College Football Playoff: Teams that could help contenders

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

The top 10 teams in the College Football Playoff Rankings won on Saturday and most of them won in convincing fashion. That means there is one fewer weekend for the one-loss teams hoping to earn the coveted fourth spot in the College Football Playoff to make up any ground. Take a look at the teams the remaining one-loss teams outside the top four should be rooting for down the stretch.

MORE: Battle for CFB Playoff spot among one-loss teams

Teams they should be rooting for: South Carolina, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, West Virginia, Texas and Washington

Here's why ... Georgia controls its own destiny and its future is pretty clear: Win the SEC championship and you're in; lose it and you're out. But, in the case of chaos all over the College Football Playoff rankings down the stretch and a close loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game, the Bulldogs could find themselves in the thick of a debate.

There is a scenario where Georgia could make the College Football Playoff if South Carolina, LSU, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, West Virginia, Texas and Washington win at different points over the next three weeks. Georgia fans would want some of those teams to win to strengthen their own résumé and others to get wins over some of the teams Georgia would be competing with for the final playoff spot.

Teams they should be rooting for ... Alabama, Northwestern, Nebraska, Rutgers, Iowa State and West Virginia

Here's why ... Oklahoma will need some help if it wins out. Sooners fans need to hope Alabama beats Georgia in the SEC championship game and that either Northwestern wins the Big Ten championship game or that the Big Ten East Division implodes. If Georgia were to upset Alabama and the Sooners win-out, Oklahoma fans surely do not want to get into a debate about whether Oklahoma or Alabama deserves the final playoff spot.

Oklahoma needs Michigan's résumé building wins to look weaker so and knocking Michigan State out of the rankings would do that. It would leave Michigan with no more than three wins over ranked teams, the same number Oklahoma would have if they and Iowa State win-out. So the Sooners should be rooting on Nebraska and Rutgers against the Spartans.

It feels weird saying it but Oklahoma fans should also root for West Virginia. The Mountaineers need to beat down Oklahoma State this week before back-to-back games against the Sooners. OU fans don't want West Virginia's ranking to drop too low between those games, either.

Teams they should be rooting for ... USC, Auburn, Georgia, Northwestern, Oklahoma, and West Virginia

Here's why ... There is a chance Washington State will end the season with none of its opponents in the final rankings so Wazzu fans will be jumping on a lot of bandwagons these last couple weeks.

The two teams that could create a chaotic scenario that would benefit Washington State the most are USC and Auburn. USC hosts Notre Dame in two weeks and Auburn does the same with Alabama. The Trojans and Tigers beating one of these undefeated teams would be huge for Washington State.

The Cougars are looking at Georgia the same way, hoping it beats Alabama in the SEC championship game, but they'll need Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma and West Virginia to also lose. That means Oklahoma and West Virginia would have to knock each other off, meaning the team that wins the matchup in the regular season finale has to lose when they play the following week in the Big 12 championship game. Washington State should be cheering for Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game to beat either Michigan or Ohio State.

Teams they should be rooting for ... Iowa State, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Northwestern, Nebraska, Rutgers and Oklahoma

Here's why ... There is a lot to unpack here but there is a path to the College Football Playoff for West Virginia. To make its résumé look as strong as possible, the Mountaineers should want Texas Tech, Tennessee and Iowa State to win out, making their only loss of the season look as strong as possible and their previous wins look better.

West Virginia fans should direct positive vibes towards Evanston, Ill., as well. Should the Wildcats upset the Big Ten East champion in the conference championship game, the Big 12 champion stands to make the College football Playoff. If that doesn't happen, the Mountaineers should hope that Nebraska or Rutgers beat Michigan State over the next two weeks, weakening the résumé of the Big Ten East Division champion and putting it on par with West Virginia's if it wins out.

The same strange scenario that exists for Oklahoma does for West Virginia as well. Mountaineers fans need Oklahoma to take care of business against Kansas this coming weekend and not drop too far following a loss to the Mountaineers prior to the rematch in the Big 12 title game.

Teams they should be rooting for ... Penn State, Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame

Here's why ... The recipe for Ohio State is pretty cut and dry. The Buckeyes need their previous two ranked opponents, Penn State and Michigan State, to win out so both can finish the season as ranked teams and make Ohio State's résumé look as strong as possible. With games against Rutgers and Maryland coming up, Penn State is favored to go 2-0 over the next two weeks. Michigan State travels to Nebraska for a tougher-than-expected road game and finishes up the season with Rutgers. The Buckeyes also need Purdue to win against Wisconsin and Indiana in its final two games so Ohio State's loss to the Boilermakers doesn't look as bad.

Ohio State needs Michigan to avoid stumbling over Indiana this week so it is still ranked highly going into their rivalry game in the regular season finale. If Ohio State can get to the Big Ten championship game and beat Northwestern, Buckeye fans should prefer the Wildcats go into the game having won their upcoming games against Minnesota and Illinois. If Northwestern can accomplish that, there is a decent chance they get to the Big Ten championship game as a ranked team.

The Buckeyes shouldn't need any help from the other one-loss teams if this scenario plays out and Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame win the rest of their games.