My CFP picks through 8 weeks.
- Noah Hays
- Oct 23, 2017
- 8 min read
The college football playoff was a welcome sight to fans all across the nation after the flawed BCS selection system was put out to pasture in 2014 for the new system. The college football playoff is a 4 team post season tournament to determine the national champion of that year. With a new system, comes its flaws with many criticizing the selection process of the top 4 teams in the nation. Arguably one of the toughest job in sports, the playoff committee selects, what they think is the top 4 teams in the nation. The choices are decided based on the teams strength of schedule, record, and Conference champions.... Sometimes. For instance in 2016 the committee left off Penn State, the big ten conference champion beating a top ranked team in Ohio State. They should be in right? Wrong. The committee looked to its past games, and they saw two big problems. The loss to Michigan by 39 points and another to a 8-4 Pittsburgh team earlier in the season. With Washington in at the #4 spot, numerous complaints came in arguing the Huskies had a easy schedule on their way to winning the Pac-12 title. The facts backed them up with Penn State ranking as the 7th hardest schedule in college football according to the Sagarin Strength of schedule rankings. Almost a year later here we are in week 8, with few weeks remaining many teams are trying to solidify their spot and give the committee the best resume possible. If I somehow magically appeared on the committee here would be my top 4.
#4: A. TCU B. Clemson
Now you might wonder why my number 4 is consisted of two teams when there is only one spot open. Let me explain. The illustrious #4 spot is always hard to choose, any team ranking in the polls from #4 - # 8 can make a case with their resume to have a spot in the playoff. These two teams are the teams I believe have a equal shot to make the last spot in the playoff.
A. TCU - The Horned Frogs have had a rough time with the selection committee in the past, missing the college football playoff in the 2014-2015 season. Sadly for horn frogs fans (Im looking at you Jordan Moody) they could be in for another disappointing ending to their season. Playing in one of the relatively weaker conferences in the power 5 causing their strength of schedule to be lacking. TCU's toughest opponents through the first 8 weeks has been #23 WVU and #6 Oklahoma State. These rankings were at the time of the games played but have changed since. The win against West Virginia was a decent test but the Mountaineers aren't a great win to bank on for the college football playoff hopefuls. WVU recently only beat Baylor by 2. I say this because Baylor is currently 0-7 with notable losses to Liberty, a FCS school and UTSA, one of the worst teams in the FBS. WVU had to beat this Baylor team on a last second stop. The other win is more of a mystery, Oklahoma State was propped up to be one of the best teams in college football and really hasn't impressed, the toughest part of their schedule
B. Clemson - Now I know what you are thinking, how could Clemson possibly be in my top 4? Let me explain. After the loss to Syracuse many have fallen off the bandwagon of the Tigers, I have not. Dabo Swinney and the Tigers faced a lot of adversity on Thursday, losing their starting QB, Kelly Bryant. Bryant, suffering a concussion, had to leave the game early forcing the backup QB to come in and take over an offense. Bryant may not have the numbers to light up the stat sheet but he is great at minimizing his mistakes and keeping his team in the game. A backup QB along with a rowdy Carrier Dome hungry for an upset was not a good combination. Not to mention the Syracuse coach, Dino Babers is a very good up and coming coach and will make you pay for any mistake you make. Clemson lost 27-24 to the unranked Cuse and dropped in the polls all the way out of the top 4 and finally landing at the #6 spot. With few games left their is no margin for error. Saying that if Bryant is out for more then 1 week you can scrap this post and toss it in the garbage. Assuming he's not, the Tigers must get ready for a tough road trip to Raleigh against the very good #14 ranked NC State Wolfpack, coming in two weeks. The pack will be looking for revenge after a heartbreaking loss in death valley last year losing in OT when it should have ended in regulation if they had a decent kicker to make the game winning FG. Clemson must beat NC State and everyone else they play if they want any chance of the playoff or even the ACC championship. This all hinges on Kelly Bryant's health. If Dabo Swinney can get his players ready for a rebound and Bryant comes back, they can give themselves a shot to make the ACC championship and anything is possible from their for this Clemson team.
