Headed Into The College Football Playoff
By: Jack Denney
The College Football landscape has been tossed, turned, and flipped upside down since the beginning of the season in August. Preseason playoff hopefuls such as Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Michigan State, find themselves unranked four months later, only to be replaced by surprises of the season such as Washington, Kansas State, and LSU. However, the previous three teams mentioned are out in terms of a shot at the College Football playoff. As an avid watcher of football for the past decade, I have culminated a deeper level of understanding for the game. In this article, I’m going to be analyzing and predicting the current ranked Top 6 Teams leading up to the College Football Playoff.
1-4: The Playoff Teams
Ladd McConkey celebrates with teammates after a touchdown.
Georgia Bulldogs. (13-0)
The 2021-2022 National champions seem to have not lost a step. Although their team from the prior season produced a plethora of talent for this year’s NFL draft, Georgia has seemed to reload, rather than rebuild. Their defense remains the most feared in the nation, headed by potential Top 5 pick Defensive Tackle, Jalen Carter. While Carter has missed a few games and isn’t necessarily the most stat-empowered player, his impact on the game is undeniable. Carter’s run-stuffing ability and pass-rushing upside has completely eliminated opposing teams from getting anything going on the offensive side. Teaming up with the stud Secondary, composed of the deadly safety tandem of Strong Safety Nolan Smith, Free Safety Malaki Starks, and surefire first-round pick Cornerback Kelee Ringo, the Bulldog’s defense, will guarantee them to remain the top dogs in the nation heading into the first round of the College Football Playoff.
However, the Bulldog’s offense lacks some star power. Outside of tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington, the Bulldogs don’t have a top-end prospect in terms of skill position. Receivers like Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint provide a fine fill for playmakers, but they aren’t the top-end talent that their competitors have on their rosters. Quarterback Stetson Bennett has gotten this team to win the championship before, but I am wary of his play at times. I’m not sure of Bennett’s ability to win games for Georgia, but I think he can be the reason they lose.
The Bulldog’s offense is blessed week to week with outstanding field position due to the incredible defense, oftentimes offense not even having to take the field because the defense is putting points on the board. Although Bennett did receive an invitation to New York for the Heisman trophy finalists --a decision I disagree with--his play is incredibly undeserving of this invitation, and his stats do not back up any sense in voting for the Georgia Quarterback. The Bulldogs will face Ohio State in the preliminary round of the playoffs, where I think they will face their hardest test of the entire season. A strong defense will prove extremely difficult for the Bulldog’s offense to overcome, and their lack of strength in opposing defenses that they have faced this season does worry me the most about anything with this Georgia team.
My final concern with the reigning champs is their overall strength of schedule this season. The Bulldogs annihilated the then-ranked number 11 Oregon Ducks in their season opener, having an impressive showing against the former number 1 team in the nation, Tennessee Volunteers, but both of those teams have now lost games that discredit their respective seasons. The Bulldogs smoked the LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship game and provided their most impressive offensive output of the season. The defense did give up their most points all season against the Tigers, but they also produced takeaways that made the Bulldog’s offense’s lives insanely easier.
At this point, the Bulldogs are easily the favorites to win the championship, and extremely deservingly, but I think that the playoffs will truly reveal just how good of a quarterback Stetson Bennett is and if the Bulldogs really did just have a cupcake schedule this season.
Michigan stakes their claim in Columbus, Ohio.
2. Michigan Wolverines. (13-0)
The Michigan Wolverines, like the Bulldogs, have also not lost a step since the previous season. Although the Wolverines made the playoff last year, that didn’t stop Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh from making a quarterback change. Since week 2, former 5-star quarterback JJ McCarthy has taken the reins of this offense, and the team’s ceiling has soared. The team has struggled at times with some lower-tier competition, but they have proven that they can win the big games with wins over teams like Penn State, Iowa, Michigan State, and most recently their rival, Ohio State.
These wins have stacked up a nice resume for the Wolverines, and they are not short of top-end talent. Running Back Blake Corum has absolutely gone off this year, and the addition of Wide Receiver Ronnie Bell has proven to be a big one. Wide Receiver Cornelius Johnson himself torched the Ohio State Secondary, and backup Running Back Donovan Edwards had a monster game against Ohio State in place of Corum due to Corum dealing with a minor injury. Beating Ohio State in Columbus is a HUGE feat. That win alone is the most impressive victory out of any team in the playoff. The Wolverines, like Georgia, also produced a number of draft picks, but they have also filled the holes left behind nicely.
