Road to the National Title (5 Weeks to Go)

Open Road (Undefeated)
Alabama Crimson Tide
Last Game: 45-10 over Tennessee
Key Remaining Games: LSU, at Auburn, SEC Title Game
Bye week for the Crimson Tide before their game against LSU.  Don't forget that Alabama has dropped a home game each of the past two years.  LSU comes to Tuscaloosa this week.

Oregon Ducks
Last Game: 42-14 over UCLA
Key Remaining Games: at Stanford, Oregon State, Pac 12 Title Game
Their Thursday night game against Stanford will be make or break for the Ducks.  A win should clear the way to the title game.

Florida State Seminoles
Last Week: 41-14 over Miami
Key Remaining Games: at Florida, ACC Title Game
Their blowout win over Miami continues to illustrate not only are they an elite team, but that their schedule won't be enough if Oregon and Alabama are both undefeated.  Too bad that their final game against Florida won't help them out.

Ohio State Buckeyes
Last Week: 56-0 over Purdue
Key Remaining Games: at Michigan, Big 10 Title Game
Easy win over Purdue, but the Buckeyes have to hope that both Michigan and Michigan State win out, or they may suffer the same fate as Florida State.  Their schedule just isn't good enough to jump the teams ahead of them.

Baylor Bears
Last Game: 59-14 over Kansas
Key Remaining Games: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, at Oklahoma State, Texas
It's put up or shut up time for Baylor.  Thursday night against Oklahoma will tell us everything we need need to know.  If they can beat the Sooners they should cruise through the rest of their schedule.

Debris on the Road (One Loss)
Stanford Cardinal
Last Game: 20-12 over Oregon State
Key Remaining Games: Oregon, Pac 12 Title Game
If Stanford wants any chance of backing into the National Title game they have to beat Oregon.  Their schedule should be tough enough to make them the top one loss team.

Auburn Tigers
Last Week: 35-17 over Arkansas
Key Remaining Games: Georgia, Alabama, SEC Title Game
The Tigers got some big help by RB Tre Mason to get the win over Arkansas.  But they'll need QB Nick Marshall back at full strength if they want to finish the season with only one loss.  If they do, they should have a good case for being the best one loss team.

Missouri Tigers
Last Week: 31-3 over Tennessee
Key Remaining Games: Texas A&M, SEC Title Game
Got the bounce back game after the South Carolina loss and should win this week over Kentucky.  However Ole Miss will give them everything they have and A&M should be fun.

Road Closed
Miami Hurricanes
Last Week: 41-14 loss to Florida State
I know they only have one loss, but their chances are over.  There is likely to be a guarantee of two undefeated teams and Miami even with winning out doesn't have the resume to jump Stanford, Auburn, or Missouri.  Still a remarkable season.

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Last Week: 34-52 loss to Oklahoma State
Back to back losses to teams from Oklahoma put an end to the Red Raiders hopes of a National Title.  But we saw it coming with their schedule.  What's worse is that they still could lose the remaining games and end up with five losses.  Wouldn't be good to win you first seven and then drop four or five to end the season.