Why These Teams Will (or Won’t) Make the 2020 College Football Playoff

When the first college football games get underway on August 24, with the rivalry game between the University of Florida and the Miami Hurricanes, all of the teams in the FBS will, at least mathematically, have the same chance of making the national semifinals. However, based on the history, we see that there are some teams that have a lot better chance than others. You can use this perspective to help you figure out your sports betting when it comes to 2020 college football playoffs futures.

Why These Teams Will (or Won’t) Make the 2020 College Football Playoff

Could one loss keep Clemson out of the College Football Playoff this season? ESPN’s Greg McElroy weighs in: https://t.co/McLJddnorH pic.twitter.com/W7dg1wHJlC

— 247Sports (@247Sports) August 7, 2019

Group of Five: Not a chance

Two years ago, the University of Central Florida had a juggernaut of a team. They had two Power 5 teams on their nonconference schedule: Georgia Tech and Maryland. The game against Georgia Tech was canceled amid hurricane concerns, but the Knights did deliver a 38-10 thumping of Big Ten foe Maryland on the road. The Knights tore through their conference slate with a dynamic offense, piling up at least 31 points in each conference win. Their defense was a bit of an issue, as they gave up 42 points in a win over South Florida and 55 points in a win over Memphis in the AAC Championship, but they had a perfect 12-0 record. Did they get a slot in the national semifinals? No, they got a date with Auburn in the Peach Bowl. That’s the same Auburn team that had beaten Alabama and Georgia in SEC play. UCF won, 34-27, and hung a national championship banner in their stadium, but the College Football Playoff committee refused to give them a semifinal slot.

Notre Dame

Last year, the Irish did complete an undefeated regular season before getting demolished by Clemson in the national semifinal. This year, their schedule is much more challenging, as they play at Georgia, at Michigan and at Stanford. Virginia, Virginia Tech and USC all come to play in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus, and all have improved their programs dramatically. Notre Dame will have a hard time winning ten games, let alone all 12. So I don’t see them in the playoff.

Alabama and Clemson

Barring major injuries at the skill positions, it is hard to see either team faltering on the road to the national semifinal. No College Football Playoff has ever omitted Alabama, even the year when they didn’t even win the SEC West two seasons ago, and Clemson has made it four straight times. Both return with their starting quarterbacks, and while both lost multiple defensive starters to the NFL, both have shown the ability to recruit enough blue-chip players to fill the gaps. Alabama has a slightly more difficult schedule in the SEC, but as we have seen, even when the Crimson Tide slip up in conference play, the committee helps them out. Clemson’s toughest road game will likely be their trip to Syracuse, or their trip to South Carolina, so it’s hard to see Clemson missing the playoff either.

Georgia

The Bulldogs head to Auburn, where they lost in the regular season two years ago. They still have Jake Fromm at quarterback, and they still have a nasty defense. The CFP committee loves the SEC, and perhaps rightly so, as Georgia and Alabama went to overtime two national championships ago. If Georgia gets to the SEC Championship without a loss, even falling to the SEC West winner probably would not keep them out.

Ohio State

A new year, a new coach, a new quarterback. It’s hard to see the Buckeyes maintaining that same level of quality with all of this transition. Ohio State won the whole thing in 2014, but if they lose a game or two in Big Ten play, they could win the conference — and still miss out on the playoff.

Oklahoma

The Sooners have made the last two College Football Playoffs — but they have yet to win a playoff game in three total appearances. They have yet another elite quarterback (Jalen Hurts) running Lincoln Riley’s system. The problem for the Sooners may come from their own conference, as Texas is on the rise (and if the Longhorns beat LSU and run the table in Big 12 play, they will make the playoff). Oklahoma’s defense has been their Achilles heel. Can Hurts help the team outscore its defensive issues? We will see.

Michigan

Jim Harbaugh is 0-4 against Ohio State and 0-3 against other teams that would go on to the College Football Playoff later that year. If Michigan is to have a shot at just a Big Ten title, let alone a slot in the College Football Playoff, they have to beat Ohio State, and they get the Buckeyes at home this year.

LSU and USC

Hmmm. These are traditional powerhouses who have been on the short end lately. LSU has to beat Alabama (and they play in Tuscaloosa this year) and rise above such teams as Texas A&M and Auburn for us to take them seriously — and they also play at Texas in non-conference play. USC has a ton of talent, but they will have a fight just to get out of the Pac-12 South, where Utah is waiting with a buzzsaw defense and an improved offense. If there is a sleeper to come out of the Pac-12 to the playoff, it might be the Utes.