It all comes down to this on the first Saturday of December as four spots in the 2019 College Football Playoff are up for grabs, as its Conference Championship Saturday. The PAC-12 didn’t disappoint as the Oregon Ducks snatched the opportunity with a convincing win over Utah, who would have been that conferences only playoff shot. Well if everything else follows the script then, four of the five power conferences will have a representative in the CFP. But will everything go smoothly or could we see some huge upsets that could completely flip the playoff grid? Let’s jump into the key College FootballPlayoff Storylines for Championship Week.
What if Ohio State or LSU gets beat?
It stands pretty easy to write both the Buckeyes and Tigers into the playoff. Yet they both face teams hungry to defy the odds. Wisconsin will look to return the favor after a beatdown in their regular-season meeting. While Georgia is tasked with taking down the bayou Bengals. Both Ohio State and LSU, own some of the strongest resumes in college football, but what if either was to lose, could that team still make the CFP? Utah has already been eliminated from the conversation, so both teams will hope to avoid a similar fate. Losses don’t seem likely, but it is College football and anything is possible
Have the Buckeyes made a case for the best team ever?
Ohio State enters Championship Saturday, as the number one team in the CFP rankings and without any problems, Saturday night should be the one seed in the playoffs. Even without Urban Meyer at the helm, Ryan Day has taken his Buckeyes to a level the likes of Clemson and Alabama in recent years. Their closest game this season was an 11-point win over Penn State and won the rest by at least 24 points. Not only is Ohio State’s defense one of the best on the field, but they also have an outstanding backfield, with Justin Fields behind center, and arguably the best running back in the country in J.K. Dobbins. If the Buckeyes can roll through, #8 Wisconsin, then probably Clemson and LSU, and win the National Championship, then this team could go down as one of the best ever.
What are the Big 12’s chances of making the CFP?
The Big 12 has pretty good chances of making the playoff after the Oregon Ducks took down the Utah Utes in the PAC-12 Championship. Now any other surprises have to be avoided, which means for the Big 12, to get a team in Clemson, Ohio State, and LSU has to win their Championship Games. It’s a rematch for Baylor and Oklahoma for the Big 12 Championship. Both have arguments, but the Sooners likely have better playoff positioning. A win for Baylor could send them to the playoff for the first time. Oklahoma is a best bet for championship week, and with a win will be in the CFP.
Is Clemson out with a loss?
What kind of question is that without a doubt if the Virginia Cavaliers find a way to upend the Tigers, then yes Clemson will not be part of the four. It wouldn’t shocking if Clemson ends up winning the playoffs once again this season. But a loss will kill their bid, as they have had the weakest schedule of all the power five contenders. It’s a must-win for the Tigers, and they shouldn’t have any trouble getting the job done.
Georgia could ruin it all
A map looks pretty set, for four of the five major conferences to have a representative in the College Football Playoff in 2019. However, the Georgia Bulldogs enter the SEC Championship looking to send the LSU Tigers packing. A Bulldog win could completely flip the script. LSU can ill-afford a loss in this game. Even with how strong their schedule has been a loss could still knock the Tigers out of the CFP. Georgia has a path, but it will take a huge game from both sides of the ball if they want to make some noise.
