CFB Playoffs: The Good, The Bad, and The Hopeful

As the CFB Playoff picture begins to take form, I am finding it increasingly necessary to discuss the current playoff favorites, the hopefuls, and what I believe the playoffs should look like in the future. Here’s everything from those who have secured a playoff spot to those who will need a miracle to push them into the conversation:

First thing’s first, Alabama will not make the playoffs this year. The Tide currently sits at #12 of the AP Top 25 List for Week 15, which is one spot behind Auburn. Before Alabama lost the Iron Bowl Game, their ranking was #5. There was still hope for the Tide to worm their way back into the playoffs. Now, not so much.

As of right now, Ohio State, LSU, Clemson, and Georgia round off the top four with Utah, Oklahoma, and Baylor closely behind. Ohio State will face #8 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, which is a winnable game for the Buckeyes. This could secure the top spot for them, unless LSU wins the SEC Championship Game. That could potentially be a problem for Ohio State as well as the NCAA due to the fact that one of them will be #1 and the other would fall to #2. Either way, both teams will make the playoffs regardless of their final rankings.

If Georgia loses to LSU in the SEC Championship game, which is highly likely, their spot in the playoffs is up for grabs. Oklahoma and Baylor are set to compete for the Big 12 Championship Game tomorrow.

Here’s a miraculous scenario in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners: Georgia, Clemson, and Utah all lose and Oklahoma beats Baylor. This clears the way for Jalen Hurts and company to waltz right into the Top 4, which places them into the CFB Playoffs. I know what you’re thinking, that’s a lot of wishful thinking for just one scenario, but stranger things have happened in College Football. For instance, Georgia’s only loss happened against South Carolina (Spurs Up!).

The playoff selection process is far from simple in college football. The four “best” teams are chosen to compete in bowl games that will determine who will make it to the Championship games. Sometimes it feels as if teams eliminate themselves over the course of a season, but this season is special.

There are more than four teams that could make a strong case as to why they deserve to be in the playoffs. This is why I’ve always thought that a CFB Tournament is necessary. I have no idea how this would work out in terms of scheduling and other important factors, which is why this is just a vague idea. It is definitely something to think about due to the fact that many people dislike the idea of a Selection Committee.

Whether you agree or disagree with the idea of a College Football Tournament, please think about this: The Playoff Committee is made up of athletic directors, former players, and former coaches. Why should they be able to decide who the top 4 teams in the country are? When teams are “comparable”, they look at the numbers of championships won, strength in schedule, head-to-head competition, and comparative outcomes of common opponents. This information was gathered from the website of college football playoffs, so this is really the criteria that the committee looks at when it’s are too close to call. Most of these factors have nothing to do with the players themselves, so is it right to choose who gets to compete for a championship based off of factors such as these?

Example Bracket by Nic Cofield