Saturday Blitz College Football Playoff Projections Week 8

Top Teams With College Football Playoff Chances that Need Help 

1. Oregon Ducks

Remember, these rankings are not based on who’s most likely to get back into the College Football Playoff. This list ranks the chances of teams to be back in control of their own destiny for it. For Oregon, that includes multiple scenarios, only one of which has to happen. The easiest is for Notre Dame to lose. That’s very possible. Otherwise, the three Big 12 teams each need to lose another game. That’s also possible. If that doesn’t work, all SEC teams need to have at least 2 losses. Still possible. Finally, Florida State would need to lose. Unlikely, but possible. That gives the Ducks four scenarios, only one of which has to work in their favor, to get back into the playoff. Of course, the key for them is to keep winning at the same time. They still control their own destiny to make it to 12-1 and a Big 12 title.

2. Utah Utes

Think this is crazy? Consider that Utah has only 1 loss right now, and if it wins out that means going 12-1 and winning the Pac 12 title just like Oregon. The Utes, like the Ducks, are in complete control of their own destiny for that to happen. And they only need one of those four scenarios just like the Ducks also: a Notre Dame loss, no Big 12 team with less than 2 losses, no SEC team with less than 2 losses, or a Florida State loss.

3. TCU Horned Frogs

For TCU, all it will take to be back in control of their own destiny is simply a Baylor loss. This is what this ranking is based on. It’s not who’s most likely to make it. It’s who has the best chance to be back in control of their own destiny. If Baylor loses, then TCU still has a chance to go 11-1 and will win the Big 12 with that record. That would be enough to get them into the College Football Playoff.

4. Arizona Wildcats

Unlike the other two Pac 12 teams, the Wildcats need multiple things to happen, and one of them is specific. First of all, they absolutely need USC to lose. Otherwise, they won’t have a chance to compete for their conference championship. Then, one of the other four scenarios facing Oregon and Utah has to happen: a Notre Dame loss, no Big 12 team with less than 2 losses, no SEC team with less than 2 losses, or a Florida State loss. Then, they would be in the race.

5. Auburn Tigers

The Tigers obviously are better than other teams on this list, but they need two losses from Mississippi State to have a chance or a three-way tie with Mississippi State and Ole Miss to somehow get the tiebreaker into the championship game. If the Bulldogs lose to Alabama and Ole Miss and Auburn wins out, or if Mississippi State loses to Ole Miss and Ole Miss loses to Auburn but wins every other game, the Tigers have a chance to be vaulted into the SEC title and the playoff. Their only other shot is to go 11-1 and for Kansas State to win out. That also gives them a chance as a wildcard team.

6. Alabama Crimson Tide

For Alabama, the scenario to controlling its own destiny is similar to Auburn’s, but the Kansas State option isn’t there. It needs Ole Miss to lose twice, or the Rebels have to lose to Mississippi State while Alabama beats Mississippi State as the three are forced into a three-way tie for the SEC race. Both scenarios are going to be difficult, and it’s why we had to drop Alabama to No. 6 on our list of teams’ chances to get back into the college football playoff race.

7. Michigan State Spartans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Nebraska Cornhuskers, or Minnesota Golden Gophers

Yes, we’re naming all four of these teams at No. 7. They all control their destinies to make it to 12-1 and win the Big Ten championship. But in order for them to have a chance at the title, they need a few breaks. The first and easiest would be for Florida State to lose. A Big Ten champion is getting in over an ACC champion if they have the same record, even if it’s Florida State. Otherwise, Notre Dame has to lose AND one of the three conference champions among the SEC, Pac 12, and Big 12 have to have at least 2 losses. The final scenario is two of the three conference champions among the SEC, Pac 12, and Big 12 have 2 losses. If none of those things happen, the Big Ten has absolutely no shot at the playoff.