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Booger McFarland believes greater chance Michigan, Ohio State both miss College Football Playoff than both make

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph10/24/23
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Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The ESPN College Football Playoff reveal show is less than a week away. Lately, ESPN’s team of experts has been working through tough and challenging questions throughout the college football landscape to prepare for their kickoff show.

Recently, in a segment titled ‘This or That,’ some of the experts had to weigh in on possible scenarios for this year’s College Football Playoff. Former LSU great Booger McFarland was challenged with answering the question, ‘Which is more likely: Michigan and Ohio State both make or miss the College Football Playoff?’

“I would say it’s more likely that they both miss. I think Florida State is going undefeated,” said McFarland. “So you’re gonna have an undefeated ACC champ. I think Washington is going undefeated; you’re gonna have an undefeated Pac-12 champ.”

This season, top teams in college football have looked the part. Florida State looks like they are well on their way to a berth in the ACC Championship game. Not only that, but the Seminoles do hold a significant out-of-conference victory in their back pocket as they were able to throttle the LSU Tigers in Week 1.

Washington is the lone undefeated team remaining in the Pac-12 Conference, which is widely regarded as the deepest conference in college football this season.

If both Washington and Florida State continue on their impressive paths and reach the end of the year as undefeated conference champions, both would likely be guaranteed playoff spots at the end of the season. That would still leave two seeds available. But McFarland is unwilling to give them up to two Big Ten teams, and he explains why.

“That would mean that if both Michigan and Ohio State get in, we’re going to leave out somebody in the Big 12. I think Oklahoma is going undefeated, and even if they don’t, I don’t know if we’re gonna leave out a one-loss Big 12 camp. And then, what about the almighty SEC? So when you start playing those scenarios out, I think it’s more likely that both of them are left out than both of them are put in.”

There is still plenty of football yet to be played this season. Still, there is a legitimate chance that 2023 could have five undefeated conference champions by the time the regular season concludes and College Football Playoff seeds are awarded. And if that is the case, as McFarland alluded to, it would be difficult, practically impossible, to have two representatives from the Big Ten or any conference in the college football playoff this season.