The college football season is underway so the countdown to the college football playoff begins.  Each week the TCI staff will give their predictions for which four teams will make the college playoff.

Here are the predictions after week four.

Robert MacRae – After four weeks there is no clear No. 1 team.  Ohio State remains in my final four.  Michigan State is the only team that could knock them out right now.  UCLA is coming on strong and could be a problem for Clemson if the Bruins can go undefeated.  For now I will keep the PAC on the outside looking in for the playoff.  TCU remains one of my final four.  The SEC winner will fill spot No. 3.  I’ll go with Ole Miss or Georgia for that slot right now.  The Tigers win Saturday they will very likely run the table.  They remain my No. 4 team.

William Qualkinbush – As of right now, there’s been a bit of upheaval in my top four. I’m keeping TCU in there because luck is imperative in a champion and the Horned Frogs had that in spades last week against Texas Tech. I’m leaving Notre Dame in due to its spanking of Massachusetts. So far, the Fighting Irish have done whatever they have needed to do. I’m inserting Utah into the mix after the Utes destroyed Oregon in Eugene to cap off a month in which they knocked off Michigan and Utah State. For my fourth team, I’m going with Ohio State because I don’t see a more deserving team anywhere and the Buckeyes are the defending champions. In a battle of equals, that’s the trump card.

Hale McGranahan – Still undefeated Ohio State remains at the top. Previously unmentioned Utah climbs all the way up to the No. 2 spot after steam rolling Oregon. You don’t beat Oregon 62-20 in Eugene. Nobody does. Chad Kelly and the boys from Ole Miss hold steady in the third spot. Notre Dame jumps into the four, thanks to TCU’s defense, or lack thereof. The Horned Frogs can jump back in if they keep winning, but they just gave up 52 points. Yikes. TCU and Alabama are fifth and sixth, respectively.

Will Vandervort: Okay, this is the show me weekend for Notre Dame. Everyone keeps telling me you’re a playoff team, but I just don’t see it. Say what you will about Clemson’s schedule, but Louisville is a much better team than Texas, Virginia and UMass combined, and before it is over, I think they will be better than Georgia Tech, too. Notre Dame might be Clemson’s toughest opponent to date, but when I hear people saying the Irish have been tested to this point is just ridiculous. With that said, I still believe the winner of this Saturday night’s game will be one of the four teams that make the College Football Playoff. I still believe Ohio State is the best team in the country as long as they stay motivated, while I think Baylor is the leader over TCU for the third spot and UCLA will be the Pac 12’s representative. Yep! Still no SEC team in my Final Four.