One-loss Texas out of the College Football Playoff?
There's a path where that becomes a potential reality if Texas becomes a two-loss team any earlier than Dec. 7, day of the SEC Championship Game.
That would mean the Longhorns lose their regular-season finale this week against ultra-rival Texas A&M.
Texas has largely dominated every week, sans that blowout-loss at home to Georgia, but it can ill afford to leave its fate in the hands of others and an inconsistent CFP Selection Committee.
What all does FootballScoop forecast for the CFP?
Well, the Big Ten still appears to be a four-bid league despite Indiana getting blown out at Ohio State last weekend. The Hoosiers got all the right breaks when Ole Miss stumbled in the Swamp and Alabama got boomered by the Oklahoma Sooners.
Suddenly, the SEC might just be a three-bid league -- presumably Georgia, Tennessee and Texas (in that order, if the Longhorns lose the SEC title tilt) -- and the ACC could be poised to get in both Miami and SMU, the latter of which already has clinched a spot in the ACC Championship.
Miami must still beat Syracuse, but if the Hurricanes and Mustangs both are 11-1 entering the ACC bout, the FootballScoop staff collective believe that both teams reach the inaugural Field of 12.
But Clemson and South Carolina could be battling for a potential No. 11 or 12 seed in their bitter rivalry this weekend, which Clemson hosts in its version of Death Valley.
The winner will finish its season 9-3 and close it with a quality, non-conference win against a CFP-ranked foe. It keeps that team absolutely alive in the CFP discussion until the field is revealed Dec. 8.
The Big 12 has played itself into an almost-certain one-bid league, but it might be the most splendidly and diabolically entertaining league of the bunch.
Amidst a sea of wild scenarios with some half-dozen Big 12 teams could still reach the league's title game, it boils down to this: Arizona State plays Arizona for a shot in the championship, and Iowa State hosts Kansas State also with a win-and-in scenario.
That's the most important scenario. If those two teams advance to the Big 12 Championship, the winner is in and likely gets the No. 4 seed, a first-round bye and a chance to host in the Fiesta Bowl.
Scoop President Scott Roussel wonders aloud what that could mean the notorious party scene in Tempe, Arizona, should the Sun Devils be those respresentatives.
At the Group of Five level, four teams realistically remain in contention for that coveted at-large spot, with Boise State set to battle UNLV for the Mountain West title and Army and Tulane both having clinched spots in the AAC title.
But it's yet to be determined whether Tulane or Army hosts that contest, and, needless to say, there's a bit of a weather difference the second weekend of December between New Orleans and West Point, on the banks of the presumably chilly Hudson River.
All these scenarios, plus: Why Tennessee is sitting in an ideal position heading into a must-win game at Vanderbilt, as well as why Zach Barnett believes Notre Dame "might be the most undervalued team in college football."
Dive in. Watch. Listen. Hate-listen. That's okay, too. Give us a chance.
As a reminder, the FootballScoop podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and....well you'll find it.Required podcast disclaimer: If you like the FootballScoop podcast, please rate and review as this will help us grow and keep us delivering these football-focused episodes. Maybe even tell a friend. Or an enemy.
Feel free to email us about the pod (mail@footballscoop.com) or drop us a message on the Platform Formerly Known As Twitter (@FootballScoop, @CoachSamz, @Zach_Barnett, @JohnDBrice1).
We love hearing from you and always want to expand and improve the FootballScoop Podcast. Thank you.