Alabama leads Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson

Meanwhile, there are 10 teams overall already bowl eligible in the conference with two more teams hoping to get there after this weekend. Here are the best answers, with the acknowledgment that specific details matter. However, this team still packs a lot of offensive firepower with quarterback Jake Browning throwing the ball long to receiver John Ross or handing the ball off to dynamic tailback Myles Gaskin.

Aside from the top four, Washington is the only other team from the five power conferences with just one loss.

Would the victor of that (hypothetical) game jump a one-loss Pac-12 champion in Washington? The Crimson Tide defeated Clemson 45-40 in last season’s national championship game and has won four national titles in the past seven seasons.

There were four teams from outside Power Five conference in the committee rankings this week, the most at any point this season.

When the committee releases its latest rankings this Tuesday night there is relative certainty that the current lineup won’t change.

The next CFP poll will be released on November 29 while the final poll will be revealed on December 4 – one day after Clemson faces either Virginia Tech or North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game in Orlando, Florida. It’s important to remember that Penn State wins the Big Ten East with a victory this week and a MI loss, while Wisconsin wins the Big Ten West with a victory. Playing at the big horseshoe, Ohio State will be the favorite. Ohio State would therefore be a wild card team. The Cardinals have two losses but a relatively weak schedule, propping Louisville up is a blowout of #14 Florida State and a narrow defeat at #4 Clemson. Behind the Huskies this week are the Wisconsin Badgers. And for that to happen, the Nits need Ohio State to beat MI. So did Michigan. And a Big 12 team started its trek toward relevancy again. In addition to the Michigan-Ohio State showdown, the Washington-Washington State, Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, Clemson-South Carolina and Alabama-Auburn rivalry games will also play key roles in determining who gets into the playoff.

The easiest way this happens is if Ohio State beats Michigan and Penn State beats Michigan State. One more loss, and the Badgers are out of the race. Beat Ohio State and the Big Ten West champion, and they are in. Or ACC champion Clemson? 14 and 15. They are followed by Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia. Berths in that game will be determined Saturday. It will probably need help, though. 7-10 is occupied by Penn State, Oklahoma, Colorado and Oklahoma State, as the Nittany Lions could be set to make a jump if Ohio State beats MI.

Perhaps the big question is this: Can two Big Ten teams make the playoff? In this case, it would be No. 7 Penn State.

Sugar Bowl: No. 8 Oklahoma vs. It beat Ohio State and would then add a win over a highly-ranked Wisconsin group.

No. 4 Clemson won’t get a resume boost by playing SC, but a loss would be devastating considering the cluster of teams behind the Tigers.