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Predicting the College Football Playoff Rankings: How Will Ohio State, Georgia, Penn State Fare?
The Big Ten and SEC had a major win over the weekend.
Losses by Clemson, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, and Kansas State gave these conferences a boost, with the prospect of only one playoff bid each from the ACC and Big 12. This opens the door for the Big Ten and SEC to potentially claim four playoff spots.
The College Football Playoff committee will unveil its first rankings Tuesday night, offering a glimpse into their thought process.
The selection process is shrouded in secrecy. The committee states it considers “strength of schedule, head-to-head results against common opponents, championships won, and other factors.”
Essentially, the committee can justify their choices with any reasoning they see fit.
“Record matters,” said CFP executive director Rich Clark, “but we’re not trying to pick the most deserving teams. We’re trying to pick the best teams. This committee has got to look at (a team’s) entire body of work.”
Here is my prediction of the top 12 teams that might be in the rankings on Tuesday:
- Oregon (9-0): It’s easy to call them the number one team, while dominating opponents throughout the season.
- Ohio State (7-1): Their recent road win against Penn State will leave a strong impression on the committee’s minds.
- Georgia (7-1): While their stats look great, their performance on the field will likely be a deciding factor between being ranked second or third.
- Miami (9-0): The committee might overlook them due to their defense’s vulnerabilities, despite their impressive undefeated record.
- Penn State (7-1): The Nittany Lions shouldn’t be too penalized for their close loss to Ohio State, as their challenging schedule gives them an edge.
- Texas (7-1): Their strong offense and defense make them a favorable pick, even with a slightly weaker schedule.
- Tennessee (7-1): Their consistent defense is a major asset to their playoff chances, especially with their impressive win over Alabama.
- Brigham Young (8-0): Although BYU has a quality win against SMU, their schedule strength trails some other higher-ranked teams, which could indicate the committee’s focus on allowing the Big 12 only one playoff spot.
- Notre Dame (7-1): Their schedule has been deemed relatively easy, likely preventing them from ranking higher despite wins over Texas A&M and Louisville.
- Indiana (9-0): While they are dominating opponents, their weaker schedule might be a concern.
- Alabama (6-2): Alabama, with its strong schedule, is poised to be the best team with two losses, consistently benefiting from the committee’s perceived bias.
- Boise State (7-1): Their close loss to Oregon deserves recognition, but they need to win the Mountain West to secure their Group of Five playoff bid.
Here are some additional thoughts and observations on this week’s college football landscape:
What’s Wrong With Georgia’s Carson Beck?
It seemed unexpected that quarterback Carson Beck would become a liability for Georgia, but he has deteriorated quickly.
He threw three interceptions in Georgia’s win over Florida, bringing his total to 11 in his past five games. He repeatedly forced throws into coverages and made questionable decisions, such as throwing a pass into triple coverage on first down.
Beck doesn’t seem like the same quarterback who excelled with tight end Brock Bowers as a safety net.Is it possible that backup Gunner Stockton could offer a better option? This echoes Smart’s history, where he often plays his less heralded quarterbacks, like Stetson Bennett IV
It’s worth noting that Smart has shown a tendency to favor quarterbacks who are performing well rather than those with higher potential. However, with Beck’s struggles, the committee might potentially reevaluate that stance if Stockton is given a chance to shine.
Three and Out
Hugh Freeze’s record dropped to 9-13 in two seasons at Auburn after losing to Vanderbilt for the first time ever at home. Bryan Harsin’s record was 9-11 at Auburn before he was fired.
believes that Auburn should not give Hugh Freeze a third season as their coach.
The author also criticizes Billy Napier’s coaching at the University of Florida, stating that he doesn’t see any reason for the Gators to keep Napier for another season.
The author provides a playoff prediction for the upcoming season, including teams like Georgia, Oregon, Miami, BYU, Boise State, Tennessee, Texas, LSU, Ohio State, Indiana, Penn State, and Notre Dame.
