Now that our Top 50 countdown is over, it’s time to start looking at the 2016 college football season as a whole. 128 teams will enter the season with hopes and aspirations. 4 teams will finish the season with a chance at the prestigious National Championship. Here are the 15 most important regular season games that will help decide who will play in the College Football Playoffs…..
No. 15: Stanford at Washington– Sept 30th
Last Five Games: Stanford has won 4 of 5
Current Win Streak: Stanford has won 3 in a row
Last Year Result: Stanford 31 Washington 14
Based on preseason prognostications, the Pac-12 is the least likely to send a team to the College Football Playoff (CFP) this season. If the Pac-12 does have a representative, it will come from the Pac-12 North. This is the first major test for a Washington team that is ranked very highly coming into the season (it follows a tough game at Arizona and comes before at trip to Eugene, Oregon). This is a must-win for both teams, because it is unlikely a one-loss Pac-12 team makes it to the CFP.
No. 14: Ole Miss vs FSU (in Orlando)- Sept 5th
History: Teams have only played once (in 1961)
Early season games are a lot easier to rebound from than late season games. That is why this game is so low on the list despite it being between two very high profile opponents. This game is important because if either of these two teams are fighting for that last playoff spot, this is one of the biggest out-of-conference wins that any team will be able to champion in 2016.
No 13: Ole Miss at LSU– Oct 22
Last Five Games: LSU has won 3 of 5 (Ole Miss has won 2 of last 3)
Current Win Streak: Ole Miss has won 1 in a row
Last Year Result: Ole Miss 38 LSU 17
The road to the SEC Championship goes through Alabama, but these are the #2 and #3 teams in the conference. A win here combined with a win over Alabama means the SEC Championship Game and a likely spot in the CFP. A loss likely means elimination.
No. 12: Stanford at Oregon– Nov 12
Last Five Games: Oregon has won 3 of 5
Current Win Streak: Oregon has won 2 in a row
Last Year Result: Oregon 38 Stanford 36
Oregon has been downgraded this season but never count them out. This is the toughest game on the Ducks’ schedule, if they win this, they have the ability to run the table.
No. 11 Alabama at Tennessee– Oct 15th
Last Five Games: Alabama has won all 5
Current Win Streak: Alabama has won 9 in a row
Last Year Result: Alabama 19 Tennessee 14
Tennessee has one of the easiest schedules in the SEC. It has tough games against Florida and Georgia early but the Alabama game is the last game on their schedule against a quality opponent. If Tennessee catches fire early, it could coast to the SEC Championship Game. The big “if” is that they have to beat Alabama, something that they haven’t done in a very long time.
No. 10: Oklahoma vs Houston (in Houston)- Sept 3
History: Oklahoma has won both meetings but the schools have not played since 2004.
This is Houston’s Super Bowl. Houston’s only chance at getting to the CFP is by winning this game (and then going undefeated). Oklahoma could potentially rebound from a loss but this is a must-win for Houston.
No. 9: Oklahoma at TCU– Sept 31
Last Five Games: Oklahoma has won 4 of the last 5
Current Win Streak: Oklahoma has won 1 in a row
Last Year Result: Oklahoma 30 TCU 29
Besides the Pac-12, the Big 12 is the next least likely major conference to place a team in the CFP. Oklahoma is a favorite to make the CFP, but there isn’t much behind them, despite the Big 12 being really solid from top to bottom (well, almost top to bottom). TCU is a team that could slip into the conversation, but it has to win this game.
No. 8: Stanford at Notre Dame– Oct 15
Last Five Games: Stanford has won 3 of the last 5
Current Streak: Stanford has won 1 in a row
Last Year Result: Stanford 38 Notre Dame 36
Stanford is going to have a very, very good football team this year. The problem it will have is that its schedule is brutal. This game falls smack dab in the middle of the schedule and it’s a must-win for both teams. Notre Dame has a formidable, but not overly hard schedule. This game and the Michigan State game are the toughest on the slate for the Irish. Win this game and the Irish could very well be in the CFP.
No. 7: Michigan at Michigan State– Oct 29th
Last Five Games: Michigan State has won 4 of the last 5
Current Streak: Michigan State has won 3 straight
Last Year Result: Michigan State 27 Michigan 23
The trio of Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State will likely send someone to the CFP. For a bitter rivalry game, this falls fairly early on the schedule, which makes it very important but still a game that the loser could rebound from.
No. 6: Ohio State at Michigan State– Nov 18th
Last Five Games: Michigan State has won 3 of the last 5
Current Streak: Michigan State has won 1 in a row
Last Year Result: Michigan State 17 Ohio State 14
Michigan State is a team that is being underrated this year, but it has the ability to hang with Ohio State and Michigan. Don’t forget that Ohio State’s one loss last year came at the hands of Michigan State. The timing of this game makes a loss almost impossible to come back from.
No. 5: Ohio State at Oklahoma– Sept 17th
History: These schools have split two games and last played in 1983.
What a fantastic out of conference game and it’s not in week one! Oklahoma has to get past Houston and then Ohio State and then they have to brave the Big 12 schedule. A fourth spot in the CFP could come down to these two teams and what better way to settle it than with a head-to-head match-up.
No. 4: Alabama at Ole Miss– Sept 17th
Last Five Games: Alabama has won 3 of the last 5
Current Streak: Ole Miss has won 2 in a row
Last Year Result: Ole Miss 43 Alabama 37
Alabama has lost to Ole Miss twice in a row. If anybody has the Tide’s number, it’s the Rebels. A win here puts either team in the drivers seat of the SEC West.
No. 3: Michigan at Ohio State– Nov 26th
Last Five Games: Ohio State has won 4 of 5
Current Win Streak: Ohio State has won 4 in a row
Last Year Result: Ohio State 42 Michigan 13
THE GAME. Urban Meyer vs Jim Harbaugh. All of Harbaugh’s off-season antics/uber-media push build up to a crescendo for this one game. Winner takes all (unless Michigan State beats both of them), as the winner will likely end up in the CFP.
No. 2: Alabama at LSU– Nov 4th
Last Five Games: Alabama has won the last 5
Current Streak: Alabama has won 5 in a row
Last Year Result: Alabama 30 LSU 16
The importance of this game trumps Ole Miss/Bama because of the date. This game is played after Ole Miss/Bama and after Ole Miss/LSU. The loser of this game is done. The winner likely heads to the SEC Championship Game.
No. 1: Clemson at FSU– Oct 28th
Last Five Games: FSU has won 3 of the last 5
Current Streak: Clemson has won 1 in a row
Last Year Result: Clemson 23 Florida State 13
This game will decide the winner of the ACC. Clemson and Florida State have really inserted themselves into the national spotlight over the last few years and it is very hard to picture a final four without one of these teams. Barring a shocking turn of events, the winner of this game gets a spot in the CFP.
