Initial Thoughts on the First College Football Playoff Rankings
The first two spots with Alabama and Clemson are no surprise to anybody. With the exception of close calls for Clemson vs Texas A&M and Syracuse earlier this season Alabama and the Tigers have throttled everybody. Both programs have a proven track record of not only making the playoffs but also winning them since it started in 2014.
Alabama is an absolute college football juggernaut right now. They have the best offense in the nation led by the best QB, Tua Tagovailoa, in the nation who will more than likely run away with the Heisman Trophy in December. Bama also has the best coach in the nation, the best talent in the nation, and their defense is at least top 5. They are the best in the nation and really it's not even close to who's 2nd. Yeah their schedule hasn't been great so far but they have been putting up nearly 50 points in the first half before turning to Jalen Hurts in the 2nd half just to run the clock and get home to bang coeds and collect booster envelopes.
What is a surprise is LSU being ranked over ND at #3. LSU has a loss. Notre Dame doesn't. LSU's most impressive win is over #6 Georgia. Notre Dame's most impressive win is over #5 Michigan. There is obviously some SEC bias here in this ranking but it doesn't matter because LSU plays Bama this week. LSU will get their asses kicked. Notre Dame goes on the road vs a surging Northwestern team but they should win. If Notre Dame takes care of business like they should in Chicago they will jump to either #3 or #2 depending on how the committee views the win and of course subsequent LSU loss.
Michigan, Georgia, and Oklahoma all come in right about where I thought they would. While they are not in the top 4 they all can still reach the playoffs if they win out the regular season and win their conference championship game. A one-loss Power 5 conference champ named Michigan, UGA and Oklahoma get in over an one-loss Alabama, an one-loss Clemson and an one-loss Notre Dame in my opinion because it's better to lose early than late in college football.
With that being said the only other team I can see reaching the playoffs is Ohio State. Forget about Washington State, Kentucky, and West Virginia. While those programs are playing great with only one loss on their resumes they will all suffer at least one loss if not multiple with their November schedules. No two-loss Power 5 team is getting in over a one-loss Power 5 team or Notre Dame. It's not happening. But if Ohio State who sits at #10 gets their shit together and wins out which they have shown in the past they are capable of doing they will make the playoffs as an one-loss Big Ten Champion.
So essentially if you are a fan of Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State you will make the playoffs if you win out. All of those programs are legitimate playoff contenders. Unfortunately I'm not so sure it matters who makes the playoffs as long as big swinging dick Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide are mushroom tipping everybody else in the bathroom stall.
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