What now?

As conversation heats up about who will, or at least who should make the four-team playoff the picture will only get more blurry as teams fall from the ranks of the unbeaten and the term quality loses will come into play.  With conference play pitting teams against each other unbeaten teams will diminish and top ten one loss teams will become two-lose teams which will disappear from the discussion.

Each week the outcomes of top ten teams will become more and more important.  Without question the Irish must continue to win to stay in the playoff picture.  With one lose Notre Dame will need some help and will need to have some teams lose over the next several weeks to end up in the final four.

While Notre Dame has a bye this week, there are a number of relevant games that could help the Irish stay near the top of the rankings and work their way back to the top.

#1 Mississippi State plays Kentucky.   It would not be the upset of the century if Kentucky won, but they won’t.   However the Bulldogs still have to play #4 Alabama and Ole Miss.

#2 Florida State plays Louisville.  Again t would not be the upset of the century, but it probably won’t be, FSU wins.  The rest of the regular season looks to favor the Seminoles running the table; however a trip up or a loss in the ACC Championship game may push them out.

#3 Ole Miss faces LSU.  Three weeks ago I would have never given LSU a chance, this week I give them one, a slim one.   They still have to play Mississippi State (someone has to lose) and then a potential SEC Championship.

#4 Alabama plays Tennessee.  Although the Volunteers kept it close early last week against Ole Miss before getting pounded I expect the pounding to begin a bitter sooner this week.   Like the Irish the Crimson Tide has one loss.  They still have #24 LSU, #1 Mississippi State, #5 Auburn  and if they are lucky an SEC Championship game to play to finish the season .  Good luck with all of that.

#5 Auburn plays South Carolina.  Although the Gamecocks are having an off year and some people think they are better than their record shows, I am not one of those people, the Tigers will roll.  Much like the teams ahead of them in the polls Auburn has a gauntlet in front of them where teams will knock each other off and out.  Auburn still has #3 Ole Miss, #9 Georgia and #4 Alabama on its schedule.  

#6 Oregon plays Cal.  Oregon will win.  Sorry it is that easy for them this weekend.  After that there are some teams that will give them more of an issue: Stanford, #19 Utah and Oregon State.  If the Ducks get through their regular season a Pac 12 Championship game will not be a slam dunk.

*#8 Michigan State (*#7 in the USA Today Poll) play Michigan.  Traditionally when these two teams play you can through the seasons records out the window, not this season.  It won’t be close Sparty wins, easily.   After this weekend only Ohio State and a Big Ten Championship game seemingly stand in their why of finishing with only one lose and being in contention form a playoff spot.