Fansided

4 teams Tennessee losing to South Carolina helps the most for the College Football Playoff

By John Buhler

Jaheim Bell, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tamarion McDonald, Tennessee Volunteers. (Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports)
Jaheim Bell, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tamarion McDonald, Tennessee Volunteers. (Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports) /
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Max Duggan, TCU Horned Frogs
Max Duggan, TCU Horned Frogs. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

player. Pick Analysis. (11-0). TCU Horned Frogs. Big 12. 3. 872. Scouting Report

TCU may be able to afford a loss to Iowa State and still make the four-team field

As one of the four undefeated teams left heading into Thanksgiving Weekend, TCU may now be able to afford a loss to Iowa State at home and still make the College Football Playoff, so long as the Horned Frogs beat either Kansas State or Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. Losing to Baylor almost happened, but it was one the Frogs could have afforded to lose in some capacity.

While an Iowa State defeat may have been too punitive of a loss for the Frogs to theoretically suffer only a week ago, it may not be the worst thing in the world at this time. This is because no one saw Tennessee getting blown out by South Carolina. A one-loss Big 12 champion TCU team would have been in discussion for one of the last spots in with the SEC East runner-up at 11-1.

For now, TCU likely gets in with a Big 12 championship victory anyway, no matter the opponent and no matter how the Iowa State game shakes out. Essentially, the Horned Frogs may actually have some margin for error heading into the two most important games up to this point in program history. They may not want to test the margin for error, but it seems the Frogs have one.

As long as the Horned Frogs win the Big 12 Championship game, TCU will be making the playoff.

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