Ohio State Football: CFP Outlook, two team race for title?

It’s never too early to start debating “who’s in?” The CFP is college football’s biggest stage, but this year it looks like a two team race for the title.

The 2020 college football season is just a few months away. Each year only a handful of teams truly have a shot to win the National Championship. The list is made up of the usual suspects such as the Ohio State football team, Clemson and Alabama. But in order to get there, teams must first clinch a berth in the CFP.

College football now has a second list which consists of those CFP contenders as opposed to just one naming those vying for the title. However, not every team that gets to the playoff can win the title.

On the CFP contenders list, Clemson is the lone team out of the ACC as is Oklahoma out of the Big 12. In the Big Ten and SEC, the contenders to Ohio State and Alabama aren’t who you may think. Penn State and Florida join their conference counterparts in playoff contention.

Some may be surprised Georgia falls off this list. Despite being made out to be one of the elite teams in the country, the Bulldogs aren’t.

Georgia is overhyped because of playing in the mighty SEC, but also faces a difficult schedule this season. Even with the new transfer quarterback, I do not see the Bulldogs grabbing a playoff spot on Selection Sunday.

Alabama is also a team on the bubble for me. Mac Jones is a great quarterback but loses a lot of weapons on offense. Will he be able to lead the Crimson Tide all the way to the CFP in the tough SEC West or will Alabama miss out for the second year in a row?

Clemson is virtually a lock for the CFP playing in the soft ACC. The PAC-12 may not be able to get a representative in the bracket again unless Oregon or Washington can come up with a big non-conference victory in September against Ohio State or Michigan respectively.

Baylor will be a one hit wonder and questions still remain with Texas. The safe pick in the Big 12, the Oklahoma Sooners and I will pick them until someone beats them.

QB Spencer Rattler was a coveted high school recruit and special talent. He will be in the Heisman conversation before his collegiate career is over and continue the winning tradition in Norman.

Finally in the Big Ten, Ohio State is the odds on favorite and can go undefeated for a second regular season in a row. The Buckeyes are loaded with talent, elite coaches and have a bad taste in their mouth from the Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State does have a difficult schedule, but it’s more spaced out than last season which is favorable. I like the Buckeyes returning to the CFP ranked either No. 1 or No. 2.

Penn State returns a stout defense and a strong duo at QB and RB with Sean Clifford and Journey Brown. The Nittany Lions will be a tough battle for any team and get the Buckeyes in Happy Valley in what will likely be a “Whiteout Game”. A one-loss Penn State team will have a strong argument for the CFP in my eyes.

The pool of teams in contention for the playoff are Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Penn State. However, I believe Clemson and Ohio State have all the ingredients necessary to win the title and are on a collision course for an epic rematch of last year‘s classic Fiesta Bowl.

The other teams will be outstanding in 2020, but the Buckeyes and Tigers seem to be in a league of their own. Things can change as injuries can happen, but as of right now the race for the title is between those two programs.