Having reached the halfway point of the 2016 college football season, coaches, players and fans are just two weeks away from getting a look at the first College Football Playoff rankings, set to be released on Nov. 1. Perennial powers Alabama and Ohio State both have a championship-caliber look, but with the likes of Notre Dame, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Stanford out of the picture, a few playoff spots seem to be up for grabs. So, without further ado, here are the College Football Playoff favorites, contenders and sleepers.
Favorites:
Alabama — They have probably the best offense of the Nick Saban era and have yet to be challenged. Maybe that will change tomorrow when the Tide host No. 6 Texas A&M, but I doubt it.
Ohio State — Two years ago a broken ankle prevented J.T. Barrett from playing in the playoff, which the Buckeyes ultimately won. If he can carry his team past undefeated Michigan in the season finale, he’ll get another shot at a National Championship.
Clemson — Let’s be honest, the Tigers have looked awful during parts of 2016. But they’re 7-0 (thanks to NC State’s kicker), have a vital win over Louisville, and have playoff experience in the form of Deshaun Watson.
Contenders:
Michigan — I’ll be the first to say I can’t stand Jim Harbaugh. But he’s a good coach, and the Wolverines have been relentless against Big Ten opponents this year. I can’t stress enough the enormity of the Nov. 26 showdown with Ohio State.
Washington — If they keep demolishing everyone they face (see respective 44-6 and 70-21 drubbings of Stanford and Oregon), Chris Petersen’s team will put the Pac-12 back in the CFP. If they slip up against a sneaky good team like Utah, their terrible non-conference schedule will keep them out.
Texas A&M — 6-0 for the first time in over 20 years, the Aggies will play their biggest game in recent history tomorrow at Alabama. If they somehow win, don’t be surprised to see them in the top two on Nov. 1.
Sleepers:
Louisville — A sleeper solely because they need some help. Everybody’s pulling for electric Heisman frontrunner Lamar Jackson and company to find a way in, but since they probably won’t play in the ACC Championship, it’s just not that likely.
Nebraska — The chances of the under-the-radar Cornhuskers finishing the year undefeated are slim. If they do it, or win the Big Ten with just one loss (at Ohio State), Mike Riley better unanimously win Coach of the Year.
Baylor/West Virginia — As the only two undefeated Big 12 teams, they both have an outside shot. We’re not sure how they good they are because, well, neither has played anyone even remotely good. Let’s see what happens in the next month.
