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 five.
Robert MacRae – Clemson is now well positioned to make the playoff as long at they win out and that is a strong possibility. Clemson is one of my four as they have been for several weeks. Ohio State will stay in my top four even though they have not been very impressive the past few weeks. Although Utah is up to No. 5 in the nation I think they will fall at some point this season. TCU remains in my final four this week. The winner of the TCU game with Baylor will be one of the playoff teams unless they slip up against another team. LSU will be my final team this week. Their biggest challenges are ahead so we will see if they can remain undefeated.
William Qualkinbush – With an abundance of undefeated teams still remaining, the calculus to determine the four playoff teams has gotten a bit more difficult. I’m still giving Ohio State the benefit of the doubt as the defending champion even though the Buckeyes haven’t been impressive for even a moment this season. TCU is also a team I’ll give some leeway to because of some of its injuries and the talent on display on the field. Utah is still in my playoff group given its highly impressive resume thus far. For a fourth team, the waters become muddy, but I’m not sure any unbeaten team has two better wins than Clemson does in its past two games. I’ll put the Tigers in for now.
Hale McGranahan – Did they almost lose to Indiana? Sure, but they’re still the reigning champ, and I still believe they’re the most talented team in the country right now. Utah holds firm at two. These next three weeks are big for the Utes. If they survive, more power to them. Ole Miss and Notre Dame fall out of the four, after their respective losses to Florida and Clemson. TCU jumps back in, claiming the three seed. Alabama is fourth. Baylor is fifth. Clemson debuts at six.
Will Vandervort: After last week’s win over Notre Dame, Clemson is definitely one of my final four teams this week. That was a great win for the Tigers and it gives them an opportunity to make the playoffs as long as they win out. I think Utah is also in. The Utes have looked good almost every time out. I also like this team because they play defense, and for me it’s always fun to watch a good defensive team play in this day and age when few know how to anymore. Ohio State continues to struggle and Baylor has not played anybody. I think ultimately the Buckeyes will turn it on, though they are dangerously playing with fire each week. Baylor probably gets in, but I don’t believe they can go undefeated if they continue to struggle on defense. I can say the same about TCU as well. I think one of those two will lose to Oklahoma and the other will beat Oklahoma, then the one that lost to Oklahoma will beat the one who beat Oklahoma to force a nice three-way tie in the Big 12. Did you get that? Then the Big 12 will learn it has to play a championship game if it wants to get in the dance. If this scenario happens, then give Texas A&M or Notre Dame. This is about to get fun, and even more confusing.
Ed McGranahan – Michigan State, Utah, Alabama, TCU