New teams jump into College Football Playoff Rankings

With the Big Ten West already locked up, the Hawkeyes would theoretically only need two more wins to qualify for the Playoff. Still we can’t help ourselves from arguing, NOW. The Tar Heels are 10th in the nation in points scored per game and will challenge Clemson from the opening kick. “That’s it. The rest is up to a committee, and we knew that coming into the season”.

But with each passing week the focus narrows further and we learn a little more about the potential final four teams.

If Oklahoma prevails Saturday in Stillwater, Okla., the Sooners win the Big 12 championship. It wasn’t enough to change anybody’s opinion, even if ESPN told you Charleston Southern was ranked.

Without a victory Saturday in Palo Alto, Calif., the Irish can altogether kiss goodbye their chances of making the four-team College Football Playoff. I was half right. Florida (10-1), 13. Florida State (9-2), 14. But the Sooners are a win away from punching their ticket. This might not bode well for the Big 12, again.

Ohio State, the reigning national champ, stood at No. 3 in each of the previous CFP rankings this season, but a heartbreaking loss to MI State (which rose to No. 5 this week) sent the Buckeyes spiraling down to No. 8 this week.

With a win over Penn State, MI State would win the Big Ten East and set up a title showdown with Iowa. Also, who doesn’t want to see under-the-radar Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey tear it up possibly in two bowl games instead of just one?

Third, quit hating on Iowa.

The 11-0 Hawkeyes were ranked fifth last week.

MI State plays Penn State on Saturday and Iowa is at Nebraska on Friday. Conference championships are a factor in rating teams.

Who do they have left? .

Fourth, Baylor may not have a healthy starting quarterback or back-up, but they aren’t done yet. The victor of the Navy-Houston game will host either Temple or South Florida next Saturday at 12 noon in the American Championship game. The Irish struggled with five turnovers, including three in the red zone, in their 19-16 win against Boston College. The top four teams qualify for the two semifinal games, which will be held at the Orange and Cotton bowls on December 31.

Then the No. 8 Buckeyes could absolutely jump back into the top four next week by beating No. 10 MI.

Several analysts, including Stewart Mandel of FoxSports.com, have declared MSU a sure thing if it gets two wins, one over an unbeaten Iowa. Don’t win ugly against bad teams Nice work, CFP committee.