NCAA.com writer gives South Carolina favorable CFP prediction
On Sunday, Stan Becton of NCAA.com predicted what Tuesday’s College Football Playoff Rankings would look like, and his words are sure to make South Carolina fans happy.
According to Becton, the Gamecocks should come in at No. 11 in the updated CFP Ranking. That is one spot higher than the USA Today Coaches Poll placed Carolina and two ahead of the AP’s ranking.
In Becton’s projection, USC would be in the 12-team CFP field. The Big 12 Championship Game between Iowa State and Arizona State likely will produce a Big 12 champ lower than No. 11 in the standings, but that wouldn’t affect the Gamecocks in this scenario.
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Becton explained his rationale behind putting South Carolina in his 11th spot: “The order of the rankings from No. 12-14 will be the cause for plenty of debate. South Carolina beat a Clemson team ranked No. 12 last week, while other three-loss SEC teams beat unranked opponents. However, teams like Alabama and Ole Miss defeated the Gamecocks head-to-head. True as that may be, the committee already showed that head-to-head isn’t the end-all factor when the Tide, Rebels, Bulldogs, and Vols were all in the top 10 a few weeks ago. The Clemson win pushes the Gamecocks into the playoffs.”
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Becton values South Carolina’s six-game winning streak and rivalry win over Clemson. Other pundits care more about head-to-head results than how a team finishes. Whether or not Becton’s prediction is the accurate one, though, only time will tell.
The Tuesday update to the CFP Rankings will be broadcast on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. Next Sunday, the College Football Playoff Selection Show will take over ESPN from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
