LSU

After getting over the hump of beating Alabama, LSU has established itself as the best team in college football.

The Tigers have beaten four teams that were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the matchup, including the past two games in which they took down No. 9 Auburn and the No. 2 Crimson Tide.

Ohio State and Clemson — while also undefeated — do not match the Tigers as far as a quality schedule. The Buckeyes, in particular, have big games down the road, but as of now, LSU’s accomplishments outmatch any other team.

LSU finds itself No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and the position that has in the past held the Tigers back is now the team’s strongest component. Quarterback Joe Burrow is the leader of this year’s race for the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,198 yards and 33 touchdowns in LSU’s 9-0 start.

Burrow has had plenty of targets to throw to this season.

Wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase have accounted for a combined 1,787 receiving yards and 19 touchdown catches this season. Receiver Terrance Mitchell Jr. has also accounted for eight scores through the air this year as another weapon in a very deep LSU air attack.

On defense, the Tigers are led by standout cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The freshman has locked down opponents all season long, snagging four interceptions and tallying nine passes defended.

The offensive side of the ball has led the Tigers this year, different than what has been typical of past LSU teams. Altogether, LSU is the best and most accomplished team in college football and deserves its No. 1 ranking.

Hold that Tiger!

-Robert Read

Ohio State

Ohio State, aka the football powerhouse of the Big Ten. Welcome to the College Football Playoff, boys. Make sure you say thank you to your friendly neighborhood Hawkeyes for not subjecting you to the powers of Kinnick Stadium this season.

But for real, Ohio State is scary good. It has yet to score under 30 points in a game, has scored 70 points twice, and allowed a high of 21 points to Florida Atlantic in the first game of the season.

The Buckeyes have outscored opponents 459-77. That’s almost six points for every single point their opponents score. They’ve scored 62 touchdowns on the season, compared to allowing eight, and have finished drives with field-goal attempts just 10 times.

Ninety percent of the time they’re in the red zone, they score. Ninety.

And it’s not just the offense that booms.

Ohio State has scored 90 points off of turnovers alone this season, but when opponents do keep the ball, they don’t get very far. The Buckeye defense has allowed opponents to get into the red zone just 17 times, resulting in only five touchdowns and five field goals.

Looking at the Buckeyes’ strength of schedule, it beat now-No. 17 Cincinnati 42-0 in Week 2, now-No. 24 Indiana 51-10 in Week 3, and now-No. 15 Wisconsin 38-7 in Week 4.

On Saturday, Ohio State travels to Rutgers in a game that has a 50-point spread. It almost seems unfair to subject the Scarlet Knights to such torture. But after that matchup, the season ends with back-to-back Big Ten East matchups against No. 9 Penn State and No. 14 Michigan.

For the Buckeyes to legitimately make a run at the College Football Playoff with a team that seems to be able to battle with the SEC’s best, they’ll have to make it through the Big Ten East and the conference championship in Indianapolis on Dec. 7.

But looking at their track record, that doesn’t seem too difficult.

-Anna Kayser

Clemson

No, I don’t think Clemson is a top-four team in the country right now. But the Tigers are a lock in every way for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The ACC has had a down year, but that’s not Clemson’s fault. The hardest matchup on its schedule comes this weekend with Wake Forest, a 7-2 team that lost last week to Virginia Tech. The game’s at Clemson, so good luck there.

The defending champs’ defense ­— particularly the defensive line — has taken a step back from 2018, but it’s still having a pretty solid year. The Tigers have only allowed 20 points once this season in its only closely-contested game of the season against North Carolina on Sept. 28.

Still, the Tigers are tied for seventh in the FBS in defensive touchdowns this year, and they’re ranked No. 4 in the country in total defense.

Somehow, there’s a narrative floating around that Trevor Lawrence is struggling this season. While he’s not putting up the machine-like stats people expected, he’s having a solid 2019. He’s completing 67 percent of his passes so far with 2,303 yards and 23 touchdowns, while only throwing eight picks.

The downside of Clemson’s schedule is that a single loss will likely knock it out of contention. Clemson will most likely have to play either Virginia or Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship. Both have multiple losses on the year already.

In contrast, Ohio State still has to play Michigan, Penn State, and likely Minnesota — all ranked teams. LSU will probably take on No. 5 Georgia in the SEC Championship. Of all the teams in contention, Clemson has the easiest and clearest path to the Playoff.

-Pete Mills

Alabama

There’s no reason Alabama should be kept out of the College Football Playoff this season.

In fact, it would be a shame if Georgia — or any other team for that matter — made the top four over the Crimson Tide.

Alabama has suffered only one loss this season to LSU, the No. 1 team in the country, by five points on Nov. 9. The defeat also came when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was questionable with an injury all week.

Georgia, however, lost to South Carolina 20-17. The Tide dominated the Gamecocks 47-23 when the teams played on Sept. 14.

Sure, the Bulldogs own better wins than Alabama after beating Florida and Notre Dame, but the Tide’s lone loss to the Tigers is much better.

It’s also important to note the playmakers Alabama’s roster features.

Tagovailoa ranks third in the country with 323 yards per game and 31 touchdowns, and he’s only thrown three interceptions.

Alabama also trails only Ohio State and Oklahoma in scoring offense, dropping 47.8 points per game to pace the SEC.

A team can only be penalized so much for losing to the team that is widely regarded as the best team in college football — especially when the margin is so small.

If Alabama finds a way to beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl in their regular-season finale on Nov. 30, it’ll finally have a signature win.

There’s no way that shouldn’t be enough to push them in the Playoff.

Plus, what’s a College Football Playoff without Alabama? No one knows. The Tide deserve to roll into the postseason.

-Pete Ruden