Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Utah Fighting for Final CFP Berth: Who’s the Best Value to Win the Title?

• Ohio State, LSU, and Clemson look like locks for the four-team playoff
• Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Utah are the credible contenders for the final spot
• Of the four, Alabama is best equipped to win the national championship 

The College Football Playoff selection committee released its newest rankings this week and the top-three teams remained consistent. Ohio State moved up to No. 1, while LSU dropped to No. 2 with defending national champion Clemson coming in at No. 3. 

The biggest question right now is who will round out the four-team field? While Georgia stayed in the No. 4 spot and Alabama remained at No. 5, Utah moved up to the No. 6 spot with Oklahoma at No. 7. 

Odds to Win College Football Playoff

Odds take Nov. 27 

Remaining Schedule

As things stand now, Georgia may have the toughest road ahead in getting to the playoffs. Sure, the Dawgs play Georgia Tech this week, but in one week, Georgia is set to face No. 2 LSU in the SEC Championship. That is a tough matchup for a Georgia offense that has struggled at times. If they don’t had LSU its first loss of the year, they won’t be in the playoff. 

Alabama, minus quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, faces bitter rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl this weekend. The game is in Auburn, too. 

Utah plays Colorado this week and, with a win, would face Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship next week. A win over Colorado would be Utah’s eighth consecutive victory and the Utes would be playing an Oregon team that was beaten by Arizona State last week. 

The wild card could be the Oklahoma Sooners. Sitting at No. 7, OU faces Oklahoma State on Saturday. Bedlam could go either way – it tends to live up to its nickname – but the Sooners are the better overall team. 

Who’s Most Likely to Claim Fourth Spot?

Oklahoma has the easiest path. While Alabama will not be playing in the SEC Championship Game, its game against Auburn is always tough. And while the Crimson Tide are loaded on both sides of the ball, Mac Jones isn’t Tagovailoa.  

There are six 10-1 teams fighting for 1 playoff spot (Georgia, Alabama, Utah, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Baylor). Here is how they compare: pic.twitter.com/XuYlhrcsP0

— CFB Stats Guy (@CFB_StatsGuy) November 27, 2019

Georgia should win this weekend with ease, however, LSU will present a much more difficult challenge. 

Utah is red hot, but Oregon will be dangerous in the Pac-12 championship.

If the Tide handle business, they have a great shot at earning the final berth. 

Which of the Four Is Best Equipped to Win if They Get in?

If the current top three remain as is, that would mean either of these four schools would face Ohio State in the national semifinal. This is one of the better Ohio State teams in recent memory with Justin Fields at quarterback and Chase Young leading the defense. 

Only Alabama or Georgia can match OSU’s talent level. And neither have a quarterback quite like Fields. Georgia’s Jake Fromm is experienced and a winner, but Georgia would not be able to score enough points to keep up with the Buckeyes. 

OU has Jalen Hurts and a potent offense. But can the Sooners stop anyone like Ohio State on defense? Highly unlikely. 

If the Crimson Tide had Tagovailoa, they are a threat to win it all. With that being said, they can still win it all. The experience and talent level is amazing. If Mac Jones can play mistake-free and get to the ball to his outstanding weapons then Alabama could win it all. That is not far-fetched. 

We know it was Western Carolina, but there is no denying that Mac Jones looked comfortable and collected in the pocket for Alabama! pic.twitter.com/RHhIm3o0n7

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 27, 2019

Who is the Pick?

At +2500, Oklahoma and Utah are longer shots. I do like Oklahoma’s path to the College Football Playoff, but it will still require some help. That’s not a safe wager. Same with Utah, the Utes would have to win their next two, which is very possible, however, they would most likely need a loss from Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

Georgia and ‘Bama have identical odds. Both also have a tough road, although Georgia’s is a bit more difficult. Never discount the rivalry between Alabama and Auburn factoring into this equation, too. The Crimson Tide not playing in the SEC Championship is actually a positive. The smart money is on Alabama.

The Pick: Alabama (+1000)