2023 College Football - Remaining Schedule Degree of Difficulty For Teams in Final 4 Contention

[Jon Joseph]

According to CBS Sports, Puddles has the toughest path to the playoffs.

 

1. OREGON - WA St., at 14. Utah, Cal, 18. USC, at ASU, 12. Oregon State

 

[OT - Who knew? Probably you but I did not know that Gonzaga CBB coach Mark Few, graduated from Oregon in 1987. UO is a cradle of coaches.]

 

Utah has not lost a home game since 2020 during the no-attendance COVID season of the witch. 

 

Last Pac-12 team to win in SLC? OREGON - 2018 - 30-28 behind the play of Justin Herbert.

 

Of course, one of Utah/USC will lose on Saturday night. CBS ranks but 11. contenders. However, at least in theory, SC is not out of it. The SC D gave up only 255 yards at Notre Dame and only 125 yards rushing. But the offense? 5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 3 picks, and a Special (?) Team breakdown that allowed a punt return for a TD.

 

FWIW, not much based on this season's record, I think that SC will defeat the O-challenged Utes and cover the -7.

 

2. Washington - ASU, at Stanford, at 18. USC, 14. Utah, at 12 Oregon State, WA. St.

 

I happen to be a Beavers Believer when UW trips to Corvallis. But Oregon State best be prepared for its game at Arizona with the Beavs coming off a bye week.

 

3. Penn State - tripping to Columbus with the nation's 2nd best D.

 

4. Ohio State - Penn State at Ohio State is the first of the B1G East Triumverate separation games. (Holy Ceasar's Ghost!) James Franklin is 1-8 vs. Ohio State and 0-10 vs. Top 10 teams on the road.

 

5. Michigan - Would every 1L P5 team be undefeated against Michigan's schedule to date? I think so.

 

2024 - Ohio State in Eugene. Michigan in the Big House. WOW!

 

6. Georgia - Bye and then 20. Mizzu, 13. Ole Miss, and at 17. Tennessee. All games are likely to be played without All-World TE Brock Bowers. This is not the preseason predicted cakewalk. 

 

7. Alabama - But Saturday vs. Tennessee and down the road vs. Jason Daniels and LSU will not be easy outs for an O-challenged Bama team.

 

8. UNC - No FSU on the regular season schedule. Love the 8 game conference schedule, right?

 

9. FSU - 2 big wins are against 2 L teams. Does this warrant a No. 4 ranking? I think FSU would lose to undefeated UW, Oklahoma, and 1L OREGON, Texas, and Penn State.

 

10. Texas - Next tough game vs. Oklahoma in the B12 champ game?

 

11. Oklahoma - Next tough game vs. Texas in the B12 champ game?

 

Also, where is Oregon State on the list? At Arizona, at CU, Stanford, 5. Washington, at 12. OREGON.

 

Arizona will be tough. But getting Washington at home is nice and this will be a mega-fired-up team coming into Autzen. Especially if the Beavers upset UW in Corvallis.

 

IMO, any Pac-12 team that finishes with 1L should be a playoff lock and no lower than a 2 seed. But I am not a Grapevine Guru.

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by Jon Joseph

[Jon Joseph]

Make that a Double NCAA Cheeseburger for Michigan and Jim Harbaugh?

 

The NCAA has notified the B1G and Michigan that Michigan is under investigation for having 'scouts' at future opponent's games who were stealing offense and defense sign signals.

 

There is no penalty for trying to steal sign signals during a game. However, the NCAA prohibits scouts from attending the games of future opponents. (This, among many other things, I did not know.)

 

Looks like Michigan is now on double-secret probation. Will this, if he gets an offer, encourage Harbaugh to return to the NFL? He has already, this season, sat out a 3-game penalty imposed by Michigan.

 

Looks like a double cheeseburger with a side order of deep kimchee.