When the College Football Playoff Committee released their first rankings, the college football world was shocked as Georgia, not Alabama, was ranked as the No.1 team in the nation. As Notre Dame came in at No. 3, and Clemson finished the list off at No. 4.
Despite these rankings, there is still plenty of time before rankings are truly set in stone. This Saturday, No. 3 Notre Dame (8-1) plays No. 7 Miami (9-0) in a game that looks to be a barn burner.
Notre Dame is not expected to win as their team is mostly a run based team that struggles to push the ball through the air. Miami, meanwhile, is led by duel-threat QB Malik Rosier, and has a more balanced, and arguably better coached team.
No. 1 Georgia also faces a tough challenge as they head to Jordan-Hare Stadium to face a rolling No. 10 Auburn squad. Georgia’s ferocious running game has been trampling opponents all season, keeping pressure off true freshman QB, Jake Fromm. This has allowed Fromm to show why he was one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the country last year.
The Bulldogs senior running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb look to make a dent in the Auburn Tigers stout 13th ranked defense, in what should be a low scoring defensive battle between two solid SEC teams.
No. 6 TCU will battle No. 5 Oklahoma in what is going to be a high scoring affair. Winning this game would give one of these teams a reason to be one of the four playoff seeds.
Heisman front-runner Baker Mayfield has been electrifying all season, dazzling the collegiate world with amazing runs and jaw dropping throws.
The TCU Horned Frogs and its budding star senior QB, Kenny “Trill” Hill, looks to play spoiler against Mayfield and the Sooners as they continue their Cinderella like run.
In a critical week for the college football playoff seeding, there are many things that could throw a wrench in the ranking system.
There are only four undefeated teams left this year, but plenty of one loss teams. If things do go awry, there could possibly be a two loss team in the playoffs.
Auburn, USC, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State, which takes up spots 10-14, look to battle tooth and nail to be the first two loss team in the playoffs.
Thomas Garlick, 21, business major said, “I hope Penn State makes it.” He added, “It’s a long shot, but it could happen. Garlick also said, “I don’t think they’d win it, but I think it’d be awesome to see them in it.”
The college playoff race is starting to take shape with January 8 closing in, things are sure to get real interesting.