College Football 2018: How many teams can make the playoff?
How many teams from around the nation can make the College Football Playoff in 2018? Today, we take an instant look at that in the midst of post-spring.
How many teams can truly make the College Football Playoff in 2018?
It’s a legitimate question to ask. We always say how “everything is wide open,” but I don’t think that’s the case this coming season.
The problem is the gap between the top and the second-tier.
College Football is top-heavy right now with the rich only getting richer, leading to this wide gap. With that being said, here are the teams from each conference that may have a chance to make the playoff.
- ACC- Clemson
Look, other than Clemson, who from the ACC is good enough to make the College Football Playoff?
The answer, at least for the time being, is no one.
I believe that FSU will be improved this year, but that doesn’t mean that the Seminoles are going to go 11-1 and win the ACC. Miami is the favorite out of the coastal, but I don’t see the Hurricanes making the playoff either.
Right now, the ACC is Clemson and then everyone else. That is subject to change this season, but not here in the post-spring.
- BIG Ten- Ohio State, Wisconsin
You may could make an argument for Penn State to be considered in this group, but right now I think the two favorites to win the two BIG Ten divisions are pretty set.
Ohio State and Wisconsin look like overwhelming favorites at this point and it doesn’t look like it will chance.
Michigan isn’t on a level to challenge the Buckeyes nor is Michigan State. Nebraska may be on the rise in the coming seasons, but not this year.
It seems that the BIG Ten Championship game between Ohio State and Wisconsin will decide a College Football Playoff spot.
- Big 12- West Virginia
Maybe Oklahoma proves me wrong, but I just don’t see the Sooners being able to replace Baker Mayfield and competing in that offensive league.
The team best primed to win the conference, believe it or not, may be West Virginia. With Will Grier returning, I think the Mountaineers could be a dark horse to make it to the College Football Playoff.
- Pac-12 – Washington
I think Washington has a great shot at finishing the year 11-1 or 10-2. They may have some competition with Washington State and Stanford, as always, but the Huskies should be in prime position to win the division and compete for the conference.
It will be interesting to see how the Pac-12 shapes out after not having a team in the playoff last season.
- SEC- Alabama, Georgia, Auburn
I’m actually very hesitant to put Auburn on this list. I respect the Tigers, but I just don’t know that they’re on the same level as they were last year.
That leaves Alabama, who is a mainstay on this list, and Georgia.
The Bulldogs should be heavy favorites to win the SEC East and it very well may come down to the battle in Atlanta between the Tide and Georgia for the SEC Championship game.
Next: Predicting the Post-Spring Depth Chart for OL
What do you think? Did we leave someone out? We will take a look more in-depth at some of these teams later this summer, but the point here is that there is only a handful of teams that can truly compete for the College Football Playoff. Right now, I think Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State (you could also put Georgia in that list) are all heavy favorites to get there with maybe one spot remaining for another team to rise up and take.