How much two-loss chaos can College Football Playo : 0xbt

How much two-loss chaos can College Football Playo

Every week, SNs Bill Bender will look at the national landscape in college football in Around the Bender. This week, hell explore two-lo s chaos theory, Lamar Jacksons numbers, the SEC East winner, the big-time program most likely to fire its coach, and, of course a little #FunBelt. Lets talk a little two-lo s chaos. A total of 15 Power 5 schools have two lo ses entering Week 11. That crowded field includes Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Utah, Washington State, Colorado, Auburn, Texas A&M and Florida.MORE: Some have been talked about more than others, like Wisconsin. Others havent been talked Chris Taylor Jersey about much, like Minnesota. Yet the Gophers will have just as much say in the Big Ten race over the next three weeks. Despite playing five out of nine conference games on the road, Minnesota could have that same chance to reach Indianapolis if it can win its last three games. Does one of these teams actually have a chance to make the College Football Playoff? Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys put it bluntly: History tells you its not going to happen."I think there is a little bit of a disadvantage there until the committee is willing to show that they'll put in a good two-lo s team, Claeys said on the Big Ten teleconference Tuesday. Up to this point there's no reason to believe that you're going to get into the playoff with two lo ses, but you'll get one of the New Year's Day bowls."Claeys has a point. History isnt on the two-lo s team'sside. But what if Duke Snid Jersey theres a jumble of chaos? Can we play What if? just for fun?BENDER: Here's how it would go down: ACC: Virginia Tech or North Carolina beats Clemson in the championship game, leaving the conference with a two-lo s champion and Clemson and Louisville with at least one lo s apiece. Big Ten: Michigan loses twice and Ohio State wins out, which sends Penn State to Indianapolis to face one of Wisconsin, Nebraska or Minnesota out of the Big Ten West. Ohio State finishes with one lo s while Michigan and the Big Ten champion finish with two lo ses. Big 12: Oklahoma wins the Big 12 with two lo ses. Oklahoma State and Baylor or one-lo s West Virginia also could win out and finish with two lo ses, but the Sooners remain the most viable College Football Playoff candidate given the schedule they took on in September. Pac-12: Washington or Washington State wins the Pac-12 North, but faces the two-lo s survivor of Utah and Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game and loses. SEC: Florida wins out and represents the SEC East and faces Auburn, which also wins out and beats Alabama in the Iron Bowl. The winner of Auburn-Florida wins the conference, while one-lo s Alabama sits and watches.At that point, who would the College Football Playoff committee even begin to consider for the four spots? Thats not even considering that Western Michigan could go undefeated out of the MAC. How would the committee even begin to sort that me s out? How many computers would catch on fire, and what would the social media reaction be? How could you get that right? Or wrong? Or both?MORE: Thats the max-out scenario, but it really starts with one. Since the BCS championship era started in 1998, LSU was the only two-lo s team to play for a national championship (2007). The playoff hasnt featured a two-lo s team yet, and that seems like a long shot unle s at least a few of those conferences reach Cody Bellinger Jersey max chaos levels.Thats a long way down the road, and it might take a lot more chaos. Yet Minnesota like the rest of the two-lo s crowd will have its say."We felt like if we played well that we could get to November and be in that discu sion, Claeys said.Nobody wins it all the time, but it makes it exciting that you still have a chance.Strike a poseLamar Jackson took control of the Heisman Trophy race with seven total TDs last week, and he can pad that total against Wake Forest on Saturday.Jackson has 46 total TDs this season, and he could become 17th different quarterback to account for 50 total TDs in a season (Graham Harrell and Case Keenum each did that twice). Hawaiis Colt Brennan has the record (including postseason) with 63, set in 2006.BENDER: How did other Heisman Trophy winners stack up? Oregons Marcus Mariota ( Dylan Floro Jersey 57), Oklahomas Sam Bradford (55), Floridas Tim Tebow (55) and Auburns Cam Newton (50) all hit 50 total TDs. Jackson could top those numbers in the regular season.At this point, its a race for second.Coach on the spotBrian Kelly. This wont take long to explain. Despite the lo s to Navy and a 3-6 season that has found new and creative ways to go from bad to worse, the Irish still have a chance at bowl eligibility with wins in their last three games. Kelly also has (had?) the backing of his bo s."Brian will lead this team out of the tunnel opening day next year," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick .If that tune would change at all, then it could come Saturday if the Irish lose to Army in San Antonio. The Cadets have lost 14 straight to the Irish in a streak that dates to 1958. Notre Dame cant have a Remember the Alamo(dome) type moment here, not with Army looking to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2010.Group of 5 focusIts heating up in the Sun Belt conference; the only FBS conference with three teams that are unbeaten in conference play.Appalachian State is the lone 5-0 team, and it will face Troy (4-0) this week. The Trojans face Arkansas State (4-0) the following Thursday. The problem is the Red Wolves the defending champions dont play the Mountaineers in the regular season.So the po sibility for all three teams to lose a game is there, and theres also the po sibility that Arkansas State and Appalachian State could have identical 8-0 records in conference play. The Sun Belt doesnt have a conference championship game until 2018.Its another reminder to always have a conference championship game.Pick oneYou know the schools suffering through rough seasons in the Power 5 that are struggling to make the postseason. Michigan State (2-7) is out, and UCLA (3-6), Oregon (3-6) and Notre Dame are on the brink of postseason extinction, and that means hot seat hot takes are coming.Which school would be the most likely to make a change? Keep an eye on the one with the longest postseason streak. Weve outlined Notre Dame (six years in a row) and their situation, but what about the others?MORE: Jim Moras future at UCLA (five in a row)is complicated given the Bruins were picked to win the Pac-12 South and they are 11-11 since big-time recruit Josh Rosen arrived on campus. At minimum, they face a gotta-have-it-year in 2017.Michigan State (nine) isnt parting ways with Mark Dantonio one year after David Price Jersey making the playoff. No chanc