When evaluating which teams are capable of reaching the College Football Playoff, we take into account several factors like the strength of the schedule, depth chart quality, transfer acquisitions, the program’s history, and the current momentum with coaching.

While all these aspects are significant, we often make it more complex than necessary.

Brian Kelly of LSU provided clarity by identifying a fundamental distinction between successful and struggling college football teams, emphasizing one essential factor:

Do you have a reliable quarterback?

If you do, you’ve significantly boosted your chances of making the playoff.

If you’re lacking in this area, your chances are grim—and teams like Florida State, Michigan, and Auburn serve as examples.

“If we’ve learned anything in the past week, it’s that the quarterback is the driving force,” Kelly stated during his appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Monday, “whether it’s at Miami, Vanderbilt, or any of the successful programs right now. A quarterback is vital for propelling these teams forward.”

The quarterbacks at No. 10 LSU and No. 8 Mississippi play a critical role in keeping their teams in the playoff race as the season reaches its midpoint.

While the playoff can accommodate either LSU or Ole Miss, it’s likely that only one will advance.

This matchup won’t mathematically eliminate either team, but it feels like a decisive playoff elimination game, likely hinging on the performance of each quarterback.

“Make no mistake about it: Jaxson Dart is leading Ole Miss,” Kelly noted, referring to the Rebels’ experienced quarterback, who tops the SEC in passing yards.

Only one opponent, Kentucky, managed to limit Dart to under 285 yards in passing, coincidentally, that’s the game Kentucky won against Ole Miss. Sadly for Dart, he may have to play without his top receiver Tre Harris, who is nursing a leg injury.

On the other side of the field, LSU’s quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, is stepping up, having thrown for a career-high 409 yards in the last game against South Alabama.

Having a strong quarterback is pivotal for playoff contention, and this principle extends beyond the SEC.

In the Big Ten, teams like Indiana and Illinois, both ranked in the Top 25, boast better records and more viable playoff chances than Southern California or Michigan, thanks in part to the performances of Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Illinois’ Luke Altmyer, who are outshining USC’s Miller Moss and Michigan’s current starter.

Within the ACC, surprise contenders Pittsburgh and Syracuse hold a combined record of 9-1, with quarterbacks Eli Holstein and Kyle McCord amassing impressive passing yards per game, ranking among the national leaders.

A standout quarterback won’t guarantee a playoff spot, but it certainly enhances a team’s chances. Without that, a player like Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty could make a significant difference.

Here’s what else stood out to me while observing college football from the “Topp Rope”:

How to Tackle Big Ten Challenges on the Road? Expand the Airport!

You never really know what to expect from James Franklin during a news conference. This week, the Penn State coach mentioned “runway length” at the airport in State College, Pennsylvania, while discussing the travel difficulties leading up to No. 5 Penn State’s Big Ten game in Los Angeles against Southern California.

The Nittany Lions are set to leave on Thursday to allow for better recovery, partly because they can’t fly directly from the State College airport. Instead, they will take a bus to Harrisburg International Airport, which is about 100 miles away, before boarding a flight that is expected to take over five hours to reach their destination three time zones away.

Franklin suggested that airport expansion in State College could be a solution.

“That’s one important discussion we need to have: expanding the runway and the airport here,” he stated.

While this comment might seem like a classic instance of a football coach overstepping, I can empathize with the toll an eight-hour travel day takes. It’s certainly not something I would wish on anyone who needs to be at their best for a football game.

Emails of the Week

Rodney writes: Your view on Alabama’s loss at Vanderbilt is completely misguided. The current Vanderbilt team, with 51 new NIL players brought in during the offseason, is NOT the historic Vanderbilt we once knew. The old Vanderbilt is a thing of the past. Thanks to NIL, they are now Vandy on STEROIDS.

My response: Georgia State has something to say about that. The Panthers took down ‘new Vandy’ just last month. Fortunately for Alabama, they won’t encounter ‘new Georgia State.’ If Alabama’s defenders had managed to handle an option play, I think we’d be hearing a lot less about ‘new Vandy.’

Gary writes: I firmly place the blame for Tennessee’s loss at Arkansas squarely on Josh Heupel. Each year, he seems to lose a game that should have been a sure win. I feel he didn’t prepare adequately against Arkansas and underestimated them. Who do you think deserves the blame?

Response: I’m putting the blame on Josh Heupel, just as you have. When a coach in his fourth year loses while favored by 14 points, the focus has to be on him.

Heupel’s reputation as an offensive mastermind is now in question. He had success with the players brought in by Jeremy Pruitt, but his offensive strategy appears faltering without quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, key players acquired by Pruitt. Additionally, Heupel is accountable for the failure to maintain a solid offensive line after Pruitt’s recruits moved on.

Three Quick Points

1. I’m starting to see the Heisman Trophy potential in Boise State’s Jeanty. No quarterback has really distanced themselves in the race, and Jeanty is on track to achieve the first 2,000-yard rushing season in the nation since 2019. If Boise State secures a playoff spot as the Group of Five champion, it could encourage hesitant voters to support Jeanty. What might hinder his chances? A standout quarterback, possibly Alabama’s Jalen Milroe or Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, having a strong finish to the season.

2. The Big Ten is likely to send at least three teams to the playoffs, but Saturday’s games will clarify which of the No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, and No. 5 Penn State are true contenders for the national championship. Ohio State will be facing Oregon, while Franklin’s Nittany Lions have a chance to deliver a playoff-ending blow to Lincoln Riley’s Trojans. Depending on the outcomes, the Big Ten could emerge with either three strong contenders or just one.

3. Consider this: If Florida manages to upset Tennessee on Saturday, Billy Napier would match Heupel’s record at 4-2 this season. Is it crazy to think Napier could avoid the hot seat? Perhaps it’s a stretch, but a victory in Knoxville might cause the pressure on him to ease temporarily.

The “Topp Rope” is his football column featured across the YSL News Network.