This past Saturday, the Colorado Buffaloes emerged as one of the biggest winners in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race despite their lack of play. This came as Iowa State lost to Texas Tech, reducing the number of undefeated Big 12 teams to a single one, and Kansas State fell to Houston, already having lost to Colorado the previous month. Now, Colorado sits comfortably in the ranks of potential playoffs competitors, provided it navigates the rest of the season skillfully.
The Big 12 league now has only three teams with one conference loss or fewer, down from six teams two weeks ago, placing Colorado in the thick of the conference race. BYU remains the only undefeated team in the Big 12 portfolio, with Colorado tied for second place alongside Iowa State. Colorado’s chances appear reasonable as they face Texas Tech, and later, three teams from the lower half of the conference table. Neither Iowa State nor BYU pose direct threats, as they won’t be playing Colorado.
Colorado’s most reasonable path to the playoffs is rooted in an Iowa State loss. If this doesn’t occur, Colorado may still qualify for the Big 12 Championship Game via tiebreakers. The playoff system’s current iteration allows every conference race relevance and significance, giving Colorado a chance to leverage this and emerge at the top of the ranks.
Shifting attention to the American Athletic Conference (ACC), Clemson’s loss to Louisville marked a massive blow to the ACC’s chances of presenting two teams for the playoffs. However, SMU has a decent resume and if it can’t win the ACC, Miami might be the league’s best shot for a position in the bracket.
In the Big Ten conference, Ohio State’s victory over Penn State was a significant boost for the Big Ten. The conference now looks set to place three teams in the Playoffs, with a fourth being plausible. The Indiana-Ohio State game on Nov. 23 now stands as a playoff determination game, as both teams maintain legitimate playoff hopes.
The Security Exchange Commission (SEC) conference sets a tougher stage with five teams having only one conference loss. Therefore, the race for the automatic bid in Atlanta remains unpredictable. While the ACC and Big 12 offer decisive outcomes, the SEC continues to keep experts guessing who would make it to Atlanta.
Finally, taking a look at the Group of 5, Boise State’s Playoff aspirations have surged while some competition has fallen. They could potentially snag the No. 4 seed with the Group of 5 automatic bid if we get a surprise winner in the Big 12. Furthermore, if Boise State is ranked higher than any Power 4 conference champion on Selection Sunday, they will secure a bye into the quarterfinals as the No. 4 seed.
