As the college football season reaches it’s mid-way point, 8 teams currently hold perfect records, and with that means increasing pressure for them to win the rest of their games, and achieve perfection. Of these 8, there are only 6 that would receive legitimate consideration for the National Championship Game. Alabama, Oregon, Miami, Ohio State, Florida State and Baylor are the only remaining unbeaten that will be in consideration for the national championship game, if they go undefeated in the regular season. I will break down each of these teams, and give my projections for the rest of the year.

Alabama:  

     Record Last year: 14-0

     Bowl Game: BCS National Championship (Win over Notre Dame)

     Coach: Nick Saban (7^th year)

     Projected finish:  12-0

Alabama is looking to become the first team to win three national championships in a row, and they certainly have the power to do that. The Crimson Tide, led by Nick Saban are threatening a three peat. With a reasonable schedule remaining, except for a big game against LSU, there is no reason why the Crimson Tide can’t go undefeated and go to the National Championship game, where they will have a tough game over any of the unbeaten remaining, where they will come out on top and pull off the un-heard of three-peat.

Oregon:

     Record Last year: 12-1

     Bowl Game: Fiesta Bowl (win over Kansas state)

     Coach: Mark Helfrich (1^st year)

     Projected finish: 11-1

After losing head Coach Chip Kelly to the NFL, there was a lot of speculation as to how the talented Oregon Ducks would fair in the 2013 season. So far, Oregon has upheld to their tradition of fast paced football. Winning convincingly in each game in the process, the Ducks seem unstoppable. However, Oregon will have trouble against Pac-12 foe Stanford, a team that beat Oregon last year and ended their national title hopes. Oregon will have to win this game and convincingly to stay ahead of Florida State in the BCS rankings, which is very possible. If that happens, it will be a pac-12, SEC showdown in the BCS Championship game.

Ohio State

     Record Last Year: 12-0

     Bowl Game: None (NCAA Sanctions)

     Coach: Urban Meyer (2^nd year)

Projected Finish: 12-0

The only thing that kept Ohio State out of the National Championship game last year were some NCAA sanctions that were brought on for recruiting violations during the Jim Tressel era. The Buckeyes have yet to lose a game under Urban Meyer, and despite their closer than expected victory over Iowa, the Buckeyes will go undefeated in the regular season. Even with the perfect 12-0, Ohio State will have a tough time reaching the national championship game, with Ohio State, Florida State and Oregon all threatening perfection. All three of these teams are ahead of Ohio State in the polls. The Buckeyes strength of schedule is in a weak Big Ten Conference and does not look as good to an SEC or ACC team. Ohio State will go undefeated, and unless two of the previously mentioned teams lose, than Ohio State will find themselves in the Rose Bowl, after defeating either Nebraska or Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game.

Miami

     Record Last Year: 7-5

Bowl Game: none (Sanctions)

Coach: Al Golden

     Projected Finish: 11-1

The Miami Hurricanes are one of the reasons that the ACC is becoming a powerful conference. After an average season last year, Miami has exploded to an impressive 7-0 record so far this year. The Canes have had their close calls, such as against Wake Forest on October 26, where Miami just escaped 24-21. The Hurricanes have been impressive this season, but will lose their undefeated season against Florida State November 2, and will finish the year 11-1, and possibly receive an at large BCS bowl bid, but will depend on many different factors. Nonetheless, Miami football is on the rise.

Baylor

     Record Last Year: 8-5

     Bowl Game:  Bridgestone Education Holiday Bowl (win over UCLA)

     Coach: Art Briles

     Projected Finish: 11-1

The Baylor Bears are having an impressive season under Coach Briles. The Big-12 is nowhere near the power conference it was 4 or 5 years ago however. Baylor has a very soft schedule and even if they go unbeaten, if Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State are all unbeaten at the end of the season, Baylor will have close to no consideration for the BCS title game.  Baylor may have trouble against Oklahoma, who will be their toughest test all season. Baylor has a legitimate shot at winning the Bsig-12, and winning the automatic bid to the Orange Bowl.

Florida State

     Record Last Year: 10-2

     Bowl Game: Orange Bowl (win over Northern Illinois)

     Coach: Jimbo Fisher (4^th year)

     Projected Finish: 12-0

The defending ACC champions have come back firing and ready to have another shot at a national championship game. After taking down Clemson convincingly, Florida State has shown to everyone that they are the real deal. The Seminoles have an easier schedule the rest of the season, except for a game against Florida, which will end up being a deciding factor on who will play in the BCS title game. To make it to the title game, Florida State will need Oregon to lose, and to go undefeated to have a shot at the National Championship game, which is a strong possibility. FSU will finish the season undefeated, win the ACC Championship, and depending on whether Oregon goes undefeated, they will find themselves in the BCS national championship game against Alabama.

All of these teams have the opportunity to finish the year unbeaten, but, Alabama will prevail and win their third straight National Championship. This year has been great for football so far, and if the second half of the season is like the first \, then we are in for many more surprises.