Someone much smarter than me once said "It ain't over, til it's over". And that nugget of wisdom applies to our first 12 team playoff picture. Who gets in and who goes bowling instead comes down to the final week.
So the top 5 conference champions get an automatic bid. The Big 10, SEC and ACC are positioned well to get the Automatic bids. A win by Boise State this weekend and the Mountain West gets an automatic bid.
Hmmm. Could the Big 12 be left out?!? They certainly could. A combination of a loss by Iowa State or Arizona State in the final week and the winner of the AAC championship could have the AAC leapfrog over the Big12 champ. Remember, "it ain't over til it's over".
One would think another loss to an unranked team would knock Bama and Ole Miss out of the CFP picture. Indiana's blowout loss to Ohio State should have put them on the bubble or even on the outside looking in. But with all the upsets this pass weekend the pollsters are keeping them in it. I'm speechless.
Right now the Big 10 has 4 possible teams. Oregon is in as is Penn St. Ohio State should be in but a loss to Michigan could drop them to 13 and on the bubble. I gotta believe Indiana needs a win this last week to secure their spot in the CFP. Both OSU and IU have winnable games, though they are rival games so you never know.
The ACC has 3 possible teams that could make the CFP. The Ponies are sitting on top of the ACC and have Cal at home this weekend. A win and they are in the CCG and CFP. Miami is on the road against Syracuse this week. I have to believe it's a must win game for them, if they want to get into the CFP. Clemson has South Carolina to end the season. I don't know what the tiebreaker rules are for the ACC but Clemson is 7-1 in conference. A Miami win and/or SMU loss put those teams at 7-1 too. If Clemson has clinched a spot in the CCG, they could still make the CFP if they lose to the Gamecocks. A loss and Clemson must win the CCG in order to get into the CFP. If Miami or SMU get left out of the CCG, win this weekend and they should get a bid.
The Big 12 needs Arizona State, Iowa State and or BYU to win this weekend and hope the winner of the CCG moves up and stays above the AAC champion. Based on the current rankings, the Big 12 will only get 1 team in the CFP.
As far as the SEC and the CFP go, I'm pretty sure 4 teams will get in. I believe Texas is in regardless of their game with a&m. Georgia and Tennessee win and they should get in, but not sure what happens to the loser of the CCG. Bama looks like it is position to get the finale spot if they win this weekend.
It ain't over til it's over.
