The USC Trojans, as you might know by now, were ranked No. 6 in both the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Poll.
What is also notable is that in both polls, five teams are ahead of the Trojans: Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, and LSU.
That’s three SEC teams and two Big Ten teams.
Michigan and Ohio State will play each other.
LSU and Alabama will play each other, and the winner of that game will then presumably face Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Last year, Michigan and Ohio State were both 11-0 heading into their late-November clash. That created a situation conducive to putting both schools in the four-team playoff. If those two schools can both go 11-0 again this year, more power to them. Tip the cap. However, it’s unlikely that two teams will both thread the needle like that in consecutive years.
The point is not hard to grasp: Though anything can and often does happen in college football, it will be hard for the five teams ahead of USC in the polls to maintain their positions. Two SEC teams making the playoff is realistic. Two Big Ten teams making the playoff is entirely possible, but not likely.
Ultimately, if USC does go 12-1 this season, the Trojans are much more likely to make the College Football Playoff than not. They wouldn’t be guaranteed — maybe Florida State or Clemson goes 13-0 in the ACC — but their chances would be good.
Now it’s just a matter of delivering the goods on the field.
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