We’ve still got a lot of the college football season left, but it’s really never too early to start looking ahead to the College Football Playoff. Heck, if you are an Ohio State fan, you know that Ryan Day has taken the Buckeyes to the final four teams in three of his first four seasons.
One of the models we like to keep our eyes on is ESPN’s Playoff Predictor. It takes into account the results to date and what’s coming up to determine which teams have the best chance of making the playoff.
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Now that we are five weeks in, there’s some pretty good data to go on, but it is of course still too early to lock it in. However, if you are an Ohio State fan, you’re going to like what the playoff predictor says about the Buckeyes’ chances of getting into all of the fun again.
The usual suspects we’ve seen so far this year are there like Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and Michigan are all there along with others.
Here’s a look at the 14 teams that have the best chance to make the CFP according to ESPN after the results of Week 5.
14
No. 14 – Ole Miss Rebels (4-1)
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 4%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
13
No. 13 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 5%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
12
No. 12 – Miami Hurricanes (4-0)
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 9%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
11
No. 11 – USC Trojans (5-0)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 14%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
10
No. 9 (tie) – Michigan Wolverines (5-0)
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 21%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
9
No. 9 (tie) – Washington Huskies (5-0)
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 21%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
8
No. 8 – Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1)
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 27%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
7
No. 7 – Florida State Seminoles (4-0)
Glenn Beil-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 28%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
6
No. 6 – Georgia Bulldogs (5-0)
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 30%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
5
No. 5 – Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 33%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
4
No. 4 – Oregon Ducks (5-0)
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 40%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
3
No. 3 – Texas Longhorns (5-0)
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 50%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
2
No. 2 – Oklahoma Sooners (5-0)
USA TODAY Sports
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 53%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A
1
No. 1 – Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)
Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
ESPN Playoff Predictor Odds
Chance of Making the CFP | 54%
Last Week’s Chances | N/A
% Chance Ranking Last Week | N/A