Is College Football Playoff field set after LSU’s loss, USC’s win?

The College Football Playoff committee may not have much debating to do with the field of four coming together thanks to LSU’s loss and USC’s win.

For weeks, the CFP lacked clarity because so many teams still needed to play each other.

Now, the picture looks clear. In fact, it’s even more clear than expected.

With losses for Ohio State, LSU and Clemson plus wins for Georgia, Michigan, TCU and USC, the field might be set.

Is the College Football Playoff field set after LSU’s loss, USC’s win?

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC

The trouble with saying the field is set is that conference title games still need to be played. Georgia will face LSU, Michigan will face Purdue, TCU will face Kansas State or Texas and USC will face either Oregon or Utah.

Any of those teams could lose with the Trojans facing the harshest consequences for doing so. A loss for USC would certainly take them out of the running.

Ohio State needs to root against the Trojans because that last spot could open up for them.

Georgia, Michigan and TCU could theoretically lose their conference title games and still get in since a loss would be their first of the season.

The committee doesn’t want that to happen obviously. They’ve relied heavily on conference championships in the past to hand out playoff bearths. It would be a mess if they had to deal with one-loss non-conference champions. But the win-loss records would likely still win out.

So three of the four spots look pretty set. We’ll have to see about the last one but USC controls their destiny.

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