College football roundtable: Overrated playoff contenders

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In six short months, the stretch run of college football begins, with the final two weeks of the regular season sure to shape the playoff pairings and races for major awards. All this week, we’re looking forward to late 2016 as the Power 5 conferences jockey for postseason position.

Next up: Which team is an overrated contender to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year’s Eve?

ACC: Florida State

Both Clemson and Florida State are likely top-five preseason selections, so tagging one with an overrated label is sure to blow up in my face. Louisville and North Carolina should be ranked in the preseason, but they’re on the playoff periphery. Forced to pick between Clemson and Florida State, I’d say the Seminoles are the more overrated contender, despite both teams having clear issues. There are questions at every position of FSU’s offense, outside of running back Dalvin Cook. A seasoned, future first-round draft pick at quarterback isn’t required to win a championship, as we’ve seen lately, but Florida State’s offensive line and receivers have not yet proven they can shoulder part of the QB’s burden. Clemson will be inexperienced on defense, but the offense could be the country’s best. — Jared Shanker

Big 12: Oklahoma

Baker Mayfield. Samaje Perine. Jordan Thomas. A lengthy list of stars makes it easy to see why Oklahoma is the runaway favorite to be Big 12 champion for the second straight season and stake a claim in the College Football Playoff. With Mayfield a Heisman candidate at quarterback, Perine rushing for more than 3,000 yards in his first two seasons in crimson and cream and Thomas one of the Big 12’s top cornerbacks, the Sooners could be even better in 2016 than they were a …

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