College Football Playoff 2019: Championship, Final Four Predictions for Week 12

The path to the College Football Playoff is clear for LSU, Ohio State and Clemson.

The trio of unbeaten programs landed at the top of the latest playoff rankings Tuesday night, and if they win out, they will secure spots in the national semifinals. 

If that occurs, the debate surrounding the fourth playoff seed will intensify. 

Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, Utah, Minnesota, Penn State, Oklahoma and Baylor could all carve a path to the final four, but some will be eliminated by way of Top-10 matchups. 

The selection committee's biggest decision could be whether to put in one-loss Alabama without an SEC Championship Game berth over the Pac-12 or Big 12 winner. 

College Football Playoff Predictions

Peach Bowl (December 28): No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Oregon 

Fiesta Bowl (December 28): No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson 

Vasha Hunt/Associated Press

LSU could enter the playoff with five victories over Top 10 sides. 

The Tigers have already beaten Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Texas and could knock off Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. 

Before it reaches Atlanta, Ed Orgeron's team has to get through Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M. 

Two of those contests occur at Tiger Stadium. In three home games against unranked sides, LSU has outscored opponents 162-23. 

Ohio State is the only program that could potentially match that resume. The Buckeyes have wins over Michigan State and Wisconsin and could beat Penn State, Michigan and the Big Ten West champion in three consecutive weeks. 

Add in a September 7 home blowout of Cincinnati, who might be the Group of Five representative in the New Year's Six, and Ohio State could possibly make a case to have a better resume than LSU. 

As long as the Tigers and Buckeyes win out, they will likely be on opposite ends of the playoff bracket, with the top team holding the privilege to choose its semifinal destination. 

The Peach Bowl would be the likely choice of the No. 1 seed, as long as Clemson wins out and claims No. 3, to avoid any home-field advantage for the opponent. 

Dabo Swinney's side has the weakest remaining schedule of the top three sides, as it faces no ranked programs.

The Tigers finish ACC regular-season play Saturday against a Wake Forest side that tumbled out of the Top 25 following a loss to Virginia Tech and then they visit South Carolina November 30. 

Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

The Gamecocks knocked off Georgia October 12, but they have gone 1-3 since then and fell last weekend to Appalachian State. 

If LSU, Ohio State and Clemson win out, that leaves a competition for the No. 4 seed between a collection of teams, one of them being one-loss Alabama without a conference championship berth. 

The Crimson Tide can earn a Top 25 victory over Auburn, which may be significant when comparing their resume to Oregon. 

Mario Cristobal's squad lost in Week 1 at a neutral site to Auburn, and if Alabama rolls its Iron Bowl rival, those results could be compared by the selection committee. 

However, Oregon would have a Pac-12 title and 12 straight wins if it finishes with victories over Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State and Utah. 

The Crimson Tide and Ducks would be directly compared if Georgia loses to LSU, Minnesota and Penn State fall to Ohio State. 

Oklahoma or Baylor could slide into the picture, but there is a possibility the two sides split Saturday and in the Big 12 Championship Game. 

Given Baylor's low ranking and Oklahoma's bad loss to Kansas State, the Big 12 champion likely sits at a disadvantage. 

Championship Prediction

LSU vs. Ohio State

LSU and Ohio State have looked like the most dominant teams all season. 

The Tigers have six double-digit victories and hold a pair of true road victories over Texas and Alabama.

The Buckeyes have stormed past every opponent by scoring 34 points or more in each contest. 

Storylines would be overflowing in this potential matchup, with potential Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow facing the program he transferred from leading the marquee. 

If Justin Fields thrives against Penn State and Michigan, he could finish second in the Heisman voting behind Burrow. 

The matchups with the opposing defenses would be fascinating as well. Ohio State boasts the top scoring defense with 8.6 points conceded per game, while LSU ranks in the top 15 in rushing defense. 

There would be potential NFL talent littered across the field, with Fields, Burrow, LSU safety Grant Delpit and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, if he is eligible, leading the list of possible first-round picks. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.