Is it possible that we are already living in a world where a 12-team College Football Playoff will include Indiana but not Alabama? It could be!
Indiana may have picked the best day possible to lose a game for the first time this season. The Hoosiers got dominated on the road against Ohio State, the second-ranked team in the nation playing at home, but the fall the Hoosiers are about to experience in the rankings may have been given a few soft pillows to land on this week with the results out of the SEC, and potentially in the Big 12.
The SEC saw two of its top-10 teams lose on the road to unranked opponents. the first was Ole Miss coming up short on the road against Florida. The Rebels were ranked no. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings and, based on the projected seeding based on the selection committee’s latest rankings, would have played on the road at Indiana in the first round of the playoff. But a third loss by the Rebels may make it difficult for Ole Miss to creep back into the College Football Playoff. That could be good news for Indiana.
What may be even better news for the Hoosiers is Alabama, ranked no. 7 coming into the weekend, also took its third loss of the season. Alabama was rocked by Oklahoma on Saturday night, losing 24-3. The loss figures to deal Alabama a critical blow to the College Football Playoff as they head into next week’s Iron Bowl matchup with rival Auburn.
Speaking of Auburn, the Tigers also helped pad Indiana’s fall when it edged no. 15 Texas A&M in overtime. Former Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith hauled in the game-winning two-point try in the third overtime (Lambert-Smith had two catches for 104 yards prior to the game-winning catch). The loss is a potentially fatal blow to Texas A&M’s playoff hopes, but a rebound win next week against rival Texas could make for an interesting variable even with three losses.
Indiana will be expected to fall behind a few teams in the playoff rankings though. Georgia (no. 10) and Tennessee (no. 11) each won in blowout fashion against overmatched non-conference cupcakes, and Miami (no. 8) took care of Wake Forest at home. SMU, no. 13 in the playoff rankings, clinched a spot in the ACC championship game and will have a good chance to pass Indiana as well. Boise State, like Penn State, escaped an upset bid with a close win on the road against Wyoming. The Broncos could also jump Indiana, which would put Boise State on the inside track to a potential first-round bye.
The Big 12 also picked itself apart a bit at a fortunate time for Indiana. Arizona State handed no. 14 BYU a second straight loss and Kansas knocked off no. 16 Colorado. Those results put the Big 12 in serious jeopardy of not having its conference champion get a first-round bye, and it could have to play on the road in the first round.
This is all great news for Indiana. If you were going to pick a day late in the season to take a loss, this was most definitely it.
Penn State doesn’t have to worry so much about what else happened around the country in the playoff picture because it did manage to squeak out of Minnesota with a narrow win. Penn State can essentially lock up, at worst, a home game in the first round of the College Football Playoff with a win next week against Maryland. With help from Michigan, Penn State could play for the Big Ten championship.
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