Can Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes defend their title? (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)Ohio State proved its superiority beyond a shadow of a doubt in 2014 by conquering the inaugural four-team College Football Playoff to win the national championship. Its reward was a shiny trophy and a target centered squarely on Columbus, as the national title contenders of 2015 now take aim, seeking to thwart the Buckeyes’ back-to-back bid. Some squads will shoot closer to the target than others, however. In reality, the College Football Playoff ought to be called the Power Five Championship because only schools from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 truly appeared to have an opportunity to earn the endorsement of the College Football Playoff committee and compete for a national title. The remaining teams, the so-called Group of Five, remain, at best, long shots. [QB decisions loom for top title contenders] With that in mind, here’s a look at which programs are early Power Five favorites to participate in the College Football Playoff, starting with the projected champion for each conference. ACC: Florida State Let’s not call it a rebuild in Tallahassee. Coach Jimbo Fisher simply reloads, even if that means replacing former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston, the No 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft. The Seminoles predictably are set to contend again, at least for a conference championship if not a spot in the College Football Playoff. Florida State’s stockpile of running backs and wide receivers is as robust as any top program in the country…
Continue Reading: College Football Preview: Conference winners and playoff picks for 2015
