NCAAF teams
Mel Kiper Jr.Todd McShay 9y

Can MSU or OSU make playoff?

Insider College Football, Michigan State Spartans, Ohio State Buckeyes

Each week during the college football season, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay kick off the week by settling a debate, looking at emerging NFL prospects and peeking ahead to next week.


The big question: Does a one-loss Michigan State or Ohio State deserve to make the playoff?

Todd McShay: At this point, I can't definitively say that a one-loss Michigan State Spartans or Ohio State Buckeyes will deserve a spot in the playoff. A lot will depend upon which teams the Spartans or Buckeyes (and there can only be one, since they face off against each other Nov. 8) will be up against when it comes time to select the playoff field. But I'm much more inclined to believe that they will be deserving of one of the four spots than I would have been just three weeks ago.

Here's the case for each, followed by the bottom line:

Michigan State: I'm more familiar with the Buckeyes' personnel and development at the moment, because I've been part of the broadcast team for Ohio State games in two of the past three weeks, but from what I've been able to see so far (and I will be covering Michigan State against Michigan Saturday -- 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC), this is a team that continues to improve.

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