The College Football Playoff picture was pretty clear going into conference championship weekend. All the top-4 teams had to do was win. That would have eliminated any chaos or debates or ridiculous arguments about which final four teams should compete for a title.
But of course, this is college football, and that didn’t happen. And now there’s a chance for one-loss Ohio State and two-loss Alabama to make the playoff.
With Heisman Trophy frontrunner Caleb Williams playing injured, No. 4 USC lost Friday in the Pac-12 championship game to No. 11 Utah, which ran away in the second half with a 47-24 win. The Trojans’ defense, or lack thereof, has been a weak spot all season, but the standout offense was usually still able to pull off the victory. Not this time, though.
And then Saturday, No. 10 Kansas State dealt No. 3 TCU its first loss of the season with a 31-28 overtime win in the Big 12 championship game. Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan stood on his head and kept them in the game when the Wildcats were ready to run away with it. But TCU couldn’t score in overtime.
So what does this now mean for the College Football Playoff picture?
We knew a loss by either TCU or USC would open the door for one-loss No. 5 Ohio State to steal a playoff spot. A loss from both teams leaves room for the playoff committee to invite both Ohio State and two-loss No. 6 Alabama if it wants.
USC’s loss was ugly, even with a banged up team, so it seems safe to say the Trojans lost their potential for a playoff berth.
But should TCU be punished for an otherwise perfect season with a lone loss coming in overtime in a championship game? No, it shouldn’t, especially when Alabama is the other option.
The Horned Frogs had a standout season that led them to the Big 12 title game. Their 12-1 record includes a seven-point win over Texas, a common opponent with Alabama, but the Crimson Tide barely came away with a one-point victory. So while two-loss Alabama sat at home in Week 14, TCU contended for a championship, and it shouldn’t be punished too harshly for an overtime loss against a top-10 team.
However, we, like college football Twitter, don’t have a ton of faith in the playoff committee’s ability to clearly see the reasoning there. And after TCU lost Saturday, fans had so many Alabama jokes.
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