College Football Playoff Scenarios (Week 14)
There were not many games with playoff implications last week, but boy will that change this Saturday. It’s Rivalry Week and this could possibly be the week that shapes the very first College Football playoff. The list goes on and on, Alabama-Auburn, Ole Miss-Mississippi State, Ohio State-Michigan, Florida State-Florida and so many more key games with playoff implications. But before you watch those games, take a look at the scenarios.
Teams Eliminated Last Week:
1) Mississippi (8-3)
2) Kansas State (9-2)
Control Own Destiny:
#1 Alabama (10-1)
#2 Oregon (10-1)
#3 Florida State (11-0)
#4 Mississippi State (10-1)
Teams That Need Help:
#5 TCU (9-1)
1) Win out, and have one team in front of them lose (Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Mississippi State) OR have Baylor lose
Notes: After Mississippi State’s dominant performance last week, TCU no longer controls their fate. If Baylor loses and the Horned Frogs win out, TCU wins the Big 12, which will really help their chances. More than likely one team in front of them will lose, so even if the Bears don’t fall, Gary Patterson’s squad is in good shape if they can keep winning.
#6 Ohio State (10-1)
1) Win out, including B1G Championship Game.
2) Have two teams in front of them lose once (Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Mississippi State, TCU)
Notes: The Buckeyes had a scare last week against an eight-loss Indiana team. That doesn’t look so good on their resume, and even if they do win out, I don’t think a win against Michigan and a B1G Title will catapult them into the Playoff without help.
#7 Baylor (9-1)
1) Win out, and win Big 12 Championship.
2) Have 3 teams in front of them lose once (Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, TCU, Mississippi State, Ohio State)
Notes: Poor, poor Baylor. They just can’t impress the committee. They will need a lot of help if they want to get in. And based on how they have treated them so far, the committee might put a 6-loss SEC team in before the Bears.
#9 UCLA (9-2)
1) Win out, including victory in PAC-12 Championship.
2) Georgia does not win SEC Championship
3) Three teams in front of them lose
Notes: The Bruin’s chances are very, very, very, very…very slim. Jim Mora’s squad would basically need the world to fall apart. However, if they can beat Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship game, that would look extremely impressive on their resume. They would need some help along with that, but UCLA is not dead, yet.
#10 Georgia (9-2)
1) Beat Georgia Tech
2) Missouri loses to Arkansas (If those two things happen, UGA wins SEC East)
3) Win SEC Championship Game
Notes: Georgia still needs to win the SEC if they want to get in. There’s a pretty good chance Mizzou will fall to Arkansas, so the Dawgs chances are still very much alive; The SEC champ is in the playoff.
Other teams with a very, very, very slim chance:
1) Michigan State (8-2)
2) Arizona State (8-2)
3) Arizona (9-2)
Twitter: @WScottCSM
