Tag: college football playoff top 25

Who’s still alive in the chase to get into the 2023-2023 College Football Playoff? After Week 11, here are the nine teams still alive and what they need to do to get in.

Who realistically has a path to the College Football Playoff, and what are the chances of getting there?

If you really, really, really tried, there might be some way to figure out how Alabama could get in, and the College Football Playoff committee can choose to take anyone it wants, but for the most part there are nine teams still in the chase.

Ole Miss lost to Alabama last week – it’s realistically done. So is UCLA after losing to Arizona and Oregon after dropping the date against Washington.

No, this isn’t a ranking of how good the teams are right now. That’s for our 1-131 ranking of all the teams. This is based on 1) how easy and clean the path appears to be to get in, and most importantly, 2) the pecking order overall.

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College Football Playoff Chase: Ranking Path Of The 9 Teams Still Alive

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
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9. LSU Tigers (8-2)

What LSU has to do to make the College Football Playoff: It has to be amazing the rest of the way – or even more amazing than it has been over the last few weeks.

It won the West. Start with the shocker that it’s a reloading LSU and not Alabama in the SEC Championship, and be amazed that Texas A&M flopped so hard and Ole Miss couldn’t rise up. The chance was there, and Brian Kelly’s team took it.

LSU has to roll past UAB and Texas A&M without so much as a small bump, and it has to look unstoppable against what needs to be a 12-0 No. 1 Georgia. Win the SEC Championship, and roll the dice.

Remaining Schedule: UAB, at Texas A&M, SEC Championship vs Georgia

Will LSU make the College Football Playoff? Nah. Actually, that’s a little too glib. If it wins out, then yes, it’ll be really, really, really hard to keep LSU out from a theoretical standpoint.

How do you put Georgia – and maybe Tennessee – in with a chance to win the national title and now the team that actually won the conference championship?

It’ll take everyone else melting down – a two-loss champion in the Big 12 and Pac-12 might be a must – but first it’s about taking care of home.

Assume the Tigers can’t get by Georgia, and don’t be totally shocked if Texas A&M rises up at home and comes up with something unbelievable. Even so, the path is there, even if it’ll take the College Football Playoff committee breaking precedent and putting in the first two-loss team.

8. North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1)

What North Carolina has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Win out by dominating Georgia Tech, NC State, and then Clemson in the ACC Championship.

It’s going to take a lot of help even if that happens, USC has to lose once more, and it would help if TCU doesn’t win the Big 12 Championship.

But if it comes down to 12-1 ACC Champion North Carolina and 11-1 also-ran Tennessee, the College Football Playoff committee has yet to take a one-loss Power Five champion unless there was another obvious must-have option – like unbeaten Notre Dame in 2018.

Remaining Schedule: Georgia Tech, NC State, ACC Championship vs Clemson

Will  North Carolina make the College Football Playoff? Nah – it’s too heavy a lift with too much traffic in the way even if it gets to 12-1 with an ACC title. If could be stunned by NC State, and it could lose to Clemson, and the other available options might be too good, so no. It might not make it in, but win out and it’ll come extremely close.

7. Tennessee Volunteers (9-1)

What Tennessee has to do to make the College Football Playoff: You know that 66-24 win over Missouri that Tennessee just came up with? Yeah, do that again against South Carolina and Vanderbilt on the road.

The Vols need Georgia to win out impressively to make the 27-13 loss on the road to the unquestioned No. 1 team in America as acceptable as possible. They need to be so dominant that it absolutely has to be included.

But they also need help.

Remaining Schedule: at South Carolina, at Vanderbilt

Will Tennessee make the College Football Playoff? Yeah, but it’s not going to be easy. Tennessee will do its part, but it’s out if Georgia, Big Ten champion, 12-1 or unbeaten TCU, and 12-1 Pac-12 champion USC are all options.

Assume the Trojans will drop a game, and the call is that TCU won’t win the Big 12. Would the College Football Playoff committee break precedent and take an 11-1 team that didn’t win its division over a 12-1 Power Five champion? Flip a coin.

NEXT: College Football Playoff Chase Rankings Top 6

Who’s still alive in the chase to get into the 2023-2023 College Football Playoff? After Week 10, here are the 12 teams still alive and what they need to do to get in.

Who’s still realistically in the mix for this College Football Playoff thing?

We don’t have an expanded playoff yet meaning it’s a battle for four spots among 130 of the 131 teams – James Madison isn’t eligible this season – playing FBS college football.

Without getting twisted into too much of a pretzel trying to figure out how Alabama can still get in – it can, but it would require a whole slew of crazy meltdowns – there are 12 teams with a realistic path.

A few things to remember.

You’re in if you go unbeaten and win your Power Five conference championship. Don’t try to explain it away, and don’t try to make any sort of argument. That’s not a rule – the College Football Playoff committee can take anyone it wants – but no way, no how, no chance does a 13-0 Power Five champ get left out.

