The carnage is coming, and that reality has already hit some teams that entered the season with aspirations of reaching the College Football Playoff. Now that conference action is underway, the losses are starting to pile up within the Power Four and the path to the playoffs is getting tougher. The four Power Four conferences now play nine championship games, meaning there are fewer opportunities to absorb losses while building a cleaner resume.
Only 13 Power Four teams remain undefeated, while 32 of the 68 teams have already lost at least twice. For many of these teams, running the table from here on out may be the only way to punch their ticket to the CFP.
There are just two Top 25 matchups in Week 6, with two of those remaining undefeated meeting Saturday night when Alabama hosts Georgia. Kalen DeBoer won his two regular season meetings with Smart Kirbybut the Bulldogs got the better of the Crimson Tide in last year’s SEC championship game. Earlier Saturday, the old Pac-12 rivals met again when UCLA visits Oregonwith both teams looking to bolster their resumes.
This exercise is not necessarily about projecting what the CFP field would look like if the season ended today. This is a more forward-looking view of each team’s position in the race and how its path to the 12-team field looks each week. To do this, we divided the 68 Power Four teams, including Notre Damein five levels:
- Favorites — In the best position to take the CFP now
- On the bubble — Firmly in the conversation but still with a lot to prove
- Still work to do — I haven’t done enough yet to separate
- Long shots that need help — Still alive, but with a much more difficult path
- Eliminated — No chance of getting there
So which Power Four teams are in the best position as things stand, and who made things much harder on themselves heading into Week 6?
Gn sports
