame running back C.J. Now all it has to do is knock off Penn State and beat undefeated Iowa, and it will be in the playoff. It likely would have ended Oklahoma’s chances, but instead it becomes a victory over a ranked opponent.
Despite the losses to Georgia Tech and Clemson, Florida State is still in good position to go to a big-time bowl this holiday season, which is a very impressive feat considering some of the struggles on offense this season. And a win over a potentially undefeated Iowa would probably be enough to vault them back into the playoff. Navy has a big matchup against one-loss Houston this week. Losses by those teams would assure the ascent, however. The No. 5 Michigan State Spartans need to beat Penn State in the season finale to make the Big Ten championship game. Oklahoma plays Saturday at Oklahoma State (7 p.m., WFAA/Ch. 8).
The title chase in the Big Ten East is still a three-team race between Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.
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Obviously McCaffrey and Kevin Hogan are super fun – and Stanford’s losses aren’t bad – but the Pac 12 kind of cannibalized itself this year. But with one loss and a shot at an SEC title, the Gators would seem to still be alive in the playoff race.
