It does not seem like anyone really wants to win this year in college football. Either that or too many teams want to win. With more Top 10 teams falling this past weekend (Notre Dame, Baylor, and Oklahoma who was #11) the parity in college football this season continues. Here is which teams are really headed to the playoff and which teams we write off the list with more then half the season gone already. Let's play: Contender or Pretender?

Florida State Seminoles

After defeating Notre Dame 31-27, they control their own destiny. With the rest of their schedule being pretty soft and no real challenger in the ACC title game, the 'Noles should cruise to a top seed in the playoffs. SHOULD being the key word in there. They have not played to their full potential yet, which means if they do start clicking, look out. Verdict: Contender.

Oregon Ducks

Oregon may have holes, yes, but the Pac-12 will get a team in the playoffs and Oregon is the best bet. As the Ducks O-line and defense start to solidify, the schedule gets easier. Back-to-back games with Stanford (or Duck kryptonite) and Utah loom large at the beginning of November, but Stanford is down and Utah should already come back to earth by then. Verdict: Contender.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Yes, Notre Dame barely lost to the second best team in the country, but this author still does not give them much of a chance. With Arizona State and USC still on the schedule, it will be hard for the Irish to win out. They have played very well this year though and will still likely make a New Years Six bowl if they only lose one more game. Verdict: Pretender.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State has DOMINATED the past four weeks. Then again they were not matched up with anyone too good. They do have two tough road games coming up at Penn State and then the season decider at Michigan State two weeks later. They seem to be more upset prone then Michigan State so the winner of that game will be the contender. This author is just not sold on Ohio State though. The Verdict: Pretender.

Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans do not seem like the team to get upset. Therefor, Ohio State is their last challenge. If they win that game and do not get upset, they are in the playoff because that lost to Oregon will easily be forgotten. Verdict: Contender.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Is there anything that out there that can stop Dak Prescott and this shockingly good Bulldogs team? Beating three top ten teams has to make you a contender no matter what conference your in. It just helps that Mississippi State is in the toughest conference of them all. They do still have Alabama and the Egg bowl remaining, but even with a lose in one of those games their playoff hopes are safe. Verdict: Contender (*Egg Bowl).

Ole Miss Rebels

Now about that Egg Bowl... The Rebels have made a pretty good case for the playoffs themselves with wins over Alabama, Texas A&M, and Boise State. They have just as tough a road to the SEC title game with LSU, Auburn, and an Egg Bowl of the century remaining. Yours truly would say they may have a better shot then their Mississippi rival (who is surely sick of being compared to) because they have a little more star power on their side. Verdict: Contender (*Egg bowl).

Week 9 Rankings: 1 FSU, 2 Miss St, 3 Ole Miss, 4 Oregon, 5 Alabama, 6 Auburn, 7 Mich St, 8 Georgia, 9 Notre Dame, 10 Ohio St, 11 Arizona St, 12 Kansas St, 13 Arizona, 14 Oklahoma, 15 USC, 16 Baylor, 17 TCU, 18 ECU, 19 Utah, 20 Nebraska, 21 Marshall, 22 Clemson, 23 LSU, 24 UCLA, 25 West Virginia

Big games of Week 9: 14 Arizona State at Washington, 20 USC at 19 Utah, Michigan at 8 Michigan State, 13 Ohio State at Penn State, 22 West Virginia at Oklahoma State, 3 Ole Miss at 22 LSU, South Carolina at 5 Auburn

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