Oklahoma should join LSU, Ohio State and Clemson in top four
College football’s unbeaten teams flexed their muscles in different ways, but all just as impressively, to head into what should be a delicious playoff season.
LSU, Ohio State and Clemson will be the top three teams when the College Football Playoff committee sets the pairings for the sport’s final four playoff bracket on Sunday afternoon. All at 13-0, They will be the top three teams in the Associated Press poll as well and that’s where they remain on my ballot.
Easy choice here. LSU pounded Georgia 37-10 in the SEC title game, knocking the No. 4 Bulldogs out of the playoff picture. That’s as it should be, given Georgia lost at home to a terrible South Carolina team back in October.
Ohio State fell behind Wisconsin 21-7 at halftime, raising the specter of chaos. But the fierce Buckeyes scored the game’s final 27 points to win 34-21 and claim the Big Ten crown.
Clemson did what’s its done to everyone but North Carolina, routing Virginia 62-17 in the ACC final. That one-point win at Chapel Hill back in September looks more and more like an outlier for the reigning national champions.
If Clemson and Ohio State play in the CFP semifinals, it will be one great matchup.
Oklahoma (12-1) survived Baylor 30-23 in overtime to win the Big 12 and, it appears, get the final playoff berth. I have the Sooners at No. 4 and the CFP committee should, too.
After that, I kept Georgia (11-2) at No. 5, just ahead of two teams it defeated -- Florida (9-3) and Auburn (9-3). Alabama (10-2) is No. 8, just behind Auburn given the Tide lost to the Tigers.
Oregon (11-2) and Utah (11-2) round out the top 10. The Ducks are behind Auburn because of a head-to-head loss way back on Labor Day weekend. Yes Auburn has three losses but they are all to teams I have ahead of them in the rankings -- LSU, Georgia and Florida.
Baylor (11-2) starts the second 10. The Bears’ only two losses are to Oklahoma by thin margins. But, speaking of thin, that’s a apt description of their nonconference schedule, so they aren’t worthy of a top-10 ranking.
Wisconsin (10-3) is next in a cluster of Big Ten teams. Minnesota (10-2), Penn State (10-2) and Michigan (9-3) follow. Wisconsin’s win over Minnesota last month gives the Badgers the edge here.
After Notre Dame (10-2) comes the Group of Five teams, with American Athletic Conference champion Memphis (12-1) in place to grab a Cotton Bowl berth. Boise State (12-1) and Appalachian State (12-1) are next, a pair of one-loss teams whose only stumble cost them consideration for a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Here’s the ballot I submitted to the Associated Press on Sunday morning, with last week’s ranking on my ballot in parenthesis.
LSU (1)
Ohio State (2)
Clemson (3)
Oklahoma (6)
Georgia (4)
Florida (7)
Auburn (10)
Alabama (6)
Oregon (14)
Utah (5)
Baylor (9)
Wisconsin (11)
Minnesota (12)
Penn State (13)
Michigan (15)
Notre Dame (14)
Memphis (18)
Boise State (20)
Appalachian State (21)
Iowa (19)
Navy (22)
Cincinnati (18)
Oklahoma State (23)
USC (24)
Virginia (25)
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Oklahoma should join LSU, Ohio State and Clemson in top four."