College Football Playoff Rankings Predictions

The College Football Playoff committee releases its initial rankings tonight. There is no compelling reason for a Top 25 committee ranking. It’s busy work. The playoff doesn’t need the promotion. There aren’t 25 teams still eligible for the playoff.

The top four, as we saw last year, can and will change dramatically. Oregon and Alabama were outside the top four in the first 2014 rankings. Ohio State came in at No. 16, three places behind Baylor and nine places behind TCU. How does the committee rank teams such as Ohio State and Baylor who have not played anyone?

Further down the rankings will be more interesting. How much credit does the committee give Memphis and Houston? Will the winner of that game be in range to make a run? Where does the committee rate teams such as Ole Miss and Michigan who may have a plausible chance with two losses and a conference title?

Here are our predictions.

Koster

What the committee’s rankings will look like:

1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. Baylor
4. LSU
5. TCU
6. Alabama
7. Michigan State
8. Stanford

What the rankings should look like:

1. Clemson
2. Ohio State
3. LSU
4. Baylor
5. Michigan State
6. TCU
7. Alabama
8. Notre Dame

Duffy

What the committee rankings will look like:

1. Clemson
2. LSU
3. Ohio State
4. TCU
5. Baylor
6. Alabama
7. Michigan State
8. Notre Dame

What the committee rankings should look like:

1. Clemson
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. Ohio State
5. Notre Dame
6. Florida
7. TCU
8. Stanford