College Football Playoff Chase: Who’s Still Alive After Week 9

Who’s still alive in the chase to get into the 2020-2021 College Football Playoff?

The unbeaten College Football Playoff contenders

Going unbeaten with a Power Five championship will all but guarantee an invite into the College Football Playoff.

Alabama (6-0)

Will it happen? The team is making everything look easy. Going to LSU is still going to LSU, but not really. Kentucky, Auburn, at Arkansas … Bama will be 10-0 going into the SEC Championship.

Clemson (7-0)

Will it happen? Yeah, but now it doesn’t seem quite as easy. If they can have that many problems with Boston College, can they roll by both Notre Dame and Virginia Tech on the road? Three of the last four games, and four of the last five – if there’s an ACC Championship appearance – are away from Death Valley and … it’s Clemson. It’s not losing twice, if at all.

Indiana (2-0)

Will it happen? Well, okay … look at who’s rolling with Michigan coming into Bloomington? It won’t happen. Michigan, at Michigan State, at Ohio State, and at Wisconsin are all still to come.

Northwestern (2-0)

Will it happen? Don’t laugh … the Wildcats might at least hang around longer than you might think. Nebraska is up next, then at Purdue. Wisconsin is as iffy as it gets, and road games at Michigan State and Minnesota follow, and then Illinois to close, and … nah, but the Big Ten West is alive.

Notre Dame (6-0)

Will it happen? It’s on. The Irish don’t have to beat Clemson this week, but they’re going to have to – most likely – split the two games if they get to the ACC Championship and beat everyone else. Three of the last four games are on the road, and none of them – Boston College, North Carolina, Wake Forest – are gimmes.

Ohio State (2-0)

Will it happen? It’s going to take something miraculous to beat this team twice. It’s going to roll through the schedule until going to Michigan State and facing Michigan to close out the regular season, and even then it’ll take something big to keep this team from being unbeaten in the Big Ten Championship.

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Purdue (2-0)

Will it happen? Will the Boilermakers actually have to play Wisconsin next week? If not, then it’s Game On to at least have some fun. There’s no Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State or Ohio State on the slate.

Wisconsin (1-0)

Will it happen? There are way, way too many issues to think the Badgers can still be in the College Football Playoff chase considering the Purdue game this week is questionable at best. However, if they’re back, they can roll through the rest of the slate – including at Michigan.

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