Let’s take a look at the projected top-four from the College Football Playoff Committee that will be released tonight. The only blemish on an otherwise stellar season is a close, two-point loss to undefeated and undisputed number one overall Clemson.
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The top 4 looks different this week as the Big Ten had a big shakeup with MI State knocking off Ohio State. Some separation from the Irish has to comfort Sooner souls. OU is in Stillwater for Bedlam against the 11th-ranked Cowboys. Navy has lost only to Notre Dame in a competitive game. The Sooners will play at Oklahoma State on Saturday with a chance to win the Big 12. But the Huskers are coming off a bye week while Iowa is playing on the road on a short week, with their conference divisional championship already wrapped up. A hearty disclaimer that these are projecting the rest of the season and, as such, are not completely reflective of the state of college football at the moment. For now, the Oklahoma-Notre Dame debate has gotten an answer. Alabama has won three of the past four meetings between the two schools.
Long said the committee took into account Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield sat out the second half against Texas Christian. Then Stanford defeats Notre Dame in Palo Alto, and the Bears defeat TCU in Fort Worth.
It didn’t much matter where the committee slotted these teams Tuesday night, whether it was four spots lower or almost anywhere else. If things go the Seminoles’ way on Saturday, they could potentially be the beneficiaries of a bump when either Stanford or Notre Dame (No. 6) pick up a loss this weekend.
The 11-0 Hawkeyes were ranked fifth last week.
Oh, and all “bad losses” are included in those “versus 41 to 60” records, even if the team shows up just outside the top 60. The highest ranked Group of Five conference champion will receive a bid to either the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl (Dec. 31) or the Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1).
The committee makes no such allowances in the No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup. Forgive me for saying that this Fighting Irish team shouldn’t scare Clemson in a potential rematch (or Alabama for that matter, who I think is actually better than Clemson).
Is it No. 3 Iowa? Clemson and Alabama nearly surely would have to lose.
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Oklahoma may have the edge in this game with the superior defense, but a team with Oklahoma State’s offense is always capable of turning a game into a shootout and giving any team a run for its money.
