Ohio State, TCU, Clemson, LSU and Baylor are among the popular names for the College Football Playoff, but don’t sleep on a few under-the-radar contenders for the four-team championship tournament.
While power-conference teams undeniably have an edge because of reputation, one Group of Five school has pushed its way into the CFP picture. The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings—which are set to be released after Week 9—will show how the committee views these underrated squads.
Stanford Cardinal
Quarterback Kevin Hogan returned for another year, so Stanford was a trendy pick to reach the College Football Playoff.