The Wolverines handled the Purdue Boilermakers in the Big 10 Championship and did their job to stay in the College Football Playoff. My biggest fear for the Wolverines is, ironically enough, their Quarterback. JJ McCarthy had a massive game against the Buckeyes, but he is inconsistent and extremely antsy whenever plays aren’t immediately available to him. The reason McCarthy had his biggest game of the season against the Buckeyes is his reliance on the play of his receivers and O-line and his outstanding running game. The Wolverines’ Offensive Line is the best run-blocking team in the nation. Their dual-headed rushing attack of Edwards and Corum will prove to be a challenge for their first-round matchup in TCU. If they win that game, they will put whoever is in the Championship game to the test. The rushing attack, the strength of the schedule, and star power are going to cause trouble in the playoffs. If this team can play how they did in Columbus, I would etch them in as my early favorites to make the College Football Championship game in January.
The Horned Frogs defense after coming up with a huge stop defensively.
3. TCU Horned Frogs. (12-1)
Out of the remaining teams in the playoff hunt, the Horned Frogs have easily faced the most adversity and shown the most resilience. The Horned Frogs hired a brand new head coach Sonny Dykes, leading the team to a perfect regular season record as Quarterback Max Duggan earned himself an invitation to New York for the Heisman ceremony, Running Back Kendre Miller has absolutely torched teams through the ground game this season, and Wide Receiver Quentin Johnston is most likely going to be the first Wide Receiver off the board in this year’s upcoming NFL Draft in April.
TCU’s studs don’t just play on offense, with Cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson exceptional in coverage and Cornerback Josh Newton excellently complimenting the other side of the field. While they do have the least amount of starpower amongst the remaining teams, they prove week after week that they just win games. It might not be in the most spectacular fashion, but they have beaten every team they have faced in the regular season, including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas, all of whom were ranked during the time of their matchup.
I fear for TCU’s talent deficit will be a large factor among the big dogs since they are yet to face a team of that caliber. However, I think that the Horned Frogs’ ability to fight til the last second, their offensive power trio, and their good Cornerbacks could produce a tough opponent for the rest of the teams in the playoff. The Horned Frogs did lose in the Big 12 Championship to Kansas State, but it was in overtime and amidst an extremely controversial no-touchdown call on the goal line. The Playoff selection committee elected to place TCU in the playoff instead of Alabama, and I think it was the right choice. Alabama and TCU had one common opponent in Texas with the Horned Frogs beating them in a more dominating fashion and in the same building. The Horned Frogs complete comebacks virtually every other week, and they will face another opportunity to prove people wrong whenever they face Michigan in the first round, but I do think they are the weakest of the four teams in and might be facing a potential blowout whenever they go against the Wolverines.
The Buckeyes take the field.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have the most talented offense in the entirety of the nation.
Quarterback CJ Stroud is arguably the best Quarterback in the nation, and the Wide Receiver corps is easily the most talented year in and year out for the Buckeyes, consistently producing NFL talent and finding another stud group to put on the field every year. This year, the Buckeyes have unleashed Marvin Harrison Jr., the best Wide Receiver prospect I’ve seen in quite some time. He isn’t even old enough to enter this year’s NFL draft. Alongside Harrison Jr. are fellow Wide Receivers Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, and Gee Scott Jr.. Combined together, the four of them create the offensive juggernaut that has been giving opposing defensive coordinators nightmares.
The Buckeyes have had a committee type of run game this year, with Running Backs TreVeyon Henderson, Dallan Hayden, and Miyan Williams providing a substantial rushing attack, and potential first-round left and right Tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones respectively, being elite contributors in both run and pass blocking. However, the Buckeyes did lose in their home arena versus their greatest rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, which presented concerns for the Buckeyes. The defense, led by Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, Cornerback Denzel Burke, and Defensive End JT Tuimoloa, struggled immensely against the Wolverines even though the Wolverines didn’t have their best player in Blake Corum. Although Ohio State was undefeated up until November 26th, they still missed out on the Big 10 Championship game, which hurt their credibility. However, with a USC loss, the Buckeyes slid into the playoff, where a Michigan rematch could take place in the National Championship game - which would be absolutely incredible and would generate an immense amount of viewership.
My biggest concern for the Buckeyes is what happens to the team whenever adversity hits, the defense in totality. I’m not completely sure of Head Coach Ryan Day’s ability to win the big games. Ohio State is always stacked to the brim with talent, but has failed to win the Championship since Ryan Day’s inauguration. The defense is often underperforming but is an overall solid unit that has the potential to be great. The team showed they couldn’t handle adversity well, as shown in the game against Michigan. If the Buckeyes can play to their potential, I have no doubt in my mind that they can be the best team in the nation and walk away with a national championship, but that remains to be a massive “IF.” Star Wide Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has chosen to forego the playoffs for preparation for the NFL draft, but I don’t have any doubt in my mind that this offense will still be in full effect. The Bulldogs are going to easily prove as the most difficult defense the Buckeyes have faced this season, but if Stroud and Harrison can connect early and hit the Bulldogs in the mouth, I can see the Buckeyes pulling off the upset on the way to the championship. At full power, this is my most complete team, and my championship favorite.
