The College Football Playoff is anything but set with three weeks remaining in the regular season and these 12 games will shape the eventual top four.
We’re only in the second week of the College Football Playoff rankings and things have already been shaken up. In the initial rankings, the Ohio State Buckeyes sat at No. 1 with the LSU Tigers at No. 2, Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 3 and No. 4 occupied by the Penn State Nittany Lions. But with LSU topping Alabama and Penn State losing for the first time, things are much different.
With their huge victory, the Tigers have climbed to the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings while Ohio State dropped to No. 2. Meanwhile, both Alabama and Penn State dropped out of the top four, to No. 5 and No. 9. In their place, the Clemson Tigers are at No. 3 and the Georgia Bulldogs at No. 4.
As much as things have been moving, though, this is just the beginning. The teams in the top four all have critical matchups over the three remaining weeks in the regular season. Moreover, the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers (No. 8) and Baylor Bears (No. 13) have chances to prove themselves.
Let’s not forget about one-loss teams such as Alabama, the Oregon Ducks (No. 6), Utah Utes (No. 7), Penn State and Oklahoma Sooners (No. 10) that could potentially make a surge up closer or into the top four depending on how things shake out over the next three weeks.
Simply, the College Football Playoff picture has only begun to come into focus and it’s still a bit hazy with the games still to be played. Thus, it feels appropriate to look at the crucial games remaining in the regular season that will determine how the top four pans out leading into bowl season.
Obviously, conference championship games will play a key role in determining the College Football Playoff field but we’re focusing on just the regular season here. And these are the 12 remaining games, in order of when they’ll be played, that will shape the College Football Playoff.