The conference championship schedule closes on Saturday – in addition to other regular season games. Entering the day, Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State hold the top four places – in that order – in the College Football Playoff rankings, with Texas A&M in fifth place.
The top five have been unchanged since the College Football Playoff Committee began publishing its weekly rankings on November 24.
The committee will release four teams’ playoff selections on Sunday (two weeks later than originally scheduled), with the playoff semifinals scheduled for New Years Day and the championship game on January 11.
But even as the top four teams become known, this has been far from a typical season, as the pandemic, like so many other things, seemingly turned the sport upside down.
“Covid has changed our whole lives, but it has not changed our protocol at the CFP,” said Gary Barta, chair of the selection committee of College Football Playoff, on November 24. “We look at each team’s win / loss record. We look at the power of head-to-head on the schedule, matches played with regular opponents, and ultimately we’ll look at those who become champions of the conference.”
This season, the committee will review teams that played just six games and as many as eleven – with conferences like the Big Ten starting the season in late October and Pac-12 in early November. The Big 12, Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference kicked off in September.
Has No. 4 Ohio State done enough?
One of those teams that only played six games is Ohio State. Down 22 players on Saturday, the Buckeyes came from behind to beat No. 14 Northwestern 22-10 to win the Big Ten title.
At 6-0, Ohio State, one of many programs with Covid-19 problems this season, had to cancel its game against Illinois earlier this season, while two other schools (Maryland and Michigan) had to cancel against the Buckeyes due to their own problems. Covid-19 concerns.
“I’m not going to talk about other teams because I think we have enough to talk positively about our program,” Ryan Day, Ohio State’s head coach, told reporters Saturday. “But I’ll say this: if we have the chance to play against anyone in the country in one game, I’ll take the Ohio State Buckeyes. I have a strong feeling for this team. We have an incredible character, and they have so much. experienced. “
Currently looking on the outside at Texas A&M (8-1), whose only loss was to Alabama, 52-24. That loss kept the Aggies from making it to the SEC championship game – an important part for the committee. The best classified Alabama (10-0) will face No. 7 Florida (8-2) in the SEC title game on Saturday evening.
“Seven consecutive SEC wins,” said Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M head coach, who explained his case after his team defeated Tennessee 34-13 on Saturday. “Some schools haven’t even played in seven games. Win seven in a row in the SEC and win eight in total. I don’t care what league you’re in. I don’t care what anyone else says. If you want to get the best four teams to choose, we are one of them. “
Saturday’s ACC title game between Clemson (9-1) and Notre Dame (10-0) could contain half of the four-team playoff field. Clemson’s only loss came on the road in double overtime against the Fighting Irish – and that was when Tiger’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sidelined over Covid-19 protocol.
Can the Rose Bowl Be Held Outside of California?
Playoff semi-finals take place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. But with California’s latest restrictions, the use of the iconic Rose Bowl site could be in jeopardy.
Hancock told reporters on Tuesday that the hope is that the state will allow families to attend the Rose Bowl. Hancock did not specify a timetable as to when a decision should be made to potentially move that semifinal elsewhere if families are not allowed.
“Given the reality of 2020, we always reserve the right to make decisions as late as possible,” said Hancock. “For example, what happens if the state of California stops completely and doesn’t allow games anymore? So we’re monitoring the situation, but we plan to play that semifinal in the Rose Bowl.”
Could a team possibly decline a playoff spot if families are not allowed to attend?
“I’m not sure we’ll play in the playoffs if the parents can’t be there, to be honest,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly told reporters Friday. Kelly supported moving the semi-finals in the Rose Bowl to a different venue.
The national championship game is held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.