This week’s official playoff rankings:
The committee still shows no inclination to let UCF into the playoff club with the other three undefeated teams.
Sagarin’s computer supports that position by ranking UCF 18th in the nation. Four of the teams ranked above them have suffered four losses.
Five Thirty Eight speculates on all the playoff possibilities. The one certainty seems to be that Notre Dame is in, having finished their schedule undefeated.
Clemson seems pretty safe, given that their only remaining game is their conference championship battle against mediocre Pitt (7-5). Clemson is favored by four. Not four points. Four touchdowns.
Assuming a Clemson win, then three of the playoff teams will be Notre Dame, Clemson and the winner of the Alabama-Georgia game (the bookies currently favor ‘Bama by 13.)
The battle for the fourth spot now shapes up to be between Oklahoma and Ohio State, which re-entered the picture after scoring 62 points against last week’s #4, Michigan. Both of those teams will be rooting for Alabama this week, because if ‘Bama loses they could still make the play-off, given that their regular season is considered by some to be the single greatest in the history of college football dating back to 1888!
An Alabama loss, coupled with wins by Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma, is a nightmare for the selection committee. They would then be stuck with Georgia, Notre Dame and Clemson and would only have one more spot to allot to three teams with approximately equal credentials. (That would be Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State, all three of which would probably be favorites in one-on-one match-ups against Notre Dame. Alabama would probably be favored by 20 over the Irish head-to-head, yet could end up freezing on the outside of the playoff club, looking in while the Notre Dame team lounges by the fire in their green smoking jackets!)
