College Football Playoffs: Cases for the top four
The College Football Playoffs are just around the corner as each team attempts to plead its case to the CFP Selection Committee.
November 15, 2018
As the College Football regular season begins to wind down, teams are making strong cases to be included in the College Football Playoffs (CFP). Here are legitimate cases for the top four teams in the CFP Rankings to hold their placement and to make the Playoffs.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide:
Alabama will look to add to its long list of titles this season at the CFP.
At this moment, Alabama is, hands down, the best team in College Football. Alabama has won five out of the last nine division one National Championships according to the NCAA and is looking to add to its 16 titles. The Tide hold a 10-0 record and are one of the four remaining undefeated teams. Led offensively by quarterback and frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama is in shape to make a run at the title for the second straight season. Head coach Nick Saban will also help the Tide’s chances to claim the National Championship, as he is a coaching virtuoso. The Tide have upcoming games at home against the Citadel and Auburn, and will play in the SEC Championship against the Georgia Bulldogs (5), helping the CFP Selection Committee make a final decision of who should be included in the Playoff.
2. Clemson Tigers:
The Tigers will look to claim its second Championship in three seasons.
The Tigers are out to reclaim the National Championship, after winning the title in 2017, but losing to Alabama in the Playoffs a season ago. Like Alabama, the Tigers are also perfect on the season with a 10-0 record. After changing its quarterback to Trevor Lawrence in the fifth game of the season, Clemson has been even better than before the change. Clemson’s remaining games include games against unranked Duke and South Carolina at home and the ACC Championship game against most likely Pittsburgh or Virginia. With a somewhat easy schedule ahead, Clemson will have to make sure it doesn’t slip up and it will be included in the CFP.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish:
Along with the top two teams in the rankings, Notre Dame is also undefeated on the season with a record of 10-0. The Irish have been led by junior quarterback, Ian Book, who has been in the Heisman Trophy conversation all season like Tagovailoa. The Irish will look to win its first title since 1988 according to the NCAA, a long time for such a dedicated fan base like Notre Dame’s. This Saturday, Notre Dame will face off against the twelfth ranked Syracuse Orange at home in a game that may decide the fate of the Irish because they lack the chance at playing in a conference championship game.
4. Michigan Wolverines:
Michigan will have an important game against Ohio State on Nov. 24 which will most likely determine its fate for the CFP.
Michigan is on a “Revenge Tour” for its four losses in the Big Ten a season ago. After a close loss in week one to Notre Dame, Michigan has begun to figure things out and is on a nine game winning streak (knock on wood, Michigan fans). The Wolverines defense, coached by Defensive Coordinator Don Brown, is the top defense in the nation, according to the NCAA. With a stellar defense and well designed offense, all Michigan will need to do is to win out and they should be in the CFP. In a nightmare scenario, even if Michigan wins out and Georgia defeats Alabama in the SEC Championship game, the Wolverines may be pushed out of the top four, with Alabama potentially taking the Wolverines’ spot.
If any of these teams slip up, the fifth ranked Bulldogs and the sixth ranked Oklahoma Sooners will be happy to swoop in and steal a spot in the CFP. The CFP games will take place on Dec. 29, 2018 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. CT for the CFP Semifinals and Jan. 7, 2019 at 7 p.m. for the Championship game according to ESPN.
