Who is Still in The Playoff: Week 6

Major Shakeups across the country in almost ever conference. The only two conferences without a chaotic change were the Big 10, where Michigan State held off Nebraska to stay atop, and the ACC where Florida State still leads the way. FSU did look shaky to start, but then breezed by Wake Forest for most of the game.

As doom and gloom as it might seem for the Pac-12, the season isn't over yet. Both UCLA and Oregon have clear flaws, but they also have enough talent to work through their issues. Both teams move down a tier because as is, they're slightly on the outside looking in. They're going to have to play great to get back in. Arizona, though, actually looks like a new team and the front-runner now, a wild turn of events. If they run the table they're probably in the Playoff.

It might feel like chaos as well in the SEC, especially outside the state of Mississippi, but it could calm there too. Texas A&M is probably the least likely teams left on the lower tier to be able to get in the Playoff now. Their schedule is still crazy and their flaws have shown up. And, their signature win against South Carolina now isn't so shiny as the Gamecocks just lost to Kentucky. In reality, Marshall is the team with the least likely chance because even if they win out, they are so far down the rankings compared to so many teams they need a huge heap of help from a lot of teams losing.
Alabama is a team that could really easily bounce back into the conversation by just doing they what they do. Ole Miss didn't blow them out, and for a lot of the game Bama looked like the better team. They have some weaknesses but their strengths usually outweigh them. It will be an uphill climb, though, they still face Texas A&M, Miss State, and of course Auburn. (Not to mention an upstart Arkansas and an LSU team that's struggling but still talented.)

In the BIG 12 the race looks pretty interesting. Oklahoma is still in contention because if they win out they're still in the conversation. If they win out they will have beaten Baylor, knocking them down a notch and they weren't blown out by TCU. The reason they didn't drop out of the top tier is because it's all mostly still in their hands, if they win out they'll be in the Playoff. It might get interesting, though, if TCU beats Baylor and wins out, then there might be some turmoil.

Then there's Notre Dame. This could be a year very similar to their last National Championship appearance. Just winning enough each week to get by. Although, now they have Florida State on their schedule as the number one team in the country. Let's hope the Selection Committee looks at that as a Semi-Final game, the loser being eliminated from the conversation.

Teams Left Alive

Florida State

Baylor

Oklahoma

TCU

Notre Dame

Ole Miss

Mississippi State

Auburn

Arizona

Teams With an Outside Chance

Ohio State

Michigan State

Marshall

Oregon

UCLA

Kansas State

Georgia

Alabama

Texas A&M

Florida

Georgia Tech