By JOHN MOOREHOUSE
1) Is the Big Ten title game a foregone conclusion?
Both Ohio State and Indiana look like locks to make the 12-team field, regardless of how the Big Ten championship plays out Saturday night in Indianapolis. They’re both undefeated and currently first and second in the College Football Playoff rankings. If the game is close, the losing team still has a strong case to secure one of the top four seeds for the CFP — and the first-round bye that comes with it. Other scenarios that could help the Big Ten place both the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in the top four? Texas Tech losing to BYU in the Big 12 title game and Alabama beating Georgia for the SEC crown. Speaking of the Crimson Tide …
2) Does Alabama have to win to get in?
Perhaps. If Georgia can win the SEC title game, and win big, the Crimson Tide could be the last team out of the CFP for the second straight year. Bama enters championship weekend ninth in the CFP rankings. You can bet that Notre Dame (10th), BYU (11th), and Miami (12th) will be rooting for a Dawgs blowout in Atlanta. Alabama’s fortunes could hinge on who wins the Big 12 championship because if BYU wins, that means the Big 12 will have two spots in the field, leaving one fewer at-large berth.
3) How will the lame-duck teams fare?
Three teams playing for conference titles have coaches who are about to go elsewhere and you wonder how the players on those rosters are going to respond. James Madison’s Bob Chesney is bound for UCLA, and the Dukes already have found Chesney’s replacement in Billy Napier (yay?). Both coaches in the American title game are leaving: North Texas’ Eric Morris to Oklahoma State and Tulane’s Jon Sumrall to Florida. There’s a scenario where James Madison and either North Texas or Tulane make the 12-team CFP field.
4) Will the ACC lay an egg?
The CFP has to take five conference champions … it just doesn’t stipulate which five. That creates a potential nightmare for the ACC, where, if 7-5 Duke upsets Virginia, the ACC could be frozen out of the field. Tulane (20th), North Texas (24th) and JMU (25th) all made the CFP rankings heading into this weekend. Duke was not ranked in the top 25. And, if Tulane wins the AAC, the Green Wave also hold a head-to-head victory over Duke. Not that head-to-head results appear to matter all that much to the committee. Just ask Miami and Notre Dame, right?
5) What are your picks, smart guy?
Since J.T. has weighed in on the Cheat Sheet, and the boss gave his picks, it’s only fair I share my predictions.
Conference title games
Indiana over Ohio State,
Alabama over Georgia
Virginia over Duke
Texas Tech over BYU
James Madison over Troy
North Texas over Tulane
Kennesaw over Jacksonville State
Boise over UNLV
Western Michigan over Miami Ohio
Playoff field
1. Indiana
2. Texas Tech
3. Alabama
4. Ohio Stare
5. Oregon
6. Georgia
7. Ole Miss
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma
10. Notre Dame
11. Virginia
12. North Texas
The Bracket
Texas A&M at Oklahoma; winner plays at No. 1 Indiana in the quarterfinals
North Texas at Oregon; winner plays at No. 4 Ohio State in the quarterfinals
Virginia at Georgia; winner plays at No. 3 Alabama in the quarterfinals
Notre Dame at Ole Miss; winner plays at No. 2 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals