5 teams that could upset the 2017 College Football Playoff picture

NC State started the season cold, losing 35-28 to South Carolina to put themselves in a deficit. Then the Wolfpack ran off six straight wins, becoming one of the hottest teams in the country. Back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Clemson have brought Dave Doeren’s team back down to earth, but NC State can still make noise in the ACC and national picture.

With Boston College, Wake Forest, and North Carolina left on the regular-season schedule, NC State should be 9-3 by the time December rolls around. To really make waves in the conference, they merely need Clemson to suffer one of their historical instances of Clemsoning against Florida State this weekend.

If the defending national champions drop the game against the Seminoles, it would be the Wolfpack heading to Charlotte instead of Clemson. In that case, they would have the chance to upset Miami and win the ACC, and then things would get really interesting. A 10-3 conference champion isn’t likely going to make the College Football Playoff, but they can ruin a lot of other teams’ dreams.

Should they miss the conference title game, a two-loss Clemson would have a hard time convincing the selection committee that they are one of the top four teams. Miami would have recency bias going against it. Could the ACC get shut out of the Playoff altogether? It is possible if NC State manages to have fortune turn in its favor.