3. The known unknown is …
How high can the Pac-12 really get?
(Ha, ha … take that any way you want to.)
I have the unwavering belief that if an unbeaten Oregon or Washington plays an unbeaten USC in the Pac-12 Championship, the winner is going to get into the College Football Playoff. And why?
I have the unwavering belief that the College Football Playoff committee will never, ever, EVER leave out an unbeaten Power Five conference champion if there’s one open spot.
Well, almost never, ever, EVER.
I do think an unbeaten Pac-12 is out if Florida beats an unbeaten Alabama in the SEC championship – assuming Big Ten and ACC champs are in, too – and I won’t be shocked if Clemson and Notre Dame get in, or Texas A&M getting credit as a one-loss team.
However, the College Football Playoff committee put Oregon at 15 and USC at 18 almost as a starting point. There wouldn’t be a big argument if these two were ranked way lower considering they each played just three games so far.
But now we know that the Pac-12 is at least on the radar. The big thing about this is how the league has to go forward with non-conference games. The idea of going out and schedule CFP 14 BYU isn’t quite as important now.
– Rapid-Fire First Reaction
– This week’s big whiff
– The Cincinnati situation
– What it all really means