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Iowa Football: Big Ten Teams that should be talking about the playoffs

By Matt Opad

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Sean Draper #7, Greg Mabin #13 and Maurice Fleming #28 of the Iowa Hawkeyes react after losing to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Sean Draper #7, Greg Mabin #13 and Maurice Fleming #28 of the Iowa Hawkeyes react after losing to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 20: Defensive backs Jake Gervase #30 and Geno Stone #9 of the Iowa Hawkeyes get a stop during the second half on wide receiver Jahrvis Davenport #9 of the Maryland Terrapins on October 20, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 20: Defensive backs Jake Gervase #30 and Geno Stone #9 of the Iowa Hawkeyes get a stop during the second half on wide receiver Jahrvis Davenport #9 of the Maryland Terrapins on October 20, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

It’s possible, but so is winning the lottery

Do you know how many teams have earned a berth into the playoff but have lost to a Group of 5 team? Zero.

A team can lose to Iowa State or Nebraska, but the second you lose to a team like Temple, you’re eliminated.

The Group of 5 teams are not perceived the same way that Power 5 conference teams are. The narrative has been that because good teams in mid-major conferences only need to plan for the one or two games against Power 5 conferences, they have 10-11 games on their schedule that are essentially cupcakes.

The reverse is also true. If you find yourself losing to a Group of 5 team, especially one not named UCF or Boise State, your team is not making the playoffs.

However, Maryland has Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and the West winner  (if they win the East) still on their schedule. Therefore, it is possible, though improbable, that the Terrapins sneak into a top 4 spot.

For this to happen, they don’t just need to win. The Terrapins need chaos.

Next. Grading each unit of the Hawks through the 1st quarter of 2019. dark

They need, at the least, no more than one SEC team with one or fewer loss, a two-loss PAC12 champion, a two (or more) loss Notre Dame, and possibly a two or more loss Big 12 winner. Maryland would also need Temple to look good, but not good enough to rise above the Terrapins in the Final Playoff Ranking.

Again, it is possible, but I wouldn’t put my money on Maryland in the College Football Playoffs.

Tier 4: Maryland Terrapins

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