College football now becomes a four-week sprint to the finish line of the regular season. November will clarify the national championship picture.
Currently, any one of five undefeated teams can win the championship. Ohio State is also undefeated but ineligible for postseason play.
Alabama is the early leader for one spot in the national title games. The Crimson Tide should have an easy path if they defeat LSU this weekend.
The front runners to face Alabama are Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame.
Heisman candidate Collin Klein at quarterback and a stout defense lead Kansas State. The Wildcats might have the most underrated coach in the county in Bill Snyder in his second go around at KSU.
Oregon features its familiar high-powered offense and an improved defense. The Ducks have wasted little time blowing teams out this season and have yet to really be challenged for four quarters.
Notre Dame in the championship race is like the New York Yankees in the World Series: The Fighting Irish invoke strong emotion. They’re the Dallas Cowboys of college football, and the more they win, the more the media will sing the praises of the “Golden Domers” and “Touchdown Jesus.”
The craziness really begins if all these top teams stumble. That would open the door for Louisville out of the Big East. The Cardinals must finish undefeated to have any shot for a spot in the title game.
If all the undefeated teams lose, or all but one stumbles at some point in the final four games, it will open the door to a flood of one-loss teams. Florida, Georgia, LSU and Florida State are waiting in the wings.
LSU will be out of the title race if they fall to Alabama this weekend. Georgia can’t afford a loss at the end of the regular season or at the SEC title game.
Florida just has to sit back and let Alabama beat LSU and then Georgia. The Gators will then have to hope someone beats Kansas State and Notre Dame to open the door to the title game.
Florida State needs every team in front of them to lose at least once. The Seminoles also have to defeat the Gators at the end of the season.
College football playoffs are coming, but that will not stop the potential BCS madness this season. A few upsets in the final four weeks of the season could create chaos. Wackiness will ensue with upsets in the PAC-12 or SEC championship games.
I have the feeling that controversy will strike before the season ends. Sit back and watch it all unfold.
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