1. Ohio State needs a miracle.
The College Football Playoff committee might be capable of a surprise. It's possible Michigan State's 55-16 blowout of Penn State helped OSU's cause. The Buckeyes' 17-14 stumble against the Spartans in the wind and rain at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 21 kept them from playing in next weekend's Big Ten Championship Game against undefeated Iowa and almost surely ended their hopes of repeating as national champions. If Iowa beats Michigan State, some analysts might believe the Buckeyes are better than the Hawkeyes. But will the CFP committee? I could see them fearing that an OSU-USC Rose Bowl would steal the playoff's thunder.