This January, the best of college football's powerhouses will battle it out to become National Champions in the second annual College Football Playoff. The selection committee will rank the Teams based on "conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, comparison of results against common opponents and other factors," or in layman's terms, the best four teams nationwide. If the playoffs were to occur tomorrow, the teams competing would be Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, and Baylor. Now, let's take a look at how these teams could fare moving forward.
The Clemson Tigers currently hold the crown as the nation's number one team, boasting an impressive 9-0 record catalyzed by sophomore quarterback and Heisman front-runner Deshaun Watson. For the Tigers to maintain their undefeated record, Watson needs to keep playing out of his mind -- the Georgian savant has completed 182 passes for 2233 yards and 21 touchdowns over quality opponents. Sophomore runningback Wayne Gallman has been very streaky and when he gets hot, Clemson's offense is virtually unstoppable. Dabo Swinney's club is riddled with once in a lifetime talent, and this year may very well be the year of the Tiger.
The second ranked team nationally is the Ohio State Buckeyes. Urban Meyer's squad is showing no signs of complacency after winning last year's National Championship, sporting one of the most dynamic offenses in college football history. Coming into the year, there were three polarizing quarterbacks on the roster, all three being some of the best in the nation. Since then, former signal caller Braxton Miller has made his presence known outside of the pocket, while J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones have been taking the snaps. Halfback Ezekiel Elliott has stolen the show and been the primary threat for the buckeyes, landing him in the Heisman conversation. The future is bright for Ohio State, as the remainder of their schedule bodes no real threat. Meyer and company are looking to bag their second straight Natty, and there's no doubt it is theirs for the taking.
Third in the national power rankings is Alabama, driven by head coach Nick Saban and breakout tailback Derrick Henry, another Heisman hopeful who is receiving high praise coming off of a statement win over SEC rival LSU. Alabama has been a dynasty in the last decade, contending for the National Championship year after year. With one loss to a tough Ole Miss team, the Tide are more than capable of making a deep playoff run in early 2016. That being said, they need to prove themselves over Mississippi State and Auburn first.
The fourth ranked team in the nation is the Baylor Bears, who have blown out nearly every team they've come across this season. The Bears rely on stout defense and their phenom wide-receiver Corey Coleman. The junior from Richardson, Texas has reeled in 58 receptions for 1,178 yards and 20 touchdowns through eight games this season, and he's been doing it all with a shaky quarterback situation. The Bears have by no means faced a difficult path to their 8-0 record, but finishing out the schedule undefeated may prove to be difficult- Texas, #12 Oklahoma, #5 Oklahoma State, and #13 TCU, are all hungry to prove themselves.
It has been an eventful season this far, with many teams making their cases to be involved in the playoff conversation. But as capable as every one of these teams may be to win it all, only one team can be named National Champions.
