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Teams that were helped, harmed in College Football Playoff race in Week 6
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There went the American Athletic Conference right out of the College Football Playoff picture. Houston gave up 46 points to Navy on Saturday to end the Cougars’ championship hopes and extend the life of some of the bigger boys.
Here are a few teams that did themselves favors, some which did not and some that benefitted from the misfortunes of others.
No. 1 Alabama: Beat Arkansas by 19 to maintain control of the SEC and its CFP hopes. The Crimson Tide is at Tennessee and hosts Texas A&M over the next two weeks, and then a trip to Death Valley looms after the bye.
No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan: Both took care of business (Michigan managed the over all on its own with 78 points on Rutgers) to keep the Big Ten right in the hunt for a spot. Nov. 26 could be a lot of fun.
No. 3 Clemson: A 46-point win against Boston College was pointless in the long run. Pretty simple for the Tigers from here on out: Beat NC State for homecoming, win at Florida State and win the ACC Championship Game. Louisville is hoping for a Clemson slip to aid the Cards’ still-viable path.
No. 5 Washington: Oregon isn’t Oregon, but even that Oregon might not have handled the rolling Huskies. There are challenges, but if the Pac-12 is getting in, it’s Washington. Stanford is cooked, and so is Colorado. There is still a chance for USC (2-2 in the conference) to win the South Division. But as far as talking Playoff, it’s Washington or bust.
No. 8 Texas A&M: The Aggies became the first to de-miracle Tennessee. With a week off before facing Alabama, A&M holds its fate in its hand. If it beats Bama on the road and Ole Miss and LSU at Kyle Field, it does two things. It puts them in the SEC title game and likely the Playoff. Unless of course Tennessee beats the Aggies in Atlanta to create a problem. Still plenty to be worked out.
No. 10 Miami: The 1-point slip to Florida State isn’t a deal-breaker. But it does mean a Playoff berth hangs on beating Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. Same goes for the far-fetched hopes of Virginia Tech, which ended North Carolina’s slim hopes.
The SEC’s case: Here’s where Baylor and West Virginia wouldn’t be happy. The No. 13 Bears and No. 22 Mountaineers were off this week. So was No. 14 Ole Miss. Let’s for fun say Ole Miss wins out – that would mean beating Arkansas, LSU and Texas A&M on the road. Let’s for fun say Baylor or West Virginia hands the other its only loss on Dec. 3. Would Ole Miss get in, even if the Rebels didn’t make it to the SEC Championship Game, which would require Alabama to lose two games before then? Would that put a pair of SEC West teams in the Playoff?
Plenty to be determined before human minds make a decision.
