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We might only be a month or so removed from the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, however it is never too early to look ahead to the upcoming College Football season and look at a number of games that could perhaps have an outcome regarding the way in which the playoffs are determined.
Of course, the Georgia Bulldogs managed to defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 on January 10, 2022, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, Indiana, in a game that saw the favorite win but appeared to blow the points spread betting market completely open with the result.
Naturally, whilst there will be some who looked at betting on that game when it took place, there will be many more that will want to get in on the college football betting action in the upcoming season, especially as more and more states in the U.S. begin to permit the activity after creating regulations to legalize it. Those that are already interested in placing a futures bet on the NCAA Championship Game in 2023 will find that the Alabama Crimson Tide has been made favorites, with the Ohio State Buckeyes closely behind them.
However, whilst there is a lot that will change between now and Labor Day, that should not stop us from taking a look at some of the key matches that are scheduled to take place that could have a major impact on the outcome of the playoffs later in the season.
Let’s take a look at just a few of them below:
The game between Ohio State and Michigan has plenty of history, so it is no surprise that this match has been identified as one that can have playoff implications for those involved.
Last year, the game saw the Buckeyes be knocked out of the playoff race, whilst in 2016 it saw Ohio State manage to earn their place to a semifinal despite not being able to win the Big Ten Conference.
Michigan managed to win last year after they defeated the Buckeyes in this game - which was a must-win match on route to the conference championship - and earn a semifinal appearance despite having been beaten by Michigan State.
The games between them in 2018 and 2021 ended up being significant as they saw scenarios in which the winner took all for the East division. There is every possibility that this game could once again have that same situation and determine the Big Ten East division winner.
Prior to this game, though, the Buckeyes will need to ensure that they do well against Notre Dame, although this match could be bigger for the latter of the two in regard to the path to the playoffs.
Notre Dame can be considered to be at a slight disadvantage as they do not have a conference championship, therefore one loss can play a significant role on their season as their margin for error is eliminated and they will need help from elsewhere.
The two teams will meet in the season opener and if Notre Dame were able to secure the win, then it could be all the Irish need to qualify and finish in the top four, especially if the Buckeyes are able to win the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes, though, could be impacted heavily if they are to lose to the Irish, with the head-to-head becoming a rather big concern if they do. Even if they only have one loss, they will need to rely on results from the other Power 5 champions whilst it may also depend on what the committee decides to do.
The match between Texas A&M and Alabama could be the perfect opportunity for the Aggies to take the lead in the SEC West and put pressure on Crimson Tide and make them run the table once again.
If the Aggies are able to show that they can finally keep winning whilst on the road and show the committee that they mean business, then they have every chance of being involved in the playoffs.
Both teams have tricky nonconference games to play in September, but the loser of this game will certainly not be out of the playoff conversation, as the committee has made their appreciation of the strength of the SEC’s schedule, although both teams will want to win this game to strengthen their chances.