TNJN’s Week 14 College Football Playoff picks

Because most teams have played their final regular season games, only conference championships can really shake up the College Football Playoff. This week, No. 2 Ohio State beat No. 3 Michigan in Columbus. Was the loss enough to take the Wolverines out of the playoff picture? Is the win enough to cement the Buckeyes into the top four, regardless of the Big Ten Championship Game?

Here are TNJN’s Week 14 College Football Playoff rankings:

1) Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama continues to further its argument as the No. 1 team in the nation. Although Auburn kept the first half of the Iron Bowl close, Bama’s depth mauled the Tigers down the stretch to a comfortable 30-12 victory. Even an upset in the SEC Championship won’t knock the Crimson Tide out of the College Football Playoff.

Resume wins: USC, Arkansas, at Tennessee, Texas A&M, at LSU, Auburn

What’s next: SEC Championship vs. Florida

2) Ohio State Buckeyes

It took two overtimes, but Ohio State settled “The Game” nonetheless. The 30-27 double overtime victory over the Wolverines may not be enough to ensure the Buckeyes a trip to the playoff, however, as Penn State will represent the Big Ten East in the Big Ten Championship game. But for this week, Ohio State is safe.

Resume wins: at Oklahoma, at Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan

What’s next: Hope Penn State loses in the Big Ten Championship

3) Clemson Tigers

Clemson took care of business against South Carolina this week in the Palmetto Bowl. Since losing to Pitt via a last-second field goal, the Tigers have handily beaten Wake Forest and the Gamecocks by a combined margin of 91-20. If Clemson can beat Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship, the Tigers will almost certainly be in the playoff. Although Lamar Jackson should still win the Heisman, Deshaun Watson’s performances of late may have at least cemented his trip to New York.

Resume wins: at Auburn, Louisville, Florida State

What’s next: ACC Championship vs. Virginia Tech

4) Washington Huskies

Washington won bigly in a blowout against Washington State in the Apple Cup, 45-17, thanks to another big performance from quarterback Jake Browning, who threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. While nothing is guaranteed yet, a win over Colorado in the Pac-12 Championship will likely push the Huskies to the playoff.

Resume wins: Stanford, Utah, Washington State

What’s next: Pac-12 Championship vs. Colorado

On the outside looking in

5) Michigan Wolverines

What needs to happen: What needs to happen is for Jim Harbaugh to figure out how to travel back in time and beat Ohio State. It would take major upsets in almost every conference championship to allow the Wolverines to sneak back into the playoff picture. The Wolverines’ two losses have been by a combined four points, but two losses without a conference championship will almost certainly keep Harbaugh’s khakis from being worn until next season. Even if the playoff committee decides to award playoff spots to two Big Ten teams, they will likely be Ohio State and the Big Ten Champion, but not Michigan.

6) Penn State

What needs to happen: A win against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship certainly needs to happen for the Nittany Lions to have a chance at a playoff spot. A Penn State victory will make things especially messy for the playoff committee. There are a handful of scenarios for James Franklin’s team, so let’s go through them.

Scenario 1: Penn State wins the Big Ten outright, posts an 11-2 record with a head-to-head win against Ohio State, clinches playoff spot. Ohio State clinches playoff spot as well.

Scenario 2: Penn State wins the Big Ten outright, posts an 11-2 record with a head-to-head win against Ohio State, does not clinch playoff spot. Ohio State clinches playoff spot.

Scenario 3: Penn State loses the Big Ten Championship, posts a 10-3 record, out of the playoff, Wisconsin clinches playoff spot with an 11-2 record with head-to-head losses against Ohio State and Michigan.

Scenario 4: Penn State loses the Big Ten Championship, posts a 10-3 record, out of the playoff, Wisconsin does not clinch a playoff spot with an 11-2 record with head-to-head losses against Ohio State and Michigan.

What can be learned from all of the above scenarios is that nobody has any idea what the playoff committee will decide. If Penn State wins against Wisconsin, do you let Ohio State, with only one loss, into the playoff over Penn State, even though Penn State won the head-to-head matchup and the conference championship? Do both teams get in, leaving another conference champion elsewhere out of the picture? Does Ohio State, despite being the No. 2 team in the nation, with wins against Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan get left out solely because they didn’t make it to the Big Ten Championship?

Voters

David Bradford: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Penn State

Chase Carder: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Wisconsin

Robert Hughes: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Penn State

Jonathan Johnson: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Oklahoma

Dominic LoBianco: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Penn State

Ben McKee: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Penn State, 6) Michigan

Nathan Odom: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Washington, 4) Clemson, 5) Penn State, 6) Wisconsin

Quinn Pilkey: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Wisconsin, 6) Michigan

Matt Raymond: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Michigan, 6) Penn State

Danielle Whaley: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Michigan, 5) Wisconsin, 6) Washington

David Wilson: 1) Alabama, 2) Ohio State, 3) Clemson, 4) Washington, 5) Penn State, 6) Michigan

Edited by David Bradford

Featured image by Rob Heller

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