![USC left the door open [Image via Eric Chan via Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/9/30/660x290/b_502x220x82/usc-left-the-door-open-eric-chan-via-wikimedia-commons_1603069.jpg "USC left the door open [Image via Eric Chan via Wikimedia Commons]")
USC managed to lose to Washington State, and now we have to wonder what will happen in the Pac 12. If Washington can go undefeated, this will be a very interesting process when choosing the College Football Playoff teams. The final four teams will be very easy to choose if Washington loses, but now we have to wonder if the PAC 12 can steal a spot from someone else when Washington goes undefeated. USC has taken itself out of the conversation for the final four for now, but other things could change.
The Washington State loss
The Washington State loss is what sets in motion a very odd sequence of events that involves Washington, Clemson, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
You will notice that I did not mention Penn State because these four teams are in the best position to win out. If Washington wins out, Penn State will get left out of the conversation. If Washington has a loss, then you will see Penn State get back into the final four. This is a very simple equation, and we will begin to see the landscape of college football shift to wondering who is going to take that last loss. Who will leave the last space open in the final four?
What if more people lose?
USC would have to hope that a lot more teams lose. Clemson could lose to Virginia Tech, and Alabama could lose to one of a couple schools. Washington could lose easily, and there are many different people who think that Penn State is not as good as Ohio State.
It would be easy to see all these teams take a loss, and we would restart the conversation about who should be in the final four. USC has to win the rest of their games, and they have to hope that other teams get unlucky.
Who would I pick?
I personally think that Clemson, Washington, Oklahoma, and Alabama will be in the final four, and they will get there because they have the easiest path to winning the title.
You have a number of people who have already picked out these teams to go to the playoffs, so I am not breaking new ground. These four teams are clearly the easiest to pick, and there are plenty of reasons to think that we will get very good games between these four teams.
What about Penn State?
Penn State is a great team because they have the best player in America.
However, they will get left out because they appear to be the weakest of the five best teams. They believe that the Nittany Lions will lose to Ohio State, and they believe that the Big Ten is very the weakest conference of the five. There is no one else to choose, and we may sit around waiting for Penn State to lose.
