The Ohio State football team is a legitimate playoff contender, but who’s in if chaos ensues? Here’s a breakdown of 5 major “What Ifs” for the CFP picture.
Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, and Oklahoma have looked like the four best teams in the country through three weeks as they continue to build their respective resumes for the College Football Playoff. No question, Ohio State has been dominant in their first three games which is to the surprise of many.
I have the Buckeyes as one of the front-runners to get to playoff as of right now with Oklahoma, Clemson and Alabama. I really would like to add LSU, but until the Tigers get over the hill and beat the Tide I have to go with Nick Saban.
Mass chaos may ensue, but even though it’s early let’s take a look at some of the biggest what ifs that remain in this young college football season. I will address multiple scenarios that involve the top ranked teams including one absolute nightmare that isn’t too far off.
(I will use the current conference favorites as examples in these scenarios.)
What if Notre Dame only loses to Georgia and finishes 11-1?
This is a scenario that is definitely possible based on how the remaining teams after Georgia on Notre Dame’s schedule have looked. However, the Irish put forth a very poor performance on all fronts in the semifinal against Clemson last year. I believe they will have to go undefeated to clinch a berth, especially with the power of the top ranked teams this year.
There will be an argument for Notre Dame though as they would boast wins over Virginia, USC, Michigan, and Stanford. Nevertheless, the Irish refuse to join a conference so not having a conference championship game will hurt them in terms of clinching a playoff spot.
Playoff Picks: Alabama vs Oklahoma and Clemson vs Ohio State.