The 10 games that will determine the 2020 College Football Playoff field
By John Buhler
6. Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans (Pac-12 Championship)
The best pathway for the Pac-12 to potentially get a team in as the No. 4 seed is for both the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans to go undefeated, play as many games as possible and crown a winner in the conference title bout. Oregon is seen as the best team in the Pac-12, while USC is undoubtedly the biggest brand in the Power 5 conference. That matters to get either team in.
Sure, other teams in the Pac-12 can go undefeated and win the conference championship game, but no other school besides these two will have the gravitas or demonstrate the glamor for the Selection Committee to put them in over what will probably be a better one-loss, at-large team in ACC or SEC country. But a perfect Power 5 champion out of the Pac-12 may do the trick here.
5. Clemson Tigers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (ACC Championship Game)
It may not mean as much as it did, but the ACC Championship Game presumably between the Clemson Tigers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will not only determine which ACC team gets into the playoff but potential seeding. Should Clemson defeat Notre Dame, there is a very strong pathway that both schools end up making the four-team field this season.
With Notre Dame rocking the No. 2 seed after the initial playoff rankings and Clemson shockingly getting the No. 3 seed our the Ohio State Buckeyes, there may not be a better conference capable of getting two teams in this year. Only in 2020 would a national independent program like Notre Dame be such an important ally for a league like the ACC. What if the Irish do go full-time?