Right now, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and TCU are the four teams in complete control of their respective destinies. Ohio State and Michigan play each other, so there’s a shot that three spots might be filled. So if you’re a fan of someone else still in the mix, root for all of those teams to lose.

Also, the committee looks at Power Five conference champions first. Unless there’s another option that has to be in – like unbeaten Notre Dame in 2018 over 12-1 Big Ten champion Ohio State – you’re almost certainly in if you’re a 12-win Power Five champion …

Maybe. According to precedent that’s the deal, but that could change this year. More on that in a moment.

And finally, no, we’re not getting anyone from the Group of Five conferences this time around. There aren’t any unbeaten Group of Five teams left, so no. Tulane, Coastal Carolina, and independent Liberty … no. Don’t try to make a case because it’s not happening no matter what. That’s not saying it’s fair, it’s just how this CFP committee rolls.

With that, he’s the ranking of the 12 remaining teams realistically still alive in the College Football Playoff chase. No, this isn’t a ranking of how good the teams are right now. This is based on 1) how easy and clean the path appears to be to get in, and most importantly, 2) the pecking order overall.

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College Football Playoff Chase: Ranking The 12 Teams Still Alive After Week 10

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
College Football Playoff Prediction: Nov. 8
Bowl Bubble: Every School’s Bowl Situation
Bowl Projections | Early Week 11 Lines

12. Ole Miss Rebels (8-1)

What Ole Miss has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Again, this is partially based on how clear the path is to get there. It’s there, but it’s rocky.

It’s going to take a little luck along with winning out – an angry Alabama is up next – including a victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship. Do that, and it’s a done deal – in no matter what. Easy peasy.

However, getting to the SEC Championship is going to be a problem even if it wins its next three games.

Remaining Schedule: Alabama, at Arkansas, Mississippi State

Will Ole Miss make the College Football Playoff? No, but it’s certainly still a reasonable dream. No one’s talking about the possibility because 1) it would require beating Alabama and Georgia, and 2) – thanks to a 45-20 loss – LSU would have to lose one of its final two SEC games against Arkansas or Texas A&M for the Rebels to take the SEC West.

11-1 Ole Miss almost certainly doesn’t get in – there are too many strong teams that will be in the way. That’s why it’s just behind …

11. LSU Tigers (7-2)

What LSU has to do to make the College Football Playoff: It starts by winning out. The dominant 45-20 win over Ole Miss and great victory over Alabama set the path to winning the SEC West, and now if it wins out and takes down – almost certainly – Georgia in the SEC Championship, the respect might be there as the winner of the best league in college football to make it in.

Remaining Schedule: at Arkansas, UAB, at Texas A&M

Will LSU make the College Football Playoff? No. Besides having to run the table with two road games and an SEC title game against Georgia, the 40-13 home loss to Tennessee will probably be too much to overcome even if the team rolls through the next four weeks.

And there’s the history thing. Since this whole thing started back in 2014 there has yet to be a two-loss team in the College Football Playoff. 2017 Auburn was close to being the exception – it might have found its way in had it won the SEC Championship – but it lost 28-7 to Georgia.

The committee might still take a 12-1 Georgia even if it loses to LSU in the conference title game.

10. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-1)

What North Carolina has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Win out and get a little bit of help. The 45-32 loss to Notre Dame wasn’t as bad as what just happened to Clemson against the Irish. It was just early enough in the season to be a blip with a 12-1 record and an ACC Championship.

If the Tar Heels can win out and take down – most likely – Clemson in the ACC Championship, it’ll likely be with a little help. If the other four Power Five conference champions are unbeaten or have one loss, North Carolina would be fifth in a four-team race.

Remaining Schedule: at Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, NC State

Will  North Carolina make the College Football Playoff? No. It’s been a bit too rocky against mediocre teams to think it’ll run the table, and the lack of an A-list win – even if it’s against Clemson – would put it down the pecking order a bit.

9. Clemson Tigers (8-1)

What Clemson has to do to make the College Football Playoff: Win out and be great doing it. The 35-14 loss at Notre Dame might be excused – the 2020 team lost in South Bend and made it in – but the Tigers have to be impressive over the finishing kick.

With three straight home games and – most likely – the ACC Championship, it can still get all the love it if gets hot and looks strong. Again, 12-1 with a Power Five conference championship matters.

Remaining Schedule: Louisville, Miami, South Carolina

Will Clemson make the College Football Playoff? It might be close. Again, these rankings are based on the ease of the path, and right now the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC champions likely have and easier ways to get in.

Part of the hesitation is the South Carolina game – that might be a problem if Clemson isn’t sharp. However, unlike North Carolina from the ACC, the Clemson resumé is solid with wins over Wake Forest, NC State, Florida State, and Syracuse.

There’s one other thorn in this that might screw up a 12-1 ACC champion Clemson team …

NEXT: College Football Playoff Chase Rankings Top 8