Thoughts on the new CFP Rankings. Can the Big 12 champ jump over an 12-1 Utah?
Just a few quick thoughts about the new CFP rankings that were released Tuesday night:
**--Three of the five conference championships (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12) will be Top Ten match-ups.
**--No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU are both in even if they lose. If No. 4 Georgia beats No. 2 LSU, the SEC would get two teams in the playoff and the Big 12 and Pac-12 champions get left out.
**--The nightmare scenario for the selection committee would be for No. 1 Ohio State to lose to Wisconsin, which would have two losses. Do both get in?
**--The Pac-12 championship between Oregon and Utah will be decided Friday night. If No. 5 Utah wins it will finish 12-1 and then watch the Big 12 championship on Saturday between No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 7 Baylor with much interest. Even if Oregon wins the Ducks are out.
**--The Big 12 knows that it will have a 12-1 champion, either Oklahoma or Baylor. Would the winner get enough of a bump to jump over No. 5 Utah and into the playoffs? Oklahoma would have two wins over Baylor. Baylor would have avenged its only loss against Oklahoma in a game it led by 25.
I can see Oklahoma jumping over 12-1 Utah. I can’t see Baylor keeping Utah out. Utah has been a dominant team since losing its only game to USC back on Sept. 20.
**--What if Clemson loses? Don’t ask. Dabo might be reading this.
Here is the lineup for championship weekend:
FRIDAY, DEC. 6
Pac-12, San Jose: No. 13 Oregon (10-2) vs. No. 5 Utah (11-1), 8 p.m. (FOX)
SATURDAY, DEC. 7
Big 12, Dallas: No. 7 Baylor (11-1) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (11-1), Noon (ABC)
SEC, Atlanta: No. 2 LSU (12-0) vs. No. 4 Georgia (11-1), 4 p.m., (CBS)
ACC, Charlotte: No. 3 Clemson (12-0) vs. No. 23 Virginia (9-3), 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Big Ten, Indianapolis: No. 1 Ohio State (12-0) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (10-2), 8 p.m., (FOX)