Chop Chat College Football Playoff Ranking Predictions: November 6th
By Jason Parker
The second College Football Playoff rankings will be released for the 2018 season on Tuesday night, and the Chop Chat staff as ideas of who will be there.
As the calendar for the college football world turned to November last week, the teams still in the conversation for a spot in the College Football Playoff watched as we had our first rankings to show where the teams stand in the eyes of the “completely objective” committee tasked with picking the best SEC…I mean Power Five teams to make the field.
Of course, like in previous seasons, the first rankings show that there is still plenty of football left to play as the LSU Tigers said goodbye to their spot at No. 3 after getting demolished at home – possibly paving the way for the undefeated team that was behind them to move up and create a cluster of one loss teams fighting for the fourth spot.
Of course, since the committee loves to give credit for losses, could one of those teams actually move up ahead of a team who has done their job and won all their games against real teams (sorry, UCF – you still don’t county) – and if we’re going to give credit for losses, why isn’t FSU football getting more love (sarcasm, of course).
Florida State Seminoles Football
Since we love stirring up debate here at Chop Chat, here’s how our staff sees this week’s rankings looking.
Jason Parker’s Picks
No. 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide
I had them at number two last week and while I do think their foes from LSU were slightly overrated based off one win, for the Tide to be able to go into that environment and do work like they did is more than convincing for being in the top spot.
No. 2 – Clemson Tigers
I know that it isn’t far to move them down for doing nothing wrong since they laid 77 points on Louisville this weekend – but it looks more and more like we are getting ready for the fourth College Football Playoff edition of the Tigers and Tide at this point.
No. 3 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
With LSU laying an egg last weekend, the men from South Bend get to move up a spot in this week’s rankings ahead of their eventual upset loss to Florida State this weekend – wait, what?
No. 4 – Michigan Wolverines
While both Michigan and Georgia have 3-1 records against ranked teams this season, the maize and blue have gotten their wins in the last three weeks and looked good against Penn State with their only loss being to the team ahead of them.
Outside Looking In
Georgia Bulldogs – UGa did look good when they went on the road and beat a top 10 Kentucky team last weekend, but that blowout loss to LSU now looks even worse.
Oklahoma Sooners – Neither they nor Washington State had convincing wins last weekend, but Oklahoma beat a better Texas Tech team on the road so they get the edge.
Kelvin Hunt’s Picks
No. 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide
No. 2 – Clemson Tigers
No. 3 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
No. 4 – Michigan Wolverines
Outside Looking In – Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners
Aaron Cabrera-Steele’s Picks
No. 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide
The most dominant team since the 2013 FSU Seminoles
No. 2 – Clemson Tigers
The closest team that can complete with Alabama on offense and defense.
No. 3 – Michigan Wolverines
Defense will lead them past Ohio State and now they have a competent quarterback to score on offense.
No. 4 – Oklahoma Sooners
They will win out and get themselves a College Football Playoff spot with a Big 12 Championship.
Next. Despite record, James Blackman should start next week. dark
Outside Looking In
Notre Dame Fighting Irish – In the playoff picture now, but I think they drop one eventually
UCF Knights – They will continue to be on the outside looking in just because of their strength of schedule and conference.