NCAA Football Rankings 2015: Early Predictions for Week 14 College Polls

It’s all so simple now. Almost like the calm before a storm.

If Clemson and Alabama take care of business in their respective conference championships Saturday, the College Football Playoff is essentially set. Those two will join Big 12 champion Oklahoma and the winner of the Iowa and Michigan State clash as the four teams with a chance at the national title.

If the Tigers or Crimson Tide lose, all bets are off.

The defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes are looming after their annual beatdown of Michigan, and the two-loss Stanford Cardinal will have a legitimate case if they manage to beat USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

While Buckeye Nation and Stanford fans are on Team Chaos heading into Week 14, things will actually go according to script in the conference title games. Games unfolding as expected may be an upset in this roller-coaster college football season, but the selection committee will avoid any impending headaches when the Crimson Tide and Tigers clinch their bids.

Here is a look at a predicted Top 10 following the Week 14 slate:

Rank	Team
1	Clemson
2	Alabama
3	Oklahoma
4	Michigan State
5	Ohio State
6	Stanford
7	Iowa
8	Notre Dame
9	Florida State
10	TCU

Relevant Poll Predictions

Clemson over North Carolina for the No. 1 Seed

Clemson fans have some reason for concern for maybe the first time all season after their team allowed 32 points to the same South Carolina squad that lost to The Citadel.

However, there is a reason the cliche “throw out the records” exists for those types of rivalry games. The Gamecocks put forth one of their best games all season in a spirited effort with nothing on the line but pure pride and hatred for the opposition. It was almost enough to send shock waves through the college football world.

Don’t put too much stock in that close game, especially since North Carolina lost to the Gamecocks and is ranked a dismal 107th in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game this season. That will be a serious problem for the Tar Heels against a powerful Clemson offense.

The Tigers are 25th in the nation in rushing yards per game behind quarterback Deshaun Watson (756 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground) and running back Wayne Gallman (1,145 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground). 

North Carolina will be forced to commit extra attention to the run, which will open up the aerial attack for Watson as the Tigers clinch the ACC and a spot in the playoffs.

Alabama over Florida for the No. 2 Seed

In three of their last four games, the Florida Gators were pummeled 27-2 by the Florida State Seminoles, needed overtime to beat Florida Atlantic and converted on a late field goal to miraculously escape a showdown with mighty Vanderbilt, 9-7. This team is not beating Alabama, even if the Crimson Tide haven’t bested a single squad currently in the Top 20 of the Associated Press Poll.

Alabama’s Derrick Henry is dominant on the offensive side, and the front seven will swallow the struggling Florida offense from the opening quarter. Michael Casagrande of AL.com pointed to that Alabama defense when discussing the matchup:

"

This one figures to be a defensive battle. The Gators (10-2) have struggled mightily on offense in November. Only a safety prevented a shutout in the 27-2 loss to Florida State on Saturday.

That's enough to make Alabama (11-1) an overwhelming favorite to win the 3 p.m. CT Saturday meeting in the Georgia Dome.

"

The Crimson Tide will deliver on those expectations.

Michigan State over Iowa for the No. 4 Seed

Iowa is a better football team than it gets credit for, and many overlook the Hawkeyes because they aren’t a blue-chip powerhouse like Ohio State or Alabama. Coach Kirk Ferentz addressed those who take umbrage with his team being in the thick of the playoff race, per Scott Dochterman of the Gazette:

"

I don’t listen too much, but it’s kind of entertaining and interesting in some ways. I don’t know what we did. All we’re doing is playing. That’s all we’re doing. It seems to me that if you watch our team play, and you like football and you like camaraderie and teamwork, which when I watch sports that’s what I really like, whether it’s a good NBA basketball team, Golden State ... San Antonio. It’s about the relationships and all that.

When you get teams that are like that, that’s when you have a chance to do something that you’re not supposed to do. I don’t know why people wouldn’t like that, but there are probably people who don’t like the San Antonio Spurs.

"

Iowa won at Wisconsin and pounded a quality Northwestern team. Its defense is 15th in the nation in points allowed per game and 21st in yards allowed per game and will keep the offense within striking distance against Michigan State. Unfortunately for Hawkeyes fans, that won’t be enough. 

The Spartans are battle-tested with wins over Ohio State, Michigan and a resurgent Oregon team, and they got star quarterback Connor Cook back in a blowout win over Penn State. What’s more, the defense is hitting on all cylinders after it shut down the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions in consecutive weeks, and Shilique Calhoun and company will prove to be the difference in Indianapolis.

Ohio State and Stanford Left on the Outside Looking In

Tony Ding/Associated Press

The argument can be made the Buckeyes have more talent than anyone in the nation (and they would certainly help the television rankings for the playoffs on New Year’s Eve), but they missed their opportunity in the Horseshoe against Michigan State.

Perhaps Ohio State would have the chance to defend its title if Ezekiel Elliott received more carries in that game or the weather was more forgiving against a Spartans defense that is better against the run than the pass, but Mark Dantonio’s team won the Big Ten East. The lack of a conference crown will prove costly for Urban Meyer’s group in the final rankings.

As for Stanford, the Pac-12 is arguably the best conference in the nation, but it lost twice. Losses aren’t the death knell they once were during the BCS era, but they still serve as separating factors if resumes are close (like those of the top playoff contenders).

The Buckeyes and Cardinal will have to take out their frustrations against each other in the Rose Bowl.