College Football Playoff
On Tuesday night, the College Football Selection Committee will release their first iteration of their playoff rankings for the 2017 season. While there is still about a month left of football to be played, here is how I anticipate they will stack the top four come Tuesday.
1. Alabama. If these rankings were based strictly off of merit and not off of a program’s reputation, I think Georgia would be number one. But because of Nick Saban’s unprecedented dominion over college football for the last decade I think the Crimson Tide will be given the benefit of the doubt and claim the top spot. Alabama’s defense is stout, per usual, and their offense is finding its groove as of late.
2. Georgia. In my eyes, the Bulldogs have been the most impressive team this year. They beat Notre Dame on the road in an out of conference showdown and have demolished SEC foes Tennessee and Florida by scores of 41-0 and 42-7, respectively. Kirby Smart is running a well-oiled machine down in Athens. America is awaiting the SEC Championship in early December: Alabama vs. Georgia. Number 1 versus Number 2. A berth in the College Football Playoff on the line. The question will become will the loser of that game get in as well? I think there is certainly a chance, but it will depend greatly on what unfolds elsewhere in college football over the next several weeks.
3. Notre Dame. Yes, the Fighting Irish should be in the three-hole in the first installment of the College Football Playoff rankings. Why? They have the most impressive loss. Notre Dame lost to Georgia in a hard-fought battle by a single point. Since that game in the second week of the season, Brian Kelly’s squad has been outscoring their opponents by nearly 30 points per game. They still have to Miami and Stanford on tap, but if Notre Dame can win out they will almost certainly assure themselves one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff.
4. Ohio State. I think that Saturday’s win over then unbeaten Penn State will be enough to catapult the Buckeyes into the number four slot. I know that Wisconsin is undefeated and in the same conference, but the Badgers haven’t been tested yet this year. The same goes for Miami. If either the Hurricanes or Badgers finish the season unbeaten they will wind up playing for an opportunity to hoist the National Title, but I cannot envision a scenario in which either program runs the table.
