With the first College Football Playoff rankings being released Tuesday evening, we’ll finally get our first look at who the selection committee believes are the four best teams for the playoff. While we wait, here are five things you can probably expect to see:
1. A familiar face returns to the top spot
Buzz: Alabama never finished higher than second in last season’s playoff rankings but the Tide still managed to capture the national championship. Of the 10 rankings over the past two seasons, Alabama has been ranked No. 1 five times. This year’s squad appears better than that team after jumping out to an 8-0 start with five of those wins coming against teams ranked at one time or another in the Associated Press top 25 polls. Nick Saban’s team is also ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s Football Power Index heading into another critical test against LSU at Tiger Stadium Saturday.
2. Big Ten rules the roost
Buzz: Michigan (8-0) remains the sole undefeated team in the Big Ten heading into the release of the first rankings. The Wolverines are off to their best start since 2006 when the team finished third in the conference but still earned a trip to the Rose Bowl. This year’s team features the best defense in the nation led by one of the best all-around utility players in Jabrill Peppers. Ohio State (7-1) and Wisconsin (6-2) will also be featured prominently in the first rankings, most likely outside the top four. The Buckeyes only loss came at the hands of an unranked Penn State team while the Badgers dropped games to Michigan and Ohio State.
3. Welcome back, Pac-12
Buzz: After being left out of the mix last season, the Pac-12 finds itself back in the discussion thanks to the stellar play of the Washington Huskies. Chris Petersen’s team is undefeated and the program is off to its best start since 1992 after grinding out an impressive road win over Utah Saturday. Quarterback Jake Browning continues to rewrite the school’s record books after throwing two more touchdown passes for a total of 28 on the season. The bad news for the conference is the next best teams are a two-loss Utah team and a two-loss Colorado squad. A loss by Washington — especially to an unranked opponent — could mean another season without a Pac-12 team in the playoff.
4. Big 12 on the outside looking in
Buzz: The margin of error for the Big 12 getting a team in this year’s playoff was razor thin going into this past weekend and that all went out the window when Baylor and West Virginia were handed their first losses of the season. Oklahoma (6-2) appears the best option right now with the Sooners losses coming at the hands of Houston and Ohio State. Bob Stoops’ team wraps up the season against Baylor, West Virginia and Oklahoma State but is that enough to push them into the top four?
5. Louisville is the X-factor
Buzz: From the start, the selection committee has reiterated that conference championships matter. Clemson clearly has a clear path to the ACC Championship after defeating both Louisville and Florida State so far this season. But the Tigers have been playing with house money and if they were to slip up in the coming weeks against inferior opponents like Syracuse, Wake Forest or South Carolina — how far would Dabo Swinney’s team fall? And could they survive one loss if they still win the ACC title? That could open the door for a one-loss Louisville team which features arguably the best player in college football in Lamar Jackson. The Cardinals have been at the top throughout much of the season but is their body of work good enough in the eyes of the selection committee?
