Oklahoma up to 3rd, Iowa 4th in playoff rankings; ND 6th

“But that’s good, at the same time, we’re in, we’re working harder”. They close the year against rival SC and will face a stern test in the form of No. 14 North Carolina in the ACC Title Game. Nebraska has struggled mightily with efficiency this season, especially late in games, and Iowa is surprisingly healthier than at midseason. If Iowa wins these next two games, it’s in the playoff. Florida (10-1, SEC) 13.

If Prosise doesn’t play, the Irish will be without 12 players who either started at some point during the season or were expected to be significant contributors before they were injured.

The first game on the slate will be on Friday, as Baylor travels to TCU to take on the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth. While the voters love them, it’s a risk they better not try to mess with.

The Cowboys plunged from No. 6 in the rankings to No. 11 after their home loss to Baylor. It goes with the history of the program.

If No. 7 Baylor loses at No. 19 TCU…

Asked if the committee views Oklahoma’s loss to Texas as an aberration, Long said, “I think it’s more a function of how Oklahoma has performed since that loss”. But the Sooners are a win away from punching their ticket. Meanwhile in Stillwater, Oklahoma pulls out the win over Oklahoma State but in unconvincing fashion. In that scenario, Baylor would serve as the Big 12 champion by virtue of its head-to-head win over OSU. Although Oklahoma State fell out of the top 10 this week, a win over the archrival Sooners could serve as a shot in the arm while dashing any hopes Oklahoma has of vying for the national title.

If Iowa (at Nebraska) and Michigan State (vs. Penn State) take care of business this weekend, their Big Ten Championship showdown could decide who stays in the Top 4 and who drops out.

All Michigan State has to do to make the Playoff is win the rest of its games and it’s in. Ohio State, Florida, and Oklahoma State all had big drops this week, however, the Buckeyes still have a 25% chance to be in the playoff. The Bears’ only loss is to Oklahoma and if Notre Dame loses to Stanford on Saturday and perhaps Clemson loses to North Carolina, Michigan ends up winning the Big Ten, or the Cardinal end up losing the Pac 12 championship, maybe we see two Big 12 teams in the final four.

Michigan: Still in the running, although barely.

Now it looks as if the Irish’s path to the playoff goes through the Big Ten. Probably depends on other conferences, but the committee loves big names, and MI, with Harbaugh, are once again big enough to consider. This week the Playoff looks like this: No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Iowa. Big Ten Network analyst Stanley Jackson cited an MSU schedule that also includes a win over Air Force (8-3), which will play San Diego State in the Mountain West title game. Oklahoma State won 38-35 in overtime past year, but Oklahoma was in control before Perine was knocked out of the game with a sprained left ankle in the third quarter. Either team will do for this part, but a Baylor loss to a ranked team would be better in the committee’s eyes than a loss to Texas. Nowhere is this more apparent than when discussing Notre Dame as it is clear that the Fighting Irish are getting the “short end of the stick”.

COLUMBUS, OH – NOVEMBER 21: Michael Geiger #4 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after kicking a 41-yard …

The team that wants this game the most will come out the victor and reap the awards that are waiting, and you can be assured that Oklahoma State believes it will rain on the Sooners’ parade (no pun intended, given that the forecast is for rainy and cold conditions). Stanford has scored at least 30 points in 10 straight games. Michigan (CFP: No. 10) 12.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is the only SEC team represented in the top 10. A one-loss SEC team isn’t going to be left out.