In the ACC, Stanford might have an argument against one-loss ACC Champion North Carolina, but to be sure it would need to have North Carolina finish with two losses and still win the ACC. I could keep going on about the different scenarios, but they start to become even more ludicrous and unlikely.
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No. 1 Clemson at South Carolina: South Carolina has fallen apart.
Amid all the uncertainty surrounding the College Football Playoff, one thing is crystal clear: The loser of the Notre-Dame Stanford game won’t be part of the final four. The Rebels can still win the SEC West with a victory and Alabama loss to Auburn.
If committee members were looking for an alternative to Baylor on championship weekend past year, they found it in Ohio State. Stanford all but ended the conference’s hopes of a playoff berth with its 38-36 loss to OR two weeks ago. Despite its 10-1 record, Oklahoma State now sits behind a pair of two-loss teams in No. 9 Stanford (9-2) and No. 10 MI (9-2). Last season, the committee liked TCU more than Baylor all season, despite the Bears beating the Horned Frogs in October. Notre Dame – QB Malik Zaire (ankle), TB Tarean Folston (knee), G Alex Bars (ankle), TE Durham Smythe (knee), DT Jarron Jones (knee), CB Shaun Crawford (knee), CB KeiVarae Russell (foot) and S DrueTranquill (knee) are out. Losses by Ohio State, Baylor and Oklahoma are musts. If MSU wins, then Iowa could be competing with the victor of this game for a Rose Bowl spot (if MSU wins the B1G Championship Game and goes to the playoffs).
Path to the Playoff: Beat No. 9 Stanford tonight and have Oklahoma lose to Oklahoma State. The Irish have won the last 4 meetings against the Eagles. So that means Notre Dame’s offense will have to forget back-to-back sluggish and sloppy showings and play like the group that last month hung 41 on both Navy and USC. While Oklahoma State would climb in the rankings, maybe even to the point they pass the Spartans this weekend, MSU could get an opportunity to return the favor with a win over a potentially undefeated Iowa. It’s hottest team might be #10 MI, a two-loss team and the last of the conference’s four teams.
Following the Ohio State’s loss last week, they have dropped from third to eighth while Michigan State made a significant leap from ninth to fifth place.
In fact, far from it with only one week remaining before four of the five major conferences hold championship games – with invitations into college football’s second four-team playoff likely coming from three of those title games.
The question is ultimately this for Notre Dame: will the committee favor a one-loss independent or a one-loss conference champion?
The title chase in the Big Ten East is still a three-team race between Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. There, the Wolverines would have to beat Iowa.
The Heels, playing their best football of the season down the stretch, would then meet Clemson in the ACC title game where they will be plenty motivated as an underdog to the Tigers.
The OddsShark Computer is projecting a 36.8-33.7 Stanford victory, indicating the Cardinal are eminently capable of an ATS win. Final Score: Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 31.
Spread: Notre Dame is favored by 2 points. Oklahoma State (CFP: No. 11) 9. A loss in that game would all but eliminate the Pac-12’s bid for a spot. North Carolina (10-1), 15.
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Adams has rushed for 592 yards on 84 carries, the fourth highest total for a freshman in a season at Notre Dame.
