Predict the College Football Playoff

[Bedrock]

I just saw the betting odds for different teams to win the national title and started thinking about the four teams to get in to the playoff.  I think I am going to go with Clemson, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Oklahoma.  Who do you have?

[EaglealumsGhost]

Bama, Washington, PSU, and Florida State

[Crimson's Ghost]

Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
Georgia

[abpk2903]

It is almost impossible to predict who I think will make the CFP at this point.  Alabama and Clemson are borderline a lock and the season hasn't started.  The perception of those programs affords them both a loss and they will still make the playoff.  I don't think either team will lose 2 games, they are too good.  So those are the easy ones.  Then it just becomes a matter of how things line up as the season progresses.  I'll take a look at it conference by conference:
B1G:  Could get in:  Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State.  I'm not really sure if 5 teams in the preseason top 15 helps or hurts the B1G's odds.  I have a hard time seeing any of the teams getting through the conference schedule and championship game with 2 losses or less. Wisconsin has to go to Ann Harbor, Happy Valley, Kinnick, and Northwestern before they eeven hope of a B1G championship game.  My bold prediction is Wisky doesn't win the West and finishes with at least 3 conference losses. Ohio State has TCU and Penn State both out of state before September even ends with a coach that may or may not be there.  Michigan travels to Ohio State and Notre Dame along with games against Penn State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin at home. Penn State has Ohio State and Michigan State back to back (with a bye) and Michigan on the road followed by Wisconsin at home.  I also can't write off playing what should be an 7+ win Pitt team on the road in primetime.  Michigan State has the easiest path with no OOC games that I am concerned about.  They avoid Wisky and Iowa on the crossover and have Ohio State and Michigan at home.   I think the problem is with Michigan State is they aren't explosive enough on Offense to avoid playing almost every B1G game tight to the vest.  That will lead them to a few losses.   I don't think they B1G will get a team in again this year.


PAC 12: Could get in USC, Stanford, Oregon, Washington.  USC has a mind numbing schedule featuring Texas, ND, and 9 conference games.  I don't see how them starting a barely 18 year old QB doesn't lead to multiple losses.  Stanford has maybe the best running game in the country but a brutal schedule. That includes trips to USC and Oregon. My guess is they are out of the hunt by mid-October. Washington and Oregon seem to have the more conceivable path with playing softer OOC schedules and playing in the north but neither team can afford a loss with their SOS.  Honestly Oregon's schedule is pathetic Bowling Green, Portland State, and San Jose State out of conference along with no USC, Washington at home, and Stanford at home. 


Big 12:  Could get in: Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, and West Virginia.  This conference has the feel that the only team that can lose a game and have a hope to get in is Oklahoma.  WVU, Texas, and TCU have great opportunities with non-conference games to boast the perception of the league.  WVU has NC State on the road and a neutral site game with Tennessee.  TCU has a neutral site game against Ohio State.  Texas travels to USC. Oklahoma State lost too much last year, Kansas State is always 8-4 like every single year, Texas would need a leap of epic proportions from last year but have the personnel.


ACC:  Should be in: Clemson.  Could get in: Florida State, Miami.  At the end of the day, I just think this conference has too much of a gap from the haves to the have nots.  VT and Louisville are good programs but they just don't seem to have the personnel to compete for a National Title.  A lot of decent teams in the middle of this league but not a lot of National Title threats.
SEC:   Should be in: Alabama. Could get in: Georgia, Auburn, Florida (if they can get past UGA in the cocktail party then I like the way their schedule plays out).  The rest of that conference is good but not good enough to get through the conference and a championship game with less than 2 losses.

[12HankQB]

FYI, Pitt/PSU is sold out at Heinz Field...you're welcome Pitt.

[konjo78]

FYI, Pitt/PSU is sold out at Heinz Field...you're welcome Pitt.

Not sure why this is placed in this thread???? 

[12HankQB]

FYI, Pitt/PSU is sold out at Heinz Field...you're welcome Pitt.

Not sure why this is placed in this thread???? 

I know why, to incite rivalry internet violence! Plus it made more sense than the AAABA thread

[Crimson's Ghost]

What are we thinking? 59,000 Penn State fans, 9,000 Pitt fans? 

[abpk2903]

Well there were about 95,000 Penn State fans at the game in Beaver Stadium last year, I don’t know if Pitt can find that many fans let alone get them to come out to watch a football game. 

[Crimson's Ghost]

Probably not. They should just move the game back to State College.