Anything can happen at the end of the college football season

Published 7:56 pm Tuesday, November 25, 2014

It’s both a sad and exciting part of the college football season.

On one side, I’m upset the season flew by at light speed—yet again. Ten games already? Where in the world is the time going? What’s even worse is the offseason always takes its time, inching by week after week until that glorious last weekend in August where everything kicks off again.

And yet, this is one of the most interesting situations I’ve seen as the regular season comes to a close and teams fall into place for their bowl games.

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I’m writing this column on Monday morning, so I don’t have the most up to date College Football Playoff rankings, but I imagine the top four isn’t going to move.

In proper fashion, Alabama has claimed its place as the top team in the land after a relatively convincing win over Mississippi State a couple weekends ago. Now the Bulldogs sit on the edge at No. 4, with Oregon at No. 2 and Florida State at No. 3.

I finally thought Florida State had met their match last weekend against Boston College. The Eagles fought hard down to the wire and had the game tied 17-17 at the end. Lo and behold, they squeaked by with a field goal from kicker Roberto Aguayo.

You got to give it to the Seminoles—they find a way to win. No matter how well their opponents played, they overcame that. Which might be part of the reason they’re so hated right now. The Seminoles are the team to beat, and every Saturday (and that one Thursday), Florida State faces their opponents’ A-game.

Yet they still win. But not for much longer. I think their 27-game win streak might come screeching to a halt when they play whomever they end up against in the playoffs.

Right now, anyone in the Top 10 could compete. What I find most interesting, though, is what they’re doing to the Georgia Bulldogs. They have two ugly losses to Florida and South Carolina, yet they have somehow inched up to No. 8 in the most recent AP poll and No. 10 in the College Football Playoff poll. Are they the best two-loss team in the country?

I think so, but I’m biased. There are very convincing arguments for why UCLA or Michigan State should be ahead of them.

But I think the pollsters are trying to set up for the SEC Championship upset. If Missouri loses to Arkansas (likely), and Alabama beats Auburn (also likely), the SEC Championship will see Alabama and Georgia facing each other. If the Bulldogs can defeat No. 1 Alabama and Georgia is still in the Top 10, would they move into the coveted Top Four?

It’s highly, highly possible. But I don’t think it’s right.

This weekend has some big games. It’s rivalry week. Anything can happen.