College Football Playoff: Projected top four after Week 1

Other College Football Playoff Contenders

Michigan has a super easy non-conference schedule which might be good for sorting out its quarterback competition between J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara, but it’s not going to help the Wolverines in their push to return to the playoff.

At the end of the day, Michigan needs to win the Big Ten championship. Unless there is chaos, it’s hard to see the Big Ten getting two teams in, as good as U-M and Ohio State appear to be. Michigan State and Penn State are damn good too.

Outside of Michigan, Oklahoma is the team to watch. Dillon Gabriel was impressive and while the first big test is next week at Nebraska, the Sooners looked legit. But with Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State, the Big 12 is brutal. They might beat each other up too much.

As far as the Pac-12, USC is the best hope. I don’t think Utah is toast but has zero margin for error. The Utes also need Florida to be really good, as in New Year’s Six good.

If Florida wins nine or 10 games, then the loss by Utah isn’t going to look bad at all. It was a single-possession game in the Swamp. But if Florida is like 7-5 or something, that loss is going to kill Utah.

The Utes aren’t going to get much credit for beating Oregon after what Georgia did, so the only chance to really impress is USC. The Pac-12 desperately needs the Trojans to deliver this season.

Not only because they are one of the league’s best playoff hopes, but if they don’t live up to expectations the Pac-12 will appear so weak, that Utah or another champion won’t stand a chance of getting a playoff berth.