Although the four-team College Football Playoff offers a small margin for error, the safest path to competing for a national championship involves an undefeated record.
Well, for power-conference programs, of course.
The most successful teams lately are expected to stay that way in 2021. Considering what has happened in the past decade, nobody will be surprised to see Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State or Oklahoma among the most likely unbeaten teams.
Looking ahead to the fall, however, Alabama and Oklahoma both have a key contender in their respective conference.
Although neither Cincinnati nor Coastal Carolina could crack the CFP conversation with a perfect regular-season record in 2020, we're not solely focused on the Power Five.