ACC
It’s all about Clemson in the ACC. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers now sit at 10-0 and look almost certain to finish the regular season at 12-0.
However, the ACC Championship Game will likely see the Tigers go up against a North Carolina team that continues to improve as the season progresses. The Tar Heels have a very good chance of finishing the regular season at 11-1, but it’s doubtful that even a win over Clemson in the conference championship game would get them into the playoffs without a ton of help from a variety of other teams.
Still, North Carolina has the opportunity to play spoiler, and a win over the Tigers would certainly grab the attention of the rest of the country.
Big 12
No conference is more jumbled and tough to figure out right now than the Big 12.
Oklahoma’s road win over Baylor has the Sooners back in the thick of the College Football Playoff hunt and delivered a near-fatal blow to the Bears’ hopes of contending for a national title.
Oklahoma State remained undefeated and avoided having its national championship hopes derailed in Ames at the hands of Iowa State like it did in 2011, but the Cowboys still have showdowns with Baylor and Oklahoma remaining on their schedule.
Four teams (Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Baylor and TCU) have one or fewer losses at this point in the season, so the scenarios that can play out are seemingly endless.
As of now, it looks like the regular-season finale between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could very well be a de facto conference championship game that earns one of those two teams a spot in the College Football Playoff.
However, it’s also entirely possible that, for a second straight year, there will be multiple teams that finish at 11-1 and the Big 12 will once again be left on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs.
Big Ten
Though Michigan State still has a really outside shot at finding its way into the College Football Playoff, the Big Ten has two real threats of making it to the final four: Ohio State and Iowa.
The defending national champions have a huge showdown this weekend with the Spartans, followed by a matchup in their regular-season finale with Khaki Jesus and the Michigan Wolverines. If the Buckeyes get through these two games unscathed, they’ll be in great position to make a return trip to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes sit at 10-0 and are extremely likely to finish the regular season undefeated. If they can take down Ohio State in Indianapolis at the Big Ten Championship Game, they’ll almost certainly punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff.
Pac-12
After last weekend, the Pac-12’s playoff hopes are looking like those of the Sun Belt.
First, the Oregon Ducks upset the Stanford Cardinal, who had the best shot out of any team in the Pac-12 of making the playoffs. This left all of the conference’s hopes resting on the shoulders of Utah, who was promptly upset by Arizona in double-overtime on the road.
For a Pac-12 team to make the College Football Playoff, essentially every team currently in contention would have to lose over the next few weeks. In essence, this past weekend sealed their fate.
Better luck in 2016.
SEC
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes and the Dark Lord Nick Saban having his team in national title contention come November.” — Benjamin Franklin
Once again, Alabama looks poised to make the College Football Playoff. Big surprise. But with LSU falling last weekend to Boss Hog Bert Bielema and the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Crimson Tide look like the SEC’s only hope at making the playoffs.
Sure, Florida could make it if it wins out, but the Gators’ play the past few weeks doesn’t inspire much confidence going into the SEC Championship Game.
Roll. Damn. Tide.
FBS Independents (Notre Dame)
The Fighting Irish are right there in the mix for the College Football Playoff. Their résumé took a slight hit this past weekend with the loss to Stanford, who they play in their regular-season finale.
A (potential) win over the Cardinal might not look as impressive now, but a 11-1 Notre Dame team is still going to have a really good shot of making the playoffs. The Irish’s fate might end up hinging on what happens to other contenders, but only time will tell.
