Auburn doesn’t belong anywhere near the playoffs. Neither does Ohio State. They’ve lost to LSU and Iowa -- both light years from championship consideration -- in addition to each taking a beating by a legitimate, one-loss contender. Those should count as the first round of playoff knockouts.
With the only clean slate among the designated contenders, Wisconsin should be No. 1. The Badgers went unbeaten through a Big Ten season (with their closest test coming against a nice local ballclub). But even UCF warrants consideration ahead of any two-time losers. Perfect is perfect, regardless of opponents. Anything else is purely subjective, and no one’s schedule justifies two losses being among the nation’s elite. Two losses just don’t add up to none, let alone No. 1.
With league title tilts about to cut at least a couple hopefuls, Wisconsin and Clemson look the most playoff worthy right now, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Miami and Oklahoma, which was a Cyclone victim and had a special kind of loss in Kansas. The Too Sooner Heisman-to-be will always be best remembered for another pose. He’s tried to erase it, but his loss was vile, a blowout loss of class.
For the teams, though, two losses should translate to "one ... and done."
With the only clean slate among the designated contenders, Wisconsin should be No. 1. The Badgers went unbeaten through a Big Ten season (with their closest test coming against a nice local ballclub). But even UCF warrants consideration ahead of any two-time losers. Perfect is perfect, regardless of opponents. Anything else is purely subjective, and no one’s schedule justifies two losses being among the nation’s elite. Two losses just don’t add up to none, let alone No. 1.
With league title tilts about to cut at least a couple hopefuls, Wisconsin and Clemson look the most playoff worthy right now, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Miami and Oklahoma, which was a Cyclone victim and had a special kind of loss in Kansas. The Too Sooner Heisman-to-be will always be best remembered for another pose. He’s tried to erase it, but his loss was vile, a blowout loss of class.
For the teams, though, two losses should translate to "one ... and done."