The Alabama Crimson Tide's defense celebrates after a crucial fumble recovery.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide. (10-2)
Everything went in the favor of the Crimson Tide on Championship Weekend. USC and TCU both lost, which led many college football analysts and fans - myself not included - to expect the Crimson Tide to pull it off once again, and sneak into the playoffs. However, this proved to not be true when the committee elected to leave the defeated TCU in the playoff instead of a 2-loss Alabama team. Many fans were outraged by this and yearned for a potential rematch of last year’s National Championship game, but their wishes were not granted and the Crimson Tide was forced right outside of the playoff picture with a Sugar Bowl appearance in lieu of a playoff spot.
The Crimson Tide will face the Big 12 champions in the Kansas State Wildcats, and the Tide will most likely be without Bryce Young, last year’s Heisman winner and probable number-one overall pick in the draft. On the defensive side of the ball, the Tide has my favorite player in the entirety of college football, Edge Rusher Will Anderson Jr. who led the nation in sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage last year. However, his stats were stunted this year due to commanding more attention from opposing offensive lines, which consisted of an extremity of chip and double-team blocks. The Tide will most likely be without these two players for the Sugar Bowl due to the NFL draft, but I still anticipate a blowout for the tide. Backup and future starting quarterback Jalen Milroe started a few games for the Tide alternatively for Young who was nursing an injury. Milroe looked nearly above average as a passer, but his athleticism was on full display as he led the team to an undefeated record as a starter. Bama will lose quite a bit of talent due to their preparation of the draft, but the Tide is always rolling. Milroe will absolutely TEAR apart the Wildcat’s defense, but the defense will struggle immensely as a substantial amount of their players will be preparing for the draft instead of playing in the bowl game.
The Tide has the most iconic and overall best coach in college football of all time, Nick Saban, and I’m sure of his ability to win games for the Tide. The defense will struggle against tiny, yet electric Kansas State Running Back Deuce Vaughn if he doesn’t elect for the draft early, but I’m sure Saban will produce some twisted and manipulative game plan to shut down Vaughn. Although Bama will lose a bunch of prospects to the draft process prior to the bowl game, Saban has never failed to produce high end talent, and falter in the big games. I predict a substantial victory in favor of the tide and for Milroe to put the nation on notice for next year.
Quarterback Hendon Hooker set to throw.
6. Tennessee Volunteers. (10-2)
There was a point in time this season where Quarterback Hendon Hooker led the nation in the Heisman voting. The Volunteers were the number one ranked team in the nation--the favorites to win the National Championship by the Vegas odds. The Volunteers amassed an incredible resume against SEC competition, with wins over the likes of Alabama and Florida, and dominant victories over LSU and Kentucky. Following their victory over Kentucky on September 29th, the Vols earned a number one ranking in the primary college football playoff rankings. However, this ranking only lasted a week, as Georgia walked into Neyland--Tennessee’s house--and beat the Vols by two scores.
Following the loss, Tennessee dropped to five, but still had extremely high chances to make the playoffs at the end of the year with many analysts still having Tennessee as their favorites for the championship, despite losing to Georgia. However, these chances were absolutely ruined after a crippling loss to South Carolina. Hooker was injured and the team’s weaknesses were on full display. The Vols bounced back and now find themselves ranked at 6th in the nation with an Orange Bowl matchup against Clemson in the balance. I am extremely worried about the defense who have given up substantial amounts of points against competent opponents and have produced hilarious attempts at stopping the run. Although the Clemson Tigers just lost their starting Quarterback in DJ Uiagalelei, that might end up being a blessing in disguise for the Tigers who have backup Cade Klubnik to lead the unit now. I am mortified of what Klubnik is going to do to this secondary in the Orange Bowl - ironically enough the two teams in the ORANGE bowl and predominantly orange-branded teams. Considering the defense can’t cover a fly, I think the Tigers are going to have a field day against them. Although I do believe in Head Coach Josh Hueppel’s ability to coach an incredible offense, I fear for the defense more than almost any team in the entire nation.
This team is EXTREMELY reminiscent of the Lincoln Riley OU teams, but with less talent. Klubnik will most likely have his way against the Vols, and I predict an upset against the former number-one overall team in the nation, in favor of the Clemson Tigers.
It has been an amazing season to watch, with an unprecedented amount of parity and the emergence of new stars. Although I am sad to see it go away, the greatest sport in the world will never lose its spark. I am incredibly interested to see how some NFL prospects do in their upcoming bowl games. I’m sure the games will not lack entertainment! I hope you all enjoyed my analysis, and I hope you all have a happy New Year!