Each week, The Dash will identify 12 people dealing with damaged playoff hopes, and gauge their teams’ chances of rebounding from calamity.
The 12-team College Football Playoff is a wellspring of hope and excitement for dozens of fan bases. But as the losses accrue, it also will be a source of discontent for those who see their chances slipping away. The players they spent $20 million on to lure through the portal or kept away from the NFL draft weren’t as good Saturday night as the players the Oregon Ducks spent lavishly on to lure through the portal or keep away from the NFL draft.
Ohio State’s chances of making the playoff: Better than any other one-loss team—losing by a point on the road to Oregon isn’t bad at all. But a second loss could make things dicey, which will make the back half of the season a bit sweaty. Remember that the Buckeyes played a nonconference schedule of Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall, which could be used against them in the selection process. The next two opponents are a combined 11–1.
The common thread between them: Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, master of the Red River rollover. He’s now the first coach in Sooner history to have a pair of 30-plus-point losses to Texas on his resume. Venables was strangely given a raise and extension in the spring. That decision looks even more dubious now, given his 20–12 record . Venables might be too expensive to fire, but offensive coordinator Seth Littrell isn’t.
Mississippi’s chances of making the playoff: A home loss to Kentucky put the Rebels on notice, and now a second loss puts them on the brink. The home matchup with Oklahoma on Oct. 26 looks like an elimination game.Great work, people. Everything is going splendidly. Washington’s chances of making the playoff: The Huskies are 4–3 and going nowhere. With trips still remaining to undefeated Indiana, Penn State and Oregon, they’ll be struggling for bowl eligibility.Expected to contend right away in the Big 12, Arizona instead is 1–2 in the league and 1–3 against league members .
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