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The SEC is guaranteed to have a team in the College Football Playoff. The Big Ten could have two, or one that no one really expects. Clemson is somehow still in the mix, though hanging by a thread. Michigan controls its destiny. Washington can still make it, one of the teams with a recent loss that hasn’t seemed to affect it too much in the eyes of the committee.
What the committee saw Saturday was Ohio State escaping, Wisconsin and Oklahoma still trying to make amends and Penn State shutting out Rutgers, but not by the amount others have.
With 12 weeks in the books, only Alabama is a lock. The rest of the decisions have a lot of room to be questioned, slowly building toward a no-win situation for a committee with a very messy set of resumes.
Alabama: Of course Nick Saban wasn’t happy with how Alabama beat Chattanooga. The only way Alabama could have gotten itself out of the Playoff was by losing that game, maybe having to lose it badly to lose hope. The Tide can lose the Iron Bowl and still make the Playoff.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes nearly gave everyone outside the state of Ohio what they wanted. Michigan State came within a two-point conversion of ending their Playoff hopes. It’s a win, but will the committee see it as a good enough win? One thing is for sure: better beat Michigan in a week. Even then, what if Penn State wins the Big Ten? Would Ohio State make it over Penn State despite having lost to the Nittany Lions?
Michigan: No matter who takes the snaps, Michigan has a very simple path. Beat Ohio State and win the Big Ten. The Wolverines could possibly get in otherwise, but why make it complicated?
Clemson: The Tigers are still hanging on by a thread, but what’s new? Lose to South Carolina or in the ACC title game and the ACC is probably out of Playoff luck.
Wisconsin: The Badgers need to win the Big Ten and they need Ohio State or Michigan to be there for them to beat. That would avenge one of their two losses and possibly allow the Badgers to take advantage of a crazy Playoff situation.
Washington: Still without a great win, at least not anything of SEC caliber, the Huskies are hanging on as tightly as Clemson. The Huskies badly need to win the Pac 12, preferably against Southern Cal to avenge their lone loss.
Penn State: Two losses, but possibly Big Ten champs, the Nittany Lions are trying to make it difficult on the committee. If PSU wins the Big Ten, a lot of people aren’t going to be happy with any decision that gets made.
Oklahoma: The Sooners are about to be out of opportunities to impress the committee. That loss to Houston is a large stumbling block for a team we’re even less sure about than Clemson. It’s a very long shot.