#3: Georgia
Few predicted the type of season Georgia is having right now. Georgia has started the season 7-0 for the first time since 2005 in the Mark Richt era. Kirby Smart started his tenure with Georgia last season and in his second year has brought most excitement to the program in a long time. The Bulldogs have only had a single close game coming from one of two ranked opponents they have played this year against #24 Notre Dame in South Bend. #17 Mississippi State was the other ranked opponent, Georgia beating them 31-3. These are the Bulldogs most notable wins with the win against the Fighting Irish looking more impressive each week. The Fighting Irish this past weekend obliterated the #11 USC Trojans giving Georgia more credit for their win then before. If Georgia can keep pounding the rock with the best backfield in the nation in Nick Chubb and Sony Michel along with the dynamic air attack of lead by the freshman phenomenon Jake Fromm they can easily win the SEC East. The only game I can possibly see them losing to for the rest of the season is Florida this upcoming weekend. As long as Georgia keeps its head straight and emotions to a minimum they should be fine. Saying this I wouldn't be surprised if Georgia chokes like they have in the past during last season. *cough cough* Tennessee Hailmary *cough cough*. It will be a true test to see if Kirby Smart can control his team and come out with a win. Being realistic Georgia can only hope to not get devastated by the #1 team on the West (Who shall be named later) after winning their division to make the SEC championship. Keeping it reasonable should be enough to have an appealable resume for the committee to have them in the top 4 with the margin of victory being very high.
#2: Penn State.
I dislike Michigan, so seeing them get obliterated by the metaphorical giant of the Big Ten conference aka the Penn State Nittany lions was the only good part from my Saturday being a Tennessee fan. The reason for my loathing of the so called "Big Blue" stems from the rivalry between me and my step-dads whole side of the family. Arguments at the dinner table about which school was better and I of course had to stand up for my Vols as only a Vol does. Nothing against you Michigan, blame the Cugliaria's. Ok back on track, Penn State is undefeated through 7 weeks and has not had much of a challenge with schedule coming in only one game. That single game was against a insanely difficult environment, and what seems like a totally different team in Iowa. Penn State showed great resiliency when they faced the adversity against the Hawkeyes and came back to win on a amazing last second touchdown pass from Trace McSorley into the hands of Juhwan Johnson. Even after that play or any other play he makes, McSorley is still the clear second fiddle to the future heisman, Saqon Barkely. Against Michigan's stout defense that ranks top 15 in the nation for the least rushing yards per game, Barkely had 15 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns, one which came rushing 69 yards on the very first play of the game. Barkely averaged a whopping 7.2 yards per carry making the Wolverines defense look pedestrian on Saturday night. This team is also very underrated on the other side of the ball with the Penn State allowing the lowest points per games to opponents in the nation. You can seriously say that Penn state's offense is so good because they practice against harder opponents then play. This isn't even a joke with how many of their opponents are destroyed by a long margin. The Nittany lions have probably the toughest next two weeks out of any one of these playoff contenders facing #6 Ohio State and the #16 Michigan State spartans both on the road. If this team can continue its hot streak all around they will have almost solidified their status in the playoff with only the Big Ten championship to win. Although, they could lose the conference championship and still have an argument to be in the playoff, but it would have to be a stretch of an argument to recieve the best gift in college football. In the playoff.
#1: Alabama.
Well unless you pay no attention to college football let me explain. Alabama is by far leaps and bounds above any of the rest of these teams. The Crimson Tide have been in the national championship 3 times in a row, and each team is getting better and better. Nick Saban does it once again in 2017 proving everyone who dares to call them "done" in the offseason. Lets just say it now, as long as Nick Saban is coaching in college football he will be the best coach in college football with the best team if not 2nd best. Now that i say that, I hope to Santa freaking Claus that he can make this terror to my Vols go away and let us finally win something (Oh and if you can take Butch off our hands that would be delightful) Saban has his squad wrecking the opponent with a +200 point differential. The closest game was winning by 8 points with the team catching up in garbage time, 2nd and 3rd come at 17 and 18 with the next closest game being won by 31 points.. Along with these numbers come more insane stats with the Crimson Tide being the number two team for points allowed each game with a 9.8 point average, and on the other side of the ball it is more of the same ranking this time further back at #6 for points scored per game. Saban continues to recruit the best talent in the country and developing them into stars under the lights in Tuscaloosa and each year we witness their dominance. Alabama has the smallest possibility but if Nick Saban keeps out the "Rat Poison" in the camp from the media they should be on their way to the playoff with no one coming close to their talent level. If this was a challenge to see who can finish a paper quicker, everyone else is writing and Alabama is typing. If Alabama can keep themselves healthy and Saban isn't abducted by the other 3 playoff coaches in an attempt to sabotage the tide expect them to come away with yet another College Football Playoff trophy.
3/4ths of this was deleted due to my page crashing while typing up the finishing touches. listen up kids, save your work every second. Every. Second. Here is to the 2nd time.
Ps. Tennessee, you know you have to fire him. Do it already.
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