If I had to guess the College Football Playoff after 3 weeks here would be my final four teams in the College Football Playoff.
#1: Alabama Crimson Tide of course they are number one, yes they had the scare on Saturday against #11 ranked Florida in Gainesville at the Swamp and they barley survived against winning 31-29 as the Tide defense stopped a key 2 point conversion late in the game. Alabama jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter and then hung on at the end. Alabama has 2 big games coming up to begin the month of October, first a home date against #13 ranked Ole Miss at home in Tuscaloosa on October 2nd, then October 9th in there likely toughest at Kyle Field against the #7 ranked Texas A&M Aggies in a hostile environment. Alabama has 2 key games at the end of the season against ranked Arkansas and the Iron Bowl against their biggest rival at the Aubrun Tigers on the 27th of November. Alabama already routed a ranked Miami team to begin the season. Even if Alabama slips to one of these ranked teams and then wins the SEC Championship game against likely Georgia, I think Alabama will in all likelihood be part of the College Football Playoff.
#2 The Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia started the season with a huge win against then ranked #3 Clemson in Charlotte in a defensive battle as the Dawgs won 10-3 in a defensive battle. This Dawgs defense is very scary good while each week their offense gets better and better. Georgia has key games coming up against Arkansas October second at Georgia then a huge game at Auburn the following week to begin the month of October and plus the annual Florida Georgia game in Jacksonville Florida on October 30th. If Georgia survives those 3 key games which I think they will and meet the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game in nearby Atlanta Georgia where these two teams are on a collision course I think they will get into the CFP win or loss in the SEC Championship game against the Tide.
#3 The Oregon Ducks. Oregon last week got a huge win at then #3 ranked Ohio State in Columbus at the Horseshoe in a loud hostile environment. What made this Oregon win more impressive is they won without there best player in stud pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux who was out with a sprained ankle injury. Ducks were also without star linebacker Justin Flowe who had an injury as well and they still beat the Buckeyes which I am still amazed by. Oregon has a huge game coming up on October 23rd at the Rose Bowl against the UCLA Bruins. If Oregon can get by the Bruins along with winning the rest of there games including the Pac 12 Championship game then the Ducks should be in great shape for the CFP.
#4 I will give the edge to the Iowa Hawkeyes but the Penn State Nittany Lions are without a doubt in the conversation. Huge game coming up in Iowa City against Penn State on October 9th where this game will have huge Big 10 and College Football Playoff implications. Both Iowa and Penn State have 2 wins against ranked teams on their schedules so far. Iowa has beaten then 17th ranked Indiana at home and 9th ranked Iowa State on road while Penn State beat the then 12th ranked Badgers in Madison in week 1 and last night survived against 22nd ranked Auburn in front of their fans at State College where it was a white out.
I think teams like the Oklahoma Sooners, Cincinnati Bearcats, Notre Dame Fighting Irish still have a chance at the CFP but I think their needs to be chaos to happen. Notre Dame hosts Cincinnati October 2nd in South Bend and that game will have huge implications. I think Clemson will likely win the ACC but losing that Georgia game to kick off the season is a huge blow for them as right now they don’t have a ranked opponent on there schedule. Ohio State possibly could still make the CFP despite that loss to Oregon at home in week 2, the Buckeyes still have key games coming up against Penn State, MSU and Michigan on their schedule. Maybe the Buckeyes still could get in if an Alabama, Oregon win there conference championship games and Georgia getting despite losing to Alabama and maybe them or a one loss Clemson would get that final spot. I think Ohio State might get the edge over Clemson of because of who remains on there schedule in terms of ranked teams but still plenty of football left.