This college football season has been nothing short of wild, from Alabama being upset by Florida State in week one to Indiana going from unranked to 2nd in the College Football Playoff Rankings. The first playoff ranking came out on November 4 and was topped by Ohio State followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia. These rankings should remain stable for a while with Ohio State being favored in every game and Michigan being the only team likely to defeat the current number one team.
All of the other top teams are favored through the year with Alabama having the hardest schedule. Fourth ranked Alabama finished their season playing Eastern Illinois at home, and away at Auburn for the biggest rivalry game of the season, nicknamed the “Iron Bowl.”
Marketing Teacher Mr. McCartney says that “Oklahoma and Pitt have the hardest schedule” and they do have hard schedules with both playing only a few ranked teams.
However, a game like Michigan and Ohio State could shake up the rankings since Michigan has beaten Ohio State the past five years.
McCartney says that “Georgia vs Georgia Tech, Ohio State vs Michigan, and Pitt vs Notre Dame are the biggest games of the year.”
The rankings this year have been all over the place with preseason ranked one and two, Texas and Penn State, respectively, being dropped far down the rankings. Texas is now 10th and Penn State is unranked.
Sophomore Ryan Schofield’s opinion on Texas is strong: “Texas will finish in playoffs and Arch Manning will be drafted.”
He also said that “Alabama will make a run in the final stretch winning the SEC.”
The SEC seems like the dominant conference this year as they have eight teams in the CFB rankings with the Big Ten right behind with 6 teams in the rankings as of November 12.
Junior Carson Hillebrand says, “Three to four teams from the SEC will make the playoffs.”
Some teams in the rankings have been questionable this season.
Schofield says that “Notre Dame is the most fraudulent team in the playoffs” because Notre Dame has two losses and is still highly ranked with no credible wins.
The same can be said for Ohio State which only has one good win against Texas and Indiana which only have one good win against Oregon respectively.
Hillebrand says that “Texas is on upset alert this month” after a rough first season from Arch Manning and what was supposed to be a star defense.
Some teams in the college playoff run have been impacted by a star player. Those impact players have helped lead their team to where they are and should be in the running for Heisman.
McCartney says “Impact players this season are Ty Simpson, Julian Sayin, Mason Heintschel, Jeremiah Love and Dante Moore.”
Out of those five, Hillebrand says that “Julian Sayin will be Heisman.”
That is a very good possibility as Sayin is in the final run for the Heisman. The favorite right now is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with his incredible 2,461 yards, 21 touchdowns, one interception, with a 66.9 completion percentage and 159.5 quarterback rating. Simpson has been one of the most efficient passers, leading Alabama through a rough stretch of four straight ranked games in September to October. Time will tell who will have the best November to win a Heisman and make a final push for a National Championship.
