College Football Playoff Picture Takes Shape After Week 4
The college football season is heating up, and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. After week 4, it’s clear that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) is leading the pack. But how do the top teams stack up?
Here’s a snapshot of the top 12 teams, based on their résumés to date:
1. Texas – The Longhorns have the best combination of metrics, game film, and schedule strength. Their win at Michigan looks even better after the Wolverines’ recent improvement.
2. Georgia – The Bulldogs’ bye week didn’t change their standing, but their season-opening win against Clemson is still impressive. They’ll need to beat Alabama on September 28 to make a case for the top spot.
3. Tennessee – The Volunteers finally added a statement win to their résumé, beating a ranked SEC opponent in a true road game. They’ll need to continue to impress against Alabama and Georgia.
4. Ohio State – The Buckeyes still don’t have a playoff résumé that compares to Texas, Georgia, or Tennessee. They’ll need to compensate for a slow September start with wins against ranked opponents.
5. Ole Miss – The Rebels are clearly one of the most talented teams in the country, but their schedule strength is a concern. They’ll need to win against Wake Forest and other Power 4 opponents to impress the committee.
6. Miami – The Hurricanes have found consistency under coach Mario Cristobal, but they lack a signature win. They’ll need to beat ranked opponents to make a case for the playoff.
7. Oregon – The Ducks had a bye week, but they’ve shown improvement against quality opponents. They’ll need to win against Ohio State on October 12 to impress the committee.
8. Alabama – The Tide had a bye week, but they’ve remained dominant under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer. They’ll need to win against Georgia and other ranked opponents to earn an at-large bid.
9. Penn State – The Nittany Lions overcame a sluggish start against Kent State, but they’ll need to win against ranked opponents like USC and Ohio State to make a case for the playoff.
10. Utah – The Utes got their first road win against a ranked Big 12 opponent, adding some validation to their playoff hopes. They’ll need to win against Oklahoma State and other conference opponents to impress the committee.
11. Missouri – The Tigers have struggled in each of the past two weeks against average-at-best opponents. They’ll need to win against Alabama and Oklahoma to make a case for the playoff.
12. Michigan – The Wolverines are the only one-loss team in the top 12, thanks to their win against USC. They’ll need to show more from their passing game to impress the committee.
Based on these rankings, the top four seeds would be Texas, Ohio State, Miami, and Utah. Each would receive a bye, while the remaining eight teams would play on-campus first-round games. The matchups would be: TBD (the top Group of 5 conference champion) at Georgia; Missouri at Tennessee; Penn State at Ole Miss; and Alabama at Oregon.
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