hookemhorb
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This week I'll take a quick peek at the AP top 10 teams and comment on their chances of making the playoffs. I'll review the teams at 11-20 next week.
Let's look at the Preseason top 10 from the AP poll. In theory, these 10 teams should make the playoffs, so let's take a quick look at them and I'll make a vague prediction as to making the playoffs.
We have #1 Ohio State, #2 Oregon and #8 Indiana from the Big 10. Ohio State has the tougher schedule and depending on how they fare against Texas, they may not make the playoffs. They have to travel to Texas and Indiana but get Oregon at home. What makes their schedule especially tough is they play Indiana (away), USC (away) and then get Oregon at home. USC can be tough at home, but they will be in the middle of their tough schedule when they come home to take on Indiana so who knows. Ohio State gets Michigan at home but as a rivalry game they have the edge but anything can happen. I see Ohio State with 2 losses but make the playoffs. It's not out of the realm they could have a 3rd loss. They would be out of the playoffs then. I'm not quite ready to pencil them into the playoffs.
Oregon definitely has an easier schedule. They do travel to USC and Ohio State but those are the only tough away games they have. They get Washington and Michigan at home. A 1 loss Oregon makes the playoffs. Even if they stumble and lose a 2nd game they will make it. We can pencil them in.
Indiana is another team you can pencil into the playoffs. They are the reigning champs with a weak schedule. Besides Ohio State at home, they have to travel to Michigan and Washington. Both winnable games.
Now let's move on to Norte Dame and Miami. Neither team has a tough schedule. The toughest game is that they play each other. I can see one of them going undefeated while the other takes 1 loss. Pencil them into the playoffs.
That leaves 5 SEC teams in the top 10. Let's take them in order.
Georgia is the reigning SEC champs and until someone beats them they will continue to be the SEC champs. They have 0uSux at home and play 'Bama and Ole Miss on the road. They may take a loss but I don't really see them missing the playoffs barring injuries to key players. Pencil them in.
Texas is next. Their schedule is too tough for them to go undefeated. If they can survive this brutal schedule with 2 losses, they make it into the playoffs. 3 losses and they are out. The key to both Ohio State and Texas's playoff hopes is to win the game they face off in the 2nd week. Loser has a tough road ahead to make the playoffs. I'm not sure I can pencil in this team into the playoffs. 1 key injury and it could all come tumbling down.
The aggies are next on the top 10 at number 8. Not the toughest schedule but they do have to travel to LSU, 'Bama and 0uSux. They get Texas at home. With an experienced QB, they should win most of those games. A 2 loss aggie team might not make the playoffs. It really depends on who beats who in the SEC. I have a feeling only 1 Texas SEC team will make the playoffs. Can't pencil these guys in.
Ole Miss is next at number 9. They will be riding the shoulders of QB Chambliss. They have road games at Florida, Texas and 0uSux and home games with LSU and Georgia. Are they really that good? We'll find out. IMHO, they aren't. No playoffs for the Rebels.
0uSux is number 10. They too have a tough schedule considering their offense is in question. The play Michigan in week 2. This will tell us a lot about this team. Can they score enough to win games? Relying on defense is not a formula for making the college playoffs. They play Michigan, George and Florida on the road and get Ole Miss and the aggies at home plus Texas in Dallas. Without a good offense this team is a middle tier SEC team. No playoffs for the sooners. Cue 0uSux kid crying .gif.
So out of the top 10, I'd pencil in 5 teams into the playoffs: Indiana, Oregon, Miami, Norte Dame and Georgia. Ohio State and both Texas teams are on the bubble. Too many variables for me to pencil into the playoffs at this point. I'm scrubbing Ole Miss and 0uSux out of the playoffs.
Let's look at the Preseason top 10 from the AP poll. In theory, these 10 teams should make the playoffs, so let's take a quick look at them and I'll make a vague prediction as to making the playoffs.
We have #1 Ohio State, #2 Oregon and #8 Indiana from the Big 10. Ohio State has the tougher schedule and depending on how they fare against Texas, they may not make the playoffs. They have to travel to Texas and Indiana but get Oregon at home. What makes their schedule especially tough is they play Indiana (away), USC (away) and then get Oregon at home. USC can be tough at home, but they will be in the middle of their tough schedule when they come home to take on Indiana so who knows. Ohio State gets Michigan at home but as a rivalry game they have the edge but anything can happen. I see Ohio State with 2 losses but make the playoffs. It's not out of the realm they could have a 3rd loss. They would be out of the playoffs then. I'm not quite ready to pencil them into the playoffs.
Oregon definitely has an easier schedule. They do travel to USC and Ohio State but those are the only tough away games they have. They get Washington and Michigan at home. A 1 loss Oregon makes the playoffs. Even if they stumble and lose a 2nd game they will make it. We can pencil them in.
Indiana is another team you can pencil into the playoffs. They are the reigning champs with a weak schedule. Besides Ohio State at home, they have to travel to Michigan and Washington. Both winnable games.
Now let's move on to Norte Dame and Miami. Neither team has a tough schedule. The toughest game is that they play each other. I can see one of them going undefeated while the other takes 1 loss. Pencil them into the playoffs.
That leaves 5 SEC teams in the top 10. Let's take them in order.
Georgia is the reigning SEC champs and until someone beats them they will continue to be the SEC champs. They have 0uSux at home and play 'Bama and Ole Miss on the road. They may take a loss but I don't really see them missing the playoffs barring injuries to key players. Pencil them in.
Texas is next. Their schedule is too tough for them to go undefeated. If they can survive this brutal schedule with 2 losses, they make it into the playoffs. 3 losses and they are out. The key to both Ohio State and Texas's playoff hopes is to win the game they face off in the 2nd week. Loser has a tough road ahead to make the playoffs. I'm not sure I can pencil in this team into the playoffs. 1 key injury and it could all come tumbling down.
The aggies are next on the top 10 at number 8. Not the toughest schedule but they do have to travel to LSU, 'Bama and 0uSux. They get Texas at home. With an experienced QB, they should win most of those games. A 2 loss aggie team might not make the playoffs. It really depends on who beats who in the SEC. I have a feeling only 1 Texas SEC team will make the playoffs. Can't pencil these guys in.
Ole Miss is next at number 9. They will be riding the shoulders of QB Chambliss. They have road games at Florida, Texas and 0uSux and home games with LSU and Georgia. Are they really that good? We'll find out. IMHO, they aren't. No playoffs for the Rebels.
0uSux is number 10. They too have a tough schedule considering their offense is in question. The play Michigan in week 2. This will tell us a lot about this team. Can they score enough to win games? Relying on defense is not a formula for making the college playoffs. They play Michigan, George and Florida on the road and get Ole Miss and the aggies at home plus Texas in Dallas. Without a good offense this team is a middle tier SEC team. No playoffs for the sooners. Cue 0uSux kid crying .gif.
So out of the top 10, I'd pencil in 5 teams into the playoffs: Indiana, Oregon, Miami, Norte Dame and Georgia. Ohio State and both Texas teams are on the bubble. Too many variables for me to pencil into the playoffs at this point. I'm scrubbing Ole Miss and 0uSux out of the playoffs.
