What an 8 team playoff would look like

A four team playoff has been fantastic for college football. While the BCS usually got the two best teams into the championship game, there was always some kind of controversy surrounded by it. The playoff has nearly put that noise to bed. The committee puts together their four best teams, two semi-final games are played, with the winners of the semi-final games facing off a week later in a championship game.

With the number one ranked team never winning, the playoff has kept people guessing as far as who is going to win. With two number two and two number four ranked teams winning the playoff, getting into the playoff proves to be what is important. Just because a team is ranked number one, this does not make them the number one team in the country. Behold, the beauty of a four team playoff. Would an eight team playoff make it even more beautiful though? With eight teams, you have the chance to get a bigger spread of teams in the country to show who really is the best. Let alone to prove who is the best team in the country, the entertainment value would be through the roof. A mix of traditional powers trying to prove they still belong in the national talk and newcomers trying to establish themselves would have America glued to their seats.

This is how the eight team playoff would look as of October 30, 2018.

Alabama vs Washington State Clemson vs Oklahoma

Notre Dame vs Michigan LSU vs Georgia

Best first round matchup

A rematch from one of the opening weekend matchups, Notre Dame and Michigan would square off in a first round matchup. Currently battling each other out for the number four spot, an eight team playoff would silence these debates. Michigan and Notre Dame have changed since their first matchup, bother figuring out what their identity is on offense. With quarterback Ian Book taking over on Notre Dame and Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson finding his feet, both offenses have become a threat. With Michigan’s defense one of the best in the country, there is no doubt the defense would show up to play. The only question would be Notre Dame’s defense. Would they be able to slow down Shea Patterson in Jim Harbaugh's new look offense? Only way to find out is to play.

Prediction if it happened: Michigan 27 Notre Dame 21

Most exciting possible semi-final matchup

A Tiger Bowl between Clemson and LSU would be an awesome defensive battle. With two of the top twenty five defenses in the country, a low scoring affair could be in the air. Clemson’s defensive line is full first round talent, possibly one of the best the college level has ever seen. Trevor Lawrence would be going up against a defense that is only allowing 15.1 points per game. The man that caused Kelly Bryant to transfer in the middle of the season, it would be Trevor Lawrence that would need to show up and prove to the country why he was chosen as Clemson’s QB over Bryant. LSU’s offensive line would have the toughest job of anyone on the field. With 3.25 sacks per game, Burrow and the running game barely may have enough time to get the play off. A defensive battle could be in store for both teams, with Clemson’s offense overpowering LSU slightly.

Prediction if it happened: Clemson 24 LSU 14

Most exciting possible Championship game

Alabama versus Oklahoma would possibly be the shootout of the century. You could argue the game would feature the best two quarterbacks in the country with Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray. With Alabama number two and Oklahoma number four in total offense in the country, this game could easily hit one hundred points. Many people consider Tua and his receiving core the best Alabama has ever had. Going along with a three headed monster at running back of Damien Harris, Najee Harris, and Josh Jacobs, the Crimson Tide’s offensive line is one of the best in the country. On the flip side, offense is nothing new for Oklahoma, historically having a juggernaut of an offense and carrying the defense. The question of the game is simply can Oklahoma stop Tagovailoa even once? Alabama’s defense is solid and could possibly slow down Kyler Murray and Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown. First team to fifty (possibly in the first half) would win this game.

Prediction if it happened: Alabama 66 Oklahoma 49

Dark horse Championship game

There are two different sides of the spectrum in this bracket. One side has Alabama and one does not have Alabama. The only defense with the possible chance to slow down the Tide would be Michigan. With their offense figured out as well, it is not completely insane to think that Michigan could beat Alabama in a semi final game. As for the side that does not have Alabama, all four teams are capable of winning two games to get into the championship game. Most people rule out Oklahoma in big games because of their defense. Their offense on the other hand could easily outscore any team not named Alabama in the country. Michigan vs Oklahoma would be another great powerhouse offense vs powerhouse defense matchup. Could Michigan stop Oklahoma enough times to score their own points against Oklahoma’s defense? On the other side of the ball for Michigan could they keep up with the scoring pace of Oklahoma? It would be another shootout in a game involving Oklahoma, with their offense being too overwhelming and their defense making one or two key stops.

Prediction if it happened: Oklahoma 45 Michigan 38