What Needs To Happen: The top-ranked team in the country can clinch its spot in the playoff with a win over No. 14 North Carolina in the ACC Championship game.
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Probably Ohio State moves from No. 6 to No. 4. Iowa 12-0 5. Michigan State 11-1 6. As it relates to Iowa’s CFP opponent, I feel comfortable in saying that if Clemson and Alabama win, Iowa would jump Oklahoma in the standings and would be ranked #3. The two teams also have waged some epic battles the past few years. Long said the Tar Heels, with two games against FCS competition, no wins against teams now ranked and a loss to 3-9 SC, have a strength of schedule issue compared to even Ohio State.
A insane slate of high-profile games Week 12 saw Notre Dame, Michigan, Baylor and Oklahoma State all go down along with their playoff chances. No other Playoff contender can match that, barring a Michigan State win over Iowa this weekend.
The final rankings will be released at noon ET Sunday. Florida State, 10-2 (13) 10.
Meanwhile, Iowa (40%) and Michigan State (61%) will face off in the Big Ten title game, which is now effectively a play-in game for the playoff, with Silver giving the Spartans the edge.
The seeding is about as uncertain as it could be at this time, as Long said there were deliberations atop the poll with unbeaten Clemson and one-loss SEC champ Alabama, both of which play in conference title games on Saturday.
After a win at North Carolina State, UNC is now set to take on the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship on Saturday. A win for the Cardinal puts Stanford in position to make the playoff if either Clemson or Alabama gets knocked off. However, USC has won five of six and QB Cody Kessler has 10 TD passes and just one pick in that stretch. The Wolverines are still a year or two away, and you can hear about OSU any time, turn on ESPN for 4 minutes and they will be brought up.
Yes, conference champions from the Power Five conferences should get preferential treatment, but after leaving out TCU last season, don’t expect the No. 3 Sooners to get the same treatment this year.
Back in August, the prediction from my keyboard had Auburn, TCU, Southern California, and Michigan State advancing to the four-team college football playoff.
#1 Clemson (-5) vs. #6 North Carolina – Either way, I expect this game to turn into a blowout. Here is a look at some of the key games that will have a huge impact on who makes the final four teams for this year’s playoff.
Notre Dame will likely move up a spot in the final ranking, depending on how the Big 10 title game plays out. Oklahoma wrapped up the Big 12 title and is idle until the December 31 semifinal, although Long said the Sooners’ conference championship won’t be factored into the committee’s rankings until next week. Alabama has zero excuses if it loses to Florida in the SEC Championship Game.
If it beats Clemson, well, then things will get really interesting. The Division 1 NCAA Basketball tournament offers 68/351 teams the opportunity to compete for a national championship (roughly 20% of the total number of D-1 universities). The Hawkeyes are one of just two unbeaten teams in FBS (along with Clemson), but they will come in as an underdog against a Spartans team riding high with two last-second victories against their two arch rivals MI and Ohio State.
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The Tide and head coach Nick Saban are 17.5-point favorites over Florida, and winning by more than two touchdowns not only clinches the No. 2 CFP slot but also puts them in contention for No. 1. The playoff semifinals will match the No. 1seed vs. the No. 4 seed, and No. 2 will face No.3.
