The unbeaten College Football Playoff contenders
Going unbeaten with a Power Five championship will all but guarantee an invite into the College Football Playoff. The Big Ten and Pac-12 will be added when they start playing.
Alabama (2-0)
Will it happen? Yeah. It has to get by Georgia at home and deal with LSU on the road. Now that Arkansas isn’t awful, there isn’t a total breather, but it’ll take something massive to take down the Crimson Tide.
BYU (3-0)
Will it happen? Nah, but after winning the first three games by a combined score of 148-24, it’s been the most dominant team of the season so far. The Cougars won’t get into the College Football Playoff if they finish 10-0 with wins over Boise State, San Diego State and Houston, but they could end up in a New Year’s Six bowl.
Clemson (3-0)
Will it happen? It might not be as easy as it seems. Miami is going to be a battle this week, going to Notre Dame will be fun, and facing Pitt and at Virginia Tech to close out will be full of landmines.
Florida (2-0)
Will it happen? It could, but it likely has to get to the SEC Championship unbeaten to make sure. At Texas A&M, MSU, and Georgia – those are three of the next four games. Get by that, and the sailing is relatively smooth.
Georgia (2-0)
Will it happen? Probably not. The team has a killer defense, and it showed against Auburn that it can be dominant overall, but Tennessee, at Alabama, Florida – those are three of the next four games around a date at Kentucky. The Dawgs will go four straight weeks without a home game.
Liberty (3-0)
Will it happen? Of course not, but win at Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and NC State on the way to a 10-0 record, and it might just get a New Year’s Six bowl spot.
Miami (3-0)
Will it happen? Nah. There are way too many landmines to get through unbeaten or with just one loss. At Clemson is up next, and Pitt follows it up, and then Virginia, and then at NC State, and then at Virginia Tech, and everything finishes up with North Carolina.
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North Carolina (2-0)
Will it happen? Nope. The Tar Heels are fine, but they’re not getting by Virginia Tech next week, and NC State a few weeks later, and at Virginia, and Notre Dame, and at Miami with just one loss.
Notre Dame (2-0)
Will it happen? It’ll get close if it can get healthy again – it will likely play for the ACC title with just one loss. The schedule isn’t that bad with Clemson coming to South Bend, but going to Pitt, Boston College and North Carolina will be dangerous.
Oklahoma State (3-0)
Will it happen? Nope. It might be the only unbeaten Big 12 team left standing, but don’t be fooled by the 47-7 win over Kansas – that’s Kansas. However, after going to Baylor this week, Iowa State, Texas, at Oklahoma and at TCU will be tough to get through without two losses.
Tennessee (2-0)
Will it happen? Nope. Going to Georgia this week is a problem, and there’s still Alabama, Texas A&M, at Auburn, and Florida to deal with.
Virginia Tech (2-0)
Will it happen? It’s not crazy, but only if the team can get healthy and fully functional. Beat North Carolina on the road this week, and it’s relatively smooth sailing until late. The toughest remaining road game will be either at Louisville or Pitt, and Miami, Clemson and Virginia are at home.
– Teams that haven’t played yet, but …
– Finished. Done. Let’s go take a steam
– The Group of Five hopefuls
– One-loss teams still alive … technically
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