The School Soccer Playoff discipline will likely be finalized in lower than three weeks, however there’s nonetheless a lot we do not know.
Because the common season quickly approaches its finish, listed here are 5 burning questions now we have about this yr’s expanded 12-team discipline.
What number of groups are in playoff competition?
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, 24 groups have at the very least a 1 % probability of creating the playoffs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-2, 5-1 in Solar Belt) has the longest odds and would wish School Soccer Playoff No. 12 Boise State (9-1, 6-0 in MWC), No. 24 UNLV (8-2, 4-1 in MWC), No. 20 Tulane (9-2, 7-0 in AAC) and No. 19 Military (9-0, 7-0 in AAC) to crumble down the stretch whereas successful out to finish the season as the choice committee’s fifth-highest-ranked convention champion.
No. 6 Notre Dame (9-1) is the lone unbiased in competition and might solely attain as excessive as No. 5 within the 12-team playoff bracket by advantage of not taking part in a convention championship recreation.
This is a listing of contenders from the ability conferences (in alphabetical order):
ACC (3)
No. 17 Clemson (8-2, 7-1 in ACC); No. 8 Miami (9-1, 5-1 in ACC); SMU (9-1, 6-0 in ACC)
Massive 12 (4)
No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2 in Massive 12); No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 in Massive 12); No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1 in Massive 12); No. 22 Iowa State (8-2, 5-2 in Massive 12)
Massive Ten (4)
No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 in Massive Ten); No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 in Massive Ten); No. 1 Oregon (11-0, 8-0 in Massive Ten); No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1 in Massive Ten)
SEC (7)
No. 7 Alabama (8-2, 4-2 in SEC); No. 10 Georgia (8-2, 6-2 in SEC); No. 9 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 in SEC); No. 18 South Carolina (7-3, 5-3 in SEC); No. 11 Tennessee (8-2, 5-2 in SEC); No. 3 Texas (9-1, 5-1 in SEC); No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 in SEC)
Which Week 13 video games have the most important playoff implications?
Ole Miss at Florida (5-5, 3-4 in SEC): The Gators formally eradicated LSU from the SEC title race final Saturday and might land a deadly blow to Ole Miss’ possibilities in Week 13.
BYU at Arizona State and
Colorado at Kansas (4-6, 3-4 in Massive 12): The Massive 12 race will begin crystallizing following Saturday’s video games. The Cougars-Solar Devils loser will likely be eradicated from Massive 12 championship competition, and the Buffaloes can be a part of them with a street loss to the Jayhawks, who’ve gained their final two video games.
Notre Dame vs. Military (impartial website): The Irish and Black Knights meet as ranked opponents for the first time since 1958, a 14-2 Military win, its final within the collection. Notre Dame has steamrolled by means of its competitors following the season’s most stunning defeat, a 16-13 Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois (6-5, 3-4 in MAC). Military may make the dialogue for the CFP’s fifth computerized bid extra attention-grabbing with an upset win.
Will the playoff be a Massive Ten-SEC invitational?
That might rely on Notre Dame. If the Irish lose to Military or USC of their regular-season finale, it is going to open the door for the primary spherical of the playoffs to consist solely of Massive Ten and SEC groups.
Six of the seven at-large bids would go to the 2 conferences based mostly on the Week 13 rankings, and Tennessee was the final staff out of the newest unveil. The Vols will doubtless take Notre Dame’s place if it stumbles.
Is Indiana’s energy of schedule actually that dangerous?
A number of analysts have steered that the Hoosiers may very well be knocked out of the playoff dialog with a convincing loss to Ohio State, even when it ends the season with one loss, based mostly on a weak energy of schedule. Based on ESPN’s FPI, the Hoosiers’ energy of schedule ranks 106th. Nonetheless, they have not solely performed scrubs this yr.
We divided the 134 FBS packages into 4 quadrants, with Quad 1 being groups ranked 1-34 in response to FP, Quad 2 ranked 35-67, Quad 3 ranked 68-100 and Quad 4 ranked 101-134 to higher gauge every staff’s resume. The outcomes have been considerably stunning.
Whereas Indiana hasn’t performed a Quad 1 recreation, 5 of its wins have come towards groups ranked within the nation’s high half, in comparison with simply three for Ohio State. Indiana hasn’t performed any heavyweight to date, however digging into the numbers reveals a staff that is not as deserving of the ridicule it is acquired.
South Carolina has three losses. How is it within the combine?
With its three losses, South Carolina is out of the SEC championship image. So, why does ESPN nonetheless give the Gamecocks an 8.9 % probability to make the playoff?
They could have wins towards two energy convention champions on their resume by the top of the season.
South Carolina already beat Texas A&M, which is in play for the SEC championship, 44-20 in Week 10. It performs Clemson, an ACC contender, within the regular-season finale.
A win towards their in-state would sign to the remainder of school soccer that the Gamecocks are peaking on the proper time.
