Why do we love college football above all others?
It’s the one sport that plays a meaningful regular season. No wild-cards, no streaking teams late and no multi-round playoff structure (until now for four lucky teams).
From the opener to the finale, every game counts and is ultimately the deciding factor during a program’s quest for championships. Auburn, Oregon and TCU are among several one-loss teams in great shape to be ranked in the top four of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s final poll, but there are many games of intrigue left to play.
Michigan State’s on the outside looking in, but a pivotal upcoming matchup with Ohio State should boost the committee’s opinion of the Spartans after a win.
College football’s hottest Playoff contenders
1. TCU — To put it bluntly, the Horned Frogs should be unbeaten at this point of the season, a blown 21-point lead away from being ranked in the top 3 with fellow unblemished frontrunners Mississippi State and Florida State. TCU’s body of work (three wins over ranked teams) is substantial and a victory Saturday makes the Horned Frogs a near Playoff lock.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 2
- Margin of victory since last loss: 29.6 PPG (3 games)
- Tough games remaining: vs. No. 7 Kansas State, Saturday
2. Oregon — Marcus Mariota and the Ducks finally exterminated their kryptonite last weekend, disposing of Stanford by four touchdowns. Oregon’s fast-paced attack is back to full strength with an offensive line that’s performing at a much more higher rate than early in the season. The Ducks are a legitimate threat and will be favored in every game the rest of the way.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 1
- Margin of victory since last loss: 21.0 PPG (4 games)
- Tough games remaining: at. No. 17 Utah, Saturday
3. Auburn — The Tigers eliminated Ole Miss from Playoff contention last weekend with a thrilling four-point victory in Oxford, a statement game that sticks out on an impressive season-long resume that includes a victory at nationally-ranked and fellow one-loss contender Kansas State. Two games against strong SEC competition — Georgia and Alabama — await before the Western Division is decided.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 1
- Margin of victory since last loss: 5.5 PPG (2 games)
- Tough games remaining: at No. 5 Alabama, Nov. 29
4. Michigan State — Benefiting from a relatively weak schedule, the Spartans have crushed the competition since Oregon posted 28 unanswered points in the second half to post a crucial non-conference win in Autzen on Sept. 6. Michigan State needs to win out and receive help from others to reach the final four at season’s end.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 1
- Margin of victory since last loss: 30.5 PPG (6 games)
- Tough games remaining: vs. No. 14 Ohio State, Saturday
5a. Alabama — Considered by some analysts — and various sportsbooks — as the nation’s best team, the Crimson Tide’s still searching for a meaningful win this season, an opportunity coming three times over the next four weeks. Alabama faces the toughest remaining schedule of any elite with LSU, Mississippi St. and Auburn waiting in the wings.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 1
- Margin of victory since last loss: 24.6 PPG (3 games)
- Tough games remaining: vs. No. 1 Mississippi St., Nov. 15
5b. Kansas State — If there’s such thing as a ‘good loss’ then the Wildcats have it, a Thursday night early-season setback against Auburn. Kansas State has cruised since, but three games against ranked teams over the final four contests will determine if the Wildcats are truly a contender.
- Wins over ranked teams since last loss: 1
- Margin of victory since last loss: 24.0 PPG (5 games)
- Tough games remaining: at No. 6 TCU, Saturday
