College Football Playoff 2015: Championship, Final Four Predictions for Week 12

No shuffles. No surprises. The selection committee released its third College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, and the Top Four and two outside looking in remained intact.

Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Iowa and Oklahoma State all stayed put at one through six, though the biggest jumper was Oklahoma, which has quietly climbed to No. 7 and looks likely to make a run at the incumbents.

Six of the top eight teams still play teams within those ranks should current conference title game projections hold, leaving plenty left to sort with just three weeks remaining.

Here is a look at the CFP Top 25 with predictions on who will make the final four.    

PREDICTION: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

John Raoux/Associated Press

For a one-loss team in a Big 12 stigmatized for its weak nonconference schedule, Oklahoma arguably sits in the best possible position heading into Week 12.

The Sooners are coming off a convincing win over Big 12 favorite Baylor and still play No. 18 TCU and No. 6 Oklahoma State, which remains unbeaten. A trifecta of victories to secure the conference crown—the Big 12 does not have a title game—will put the Sooners in a favorable position and leave them with a great argument to join the party, as Tony Barnhart of the SEC Network indicated:

Notre Dame currently sits fourth, though that might not be for long. Its lone loss was to top-ranked Clemson, which the committee seems to discount, as Dan Wolken of USA Today hinted:

The Fighting Irish still play No. 11 Stanford to help their cause, but the hot team seems to be Oklahoma. And Vegas hypothetically projected the Sooners would beat the three teams ahead of it, per RJ Bell of Pregame.com: 

The Tigers could be the only unbeaten to reach the playoff and, fair or not, will have stay unblemished to keep their title hopes alive.

But they control their destiny with easily the softest schedule among the remaining hopefuls, finishing the season against Wake Forest and South Carolina, each 3-7, then an ACC Championship Game, likely vs. No. 17 North Carolina.

Clemson is coming off narrow wins over Florida State and Syracuse but has proved to be the most complete team with the FBS seventh-ranked defense and 19th-ranked offense.

Prediction: Clemson over Oklahoma

PREDICTION: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Ohio State

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Many were skeptical of Alabama’s rank among the Top Four in the initial polls, but the Crimson Tide continue to show they’re arguably the best. Even committee chair Jeff Long indicated they have a strong case at the top, per Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports:

Aside from rankings, Vegas likes the Tide to not only reach the playoff, but win their fourth title under head coach Nick Saban, per ESPN Stats & Info:

According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Crimson Tide rank first in ESPN's strength of record and strength of schedule. A win over 5-5 Auburn in the final week of the regular season will also assure Alabama a spot in the SEC Championship Game vs. No. 8 Florida, with yet another chance to bolster its resume.

Ohio State, meanwhile, hasn't weathered nearly as difficult a run thus far, as ESPN’s Brett McMurphy noted:

But the Buckeyes have a far more daunting slate than any of the remaining contenders, as their back-heavy schedule has finally arrived.

Should it win its second straight title, Ohio State will have to down five teams in a row currently ranked among the Top 12—at No. 9 Michigan State, at No. 12 Michigan, vs. No. 5 Iowa in the Big 10 Championship Game should the Hawkeyes win out and then two playoff games against the Top Four.

A massive slip-up is the only possible setback that would keep the remarkably talented Buckeyes from winning the Big 10 unblemished. But a run-in with vengeful Alabama in a rematch of last year’s semifinal will be too tall a task to overcome.

The Crimson Tide are churning out wins in archetype fashion to their titles of years past—with relentless defense and a bruising offense. Take the Tide all the way.

Prediction: Alabama over Ohio State