What If....?

It's ironic that this year, we're playing the what if game...what if it was next season and we had playoffs?

What's more ironic is that at this point in time, it looks like we need 4 slots and we'd still be arguing over two or three teams to fill the last spot.

Obviously, no one is arguing against Alabama and Florida State at numbers 1 and 2, which is where the BCS has placed them.  I would almost make an argument for FSU to be #1.  They have only had one game that even looks "close", and that was a 14 point win against Boston College.  Meanwhile, Alabama started off with a game against VT that should have ended 14-10 if it wasn't for their special teams, and then a shootout with Texas A&M, where they started off down 14, and only won by 7.

The other two spots are a little more difficult to fill.  Ohio State (#3 BCS) hasn't lost a game since Urban Meyer took over, but they've seemed a little shaky this season.  Stanford (#4 BCS) has a loss to Utah, of all teams, but they have the inside track to win their conference after slaughtering Oregon.

But the most impressive team outside of the top two has to be Baylor, currently sitting at #5.  Their lowest score this season has been 35 points.  Granted, they don't have the competition that the other teams have, but it is safe to say that RG3 was the start of something at Baylor, and not a one time fluke.

I'd love to see Oregon (#6) in the mix, but after they stunk it up last week, I can't endorse them in any sort of playoff right now.  Besides, I am in the camp that prefers conference champions over random wildcards, at least while we have so few playoff teams.

I chuckle at the Tiger trifecta at 7-8-9:  Auburn, Clemson, and Missouri.  Two of those Tiger teams might have a shot at knocking Alabama out of the picture.  The other had their shot at FSU, but failed miserably. 

So, the four teams I "endorse" at this time in this hypothetical situation are Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, and Baylor.  It's hard to argue with undefeated teams in the top five conferences (It's a "what if" scenario about next year, so the former Big East doesn't count...not that I counted it in the first place).  It's not Baylor's fault that the Big 12 isn't performing to their usual standards this year, but with the offensive production out of that team, does it even matter?

As for the one-loss teams, Oregon is completely out of the picture while Stanford remains ahead of them.  But, I can't overlook Stanford's loss to Utah.

But, all four of those teams still have to get out of their conferences first, and also worry about rivalry week.  Auburn is going to be extra hungry this year if the Iron Bowl is set up to be a winner take all into the SEC championship game.  Even though the teams in the ACC Coastal have been uneven all year, that is a dangerous mix, because whoever comes out of that divisional could have one of those nights against FSU in Charlotte.

It is November, a month known for surprises in college football.  There's a good chance we could be looking a new top four, or even top two next weekend.