Auburn and LSU will earn a spot on the 4-team national playoffs more than any other teams if they go unbeaten.
Using the final College Football Playoff Committee regular season rankings, Auburn and LSU each plays 5 of the top 25 teams from 2017.
No top 25 team plays 4 top 25 teams on that list. But West Virginia, not in that top 25 list, will play four top 25 teams on that list: #2 Oklahoma, #15 TCU, #19 Oklahoma State and #24 North Carolina State.
If WVU goes unbeaten, it will have a more impressive resume than any team except Auburn and LSU, based on the top 25 teams on that list.
Alabama, Stanford, Notre Dame, TCU, Michigan State, Washington State, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Mississippi State each play 3 top 25 teams on that list.
1. Clemson plays #24 NC State
2. Oklahoma plays #15 TCU
3. Georgia plays #17 LSU
4. Alabama plays #7 Auburn, #17 LSU, #23 Miss. State
5. Ohio State plays #15 TCU, #9 Penn State
6. Wisconsin plays #9 Penn State, #21 Northwestern
7. Auburn plays #3 Georgia, #4 Alabama, #11 Washington, #15 LSU, #23 Miss. State
8. USC plays #11 Washington, #14 Notre Dame
9. Penn State plays #5 Ohio State
10. Miami plays #17 LSU, #22 Virginia Tech
11. Washington plays #7 Auburn, #13 Stanford
12. UCF plays #20 Memphis
13. Stanford plays #11 Washington, #14 Notre Dame, #18 Washington State
14. Notre Dame plays #13 Stanford, #21 Northwestern, #22 Virginia Tech
15. TCU plays #2 Oklahoma, #5 Ohio State, #19 Oklahoma State
16. Michigan State plays #5 Ohio State, #9 Penn State, #21 Northwestern
17. LSU plays #3 Georgia, #4 Alabama, #7 Auburn, #10 Miami, #23 Miss. State
18. Washington State plays #8 USC, #11 Washington, #13 Stanford
19. Oklahoma State plays #2 Oklahoma, #15 TCU, #25 Boise State
20. Memphis plays #12 Central Florida
21. Northwestern plays #6 Wisconsin, #14 Notre Dame, #16 Michigan State
22. Virginia Tech plays #14 Notre Dame
23. Mississippi State plays #4 Alabama, #7 Auburn, #15 LSU
24. NC State plays #1 Clemson
25. Boise State plays #19 Oklahoma State
In cross-checking 25 schedules against the top 25 list I might be got something wrong, but the main point holds. The Mountaineers are playing more top 25 teams from that 2017 list than all but 2 teams in America.
Grier and the Mountaineers have some serious mountains ahead of them.
Using the final College Football Playoff Committee regular season rankings, Auburn and LSU each plays 5 of the top 25 teams from 2017.
No top 25 team plays 4 top 25 teams on that list. But West Virginia, not in that top 25 list, will play four top 25 teams on that list: #2 Oklahoma, #15 TCU, #19 Oklahoma State and #24 North Carolina State.
If WVU goes unbeaten, it will have a more impressive resume than any team except Auburn and LSU, based on the top 25 teams on that list.
Alabama, Stanford, Notre Dame, TCU, Michigan State, Washington State, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Mississippi State each play 3 top 25 teams on that list.
1. Clemson plays #24 NC State
2. Oklahoma plays #15 TCU
3. Georgia plays #17 LSU
4. Alabama plays #7 Auburn, #17 LSU, #23 Miss. State
5. Ohio State plays #15 TCU, #9 Penn State
6. Wisconsin plays #9 Penn State, #21 Northwestern
7. Auburn plays #3 Georgia, #4 Alabama, #11 Washington, #15 LSU, #23 Miss. State
8. USC plays #11 Washington, #14 Notre Dame
9. Penn State plays #5 Ohio State
10. Miami plays #17 LSU, #22 Virginia Tech
11. Washington plays #7 Auburn, #13 Stanford
12. UCF plays #20 Memphis
13. Stanford plays #11 Washington, #14 Notre Dame, #18 Washington State
14. Notre Dame plays #13 Stanford, #21 Northwestern, #22 Virginia Tech
15. TCU plays #2 Oklahoma, #5 Ohio State, #19 Oklahoma State
16. Michigan State plays #5 Ohio State, #9 Penn State, #21 Northwestern
17. LSU plays #3 Georgia, #4 Alabama, #7 Auburn, #10 Miami, #23 Miss. State
18. Washington State plays #8 USC, #11 Washington, #13 Stanford
19. Oklahoma State plays #2 Oklahoma, #15 TCU, #25 Boise State
20. Memphis plays #12 Central Florida
21. Northwestern plays #6 Wisconsin, #14 Notre Dame, #16 Michigan State
22. Virginia Tech plays #14 Notre Dame
23. Mississippi State plays #4 Alabama, #7 Auburn, #15 LSU
24. NC State plays #1 Clemson
25. Boise State plays #19 Oklahoma State
In cross-checking 25 schedules against the top 25 list I might be got something wrong, but the main point holds. The Mountaineers are playing more top 25 teams from that 2017 list than all but 2 teams in America.
Grier and the Mountaineers have some serious mountains ahead of them.