At this point in the season the number of undefeateds has dwindled to just a handful. We're now in 1-loss playoff contender territory for the most part. My question to you all is how many teams still have a legitimate shot of the playoffs.
By my count, the number is 6. Five of them are rather safe choices.
Alabama, obviously.
Clemson, provided they can defeat a hot-and-cold Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game. DeShaun Watson might be hobbled with that shoulder injury so this isn't assured.
Michigan (gross)
Ohio State
Washington
And the longshot candidate: West Virginia. West Virginia only has one loss, but their schedule has been incredibly weak thanks to the weakness of the Big XII. Their one loss to OK State doesn't look terrible, but it's more a shortage of quality wins at this point. The season-ending game with Baylor no longer looks like a high-stakes banger thanks to Baylor's waxing at home courtesy of TCU, so the only meaningful game left on WVU's schedule is Oklahoma, which WVU might well lose.
Now there are a few darkhorses who could still get in, but they'd need lots of chaos for that to happen. Louisville is obviously the most prominent of these, and if there's any significant chaos that goes on, Louisville (provided they can beat Houston) is the first one to get in.
Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Auburn have the best shots of getting in as 2-loss teams. If Wisconsin wins a rematch against OSU or Michigan, and there's any chaos going on, it would be hard for the committee to deny them entry with 3 Top 25 Victories (not counting MSU who had no business being Top 10 at the time) and their only two losses coming against Top 10 teams. Oklahoma could get in if they run the table on the Big XII and if Washington gets bloodied on the way to the championship or loses to Colorado. Auburn might get in if they defeat Alabama. If the committee can rank a 1-loss team #4 for losing to Bama by 19, they'll have no qualms about ranking a 2-loss team in the top 4 for beating Bama.
What do you all think? Am I missing anyone?
