Zack Herink

#1 Ohio State

The Buckeyes have the number 1 spot this week for me. After not playing well at all throughout the beginning of the season they have proved themselves to be a serious threat after crushing Illinois 28-3. J.T. Barrett had one of his best games of the season and there is no sign of him and Ohio State slowing down.

#2 Alabama

A great win over a tough Mississippi State team. The game started off slow for both teams but in the second half Bama turned on the jets and they cruised to what seemed like an easy victory. The overall fantastic performance from the Tide give them my #2 spot.

#3 Clemson

Clemson won and they should keep the #1 spot right? Wrong. They played a sorry Syracuse team that they should have beat no problem. They ended up winning the game but not without the Orange being in it most of the time. The Tigers showed a great deal of weakness, which drops them in my rankings.

#4 North Carolina

Surprised? I thought so. No one is giving the Tar Heels any credit even after blowing out Duke and now they’re only giving minimal credit to beat Miami by 38. This is a team to be reckoned with, they’ll have a chance to prove themselves in the ACC Championship.

Tucker Strycharz

#1 Clemson

The Tigers should remain at number one this week, after they kept their undefeated record going with a win against Syracuse. Clemson has played a harder schedule than their undefeated challenger Ohio State giving them the advantage.

#2 Ohio State

The Buckeyes should remain at number two this week after reaching 10-0 this weekend. The Buckeyes defeated Illinois in an easy win, but they will play Michigan State next weekend, and then Michigan after that. If the Buckeyes can win out the rest of their season, they should jump Clemson for the #1 seed.

#3 Alabama

Alabama has played the hardest schedule so far out of any team in the playoff discussion. However, the question this week is: Does the Crimson Tide’s strong schedule outweigh Ohio State and Clemson’s undefeated record? Alabama’s one loss against Ole Miss is hurting them, so look for the Committee to make a judgement call on Alabama this week.

#4 Notre Dame

After sneaking into the top 4 last week, Notre Dame should remain at #4 this week but they can easily be jumped if Oklahoma or Oklahoma State win out. The Irish also need to beat a talented Stanford team in their last game of the season.

Daniel McHale

#1 Clemson

Clemson has managed to secure their spot as the best team in the country for yet another week. With a win over Syracuse this weekend, the Tigers are on their way for a shot at the national championship. Clemson scored two touchdowns within the first four minutes of the game, and Quarterback DeShaun Watson completed thirty-four of forty-seven passes. Clemson’s next game against Wake Forest should be a blow out, and South Carolina might bring a challenge, but the Tigers should be able to beat them at home.

#2 Alabama

The Crimson Tide are on roll to the national championship. While they have one loss this season, they by far have the hardest schedule this season. Their defense is a wall that only allowed Mississippi State to score three points. The next game against Charleston Southern will lead to a win, but their final game against Auburn will be the deciding factor. While Auburn isn’t doing too good this season, an away game against a rival is always anyone’s game. If the Crimson Tide can beat the Tigers at home, they deserve their shot at the championship.

#3 Ohio State

The big dogs on campus have slowly fallen. The Buckeyes are without-a-doubt a very good football team, but their weak schedule has taken them from the number one spot. They have very impressive wins this season and are undefeated, but they’ve played teams that aren’t really worth much. Their next two games will definitely change this however. With a home game against Michigan State and an away game at Michigan, Ohio State has two games left to jump back into the number one spot. If the Buckeyes can win their final two games, they would definitely jump back as the best team in the country.

#4 Iowa

It’s anyone’s game at this point. The Hawkeyes have impressed me enough to climb into the number four spot. Undefeated and a couple big time wins this season have given Iowa some credibility as one of the best teams in the country. Their game this weekend against Purdue is an easy win, but their game against Nebraska might come as a challenge. While their record this season isn’t very impressive, Nebraska beat Michigan State and have proved themselves to be a tough team. If Iowa can win their last two games, they deserve the number four spot easy.