Top 8 Teams Most Likely to Cause Chaos in Last Half of the College Football Season

In all likelihood, the remaining weeks of the college football season won't go as planned.

Weirdness will come, just like always. And teams off the College Football Playoff pace will find a way to have their say in all of this.

Chaos doesn't come from the teams hovering around the top five. It comes from elsewhere, and oftentimes when you least expect it.

In many instances, though, chaos can be anticipated. The schedules have a story to tell, and certain teams will be in a position to shake up the sport more than others.

Georgia, Michigan and Ohio State, by way of example, aren't these types of teams. Instead, we're looking for those with opportunities to shake up the College Football Playoff with games dwindling down. There is no shortage of potential options.

Long before the season began, the Oregon State Beavers felt like a team capable of more. They have done nothing to stray from the stigma, winning all but one game. The lone loss was a hard-fought defeat at Washington State.

They have beaten good teams, including a dominating performance against Utah, but the biggest games are still to come.

Oregon State play at Arizona this week, which will not be an easy assignment. However, the most intriguing matchups will come at the end of the season when the Beavers play Washington and at rival Oregon in back-to-back weeks.

The importance of these games cannot be overstated. Oregon State could well decide the Pac-12 playoff fate. And, if all goes well between now and then, it could also be playing for something more.

About a month or so ago, Oklahoma State lost consecutive games to South Alabama and Iowa State. To put it mildly, this was a very bad stretch.

If we're being honest, we wrote this team off right there.

Since then, the Pokes have found life. Wins over Kansas State and Kansas, thanks in large part to running back Ollie Gordon II, have set the table for a fascinating close.

All eyes will be on the team's game against Oklahoma on Nov. 4, which is normally the case. Bedlam is always beautiful, and the Sooners' impending move to the SEC makes this year's edition even larger.

While Oklahoma has largely dominated the rivalry, this one shouldn't be taken for granted.

The Tar Heels were on the other end of a wild outcome this past Saturday, losing to Virginia as more than a three-touchdown favorite at home. Oof.

Although we hate eliminating teams with just one loss from the College Football Playoff, this certainly puts a damper on things. But all is not lost.

North Carolina still has to play Duke and Clemson before the end of the year, but those games aren't the ones that will shake things up.

No, that game could come in the ACC Championship—assuming UNC can get there. With Louisville playing well, that's a big if. After all, this team just lost to Virginia.

However, if any team can beat Florida State within the conference and really throw a wrench in the ACC's playoff hopes, it's this one. Drake Maye is still one of the best players in the sport, and he could also be one of its biggest disruptors.

In terms of opportunity, few teams have more in front of it than this one.

In its last five games, Florida will play four teams currently ranked inside the top 16 and two teams ranked inside the top four.

Georgia, currently No. 1 in the AP Poll, is on tap this week. The Gators will also play Florida State, currently ranked No. 4, at home in the regular-season finale.

Throw in road games against LSU and Missouri, both of which are still very much in the SEC mix, and we have ourselves a wild close.

All of this is not-so-great news for Florida coach Billy Napier, who could benefit from a strong finish to the season. Still, if he's able to win two of these games, the impact on the SEC and beyond could be seismic.

Now, this one is interesting.

USC never wanted to play spoiler. With Caleb Williams at quarterback, the aspirations were always so much greater. After consecutive losses, though, spoiler might just be the role the Trojans need to play.

And spoil they still can.

Granted, this team is a bit of a mess. The defense can't tackle, and the offense simply doesn't seem like itself. Still, USC plays Washington, at Oregon and UCLA to close out the year.

This version of the Trojans squad would likely struggle against all three, although nothing is a given in a conference with this much talent and depth. And with Williams under center, this team, no matter how disappointing, can conquer everything in front of it.

From the style of the games to the general vibe, LSU screams chaos.

The defense has major holes, the journey to Week 9 has been anything but linear, and the quarterback is putting together a Heisman-worthy season. Behind Jayden Daniels, LSU feels capable of just about anything.

While the Tigers won't play the same lineup of potential playoff teams as others, chaos comes in different forms. They will face Alabama after a bye this week, and that game will be worth the price of admission.

With a few wins—and a few losses from others—LSU could be back in the SEC Championship Game again. If that is the case, look out. (At the very least, the scoreboard will be busy and the chaos should follow them to every game they play.)

After suffering two losses in three weeks, we stopped taking Kansas State seriously for a while.

That has changed more recently, as a team with plenty of hype before the season began has found its rhythm on both the offensive and defensive side. Now, the Wildcats will get a crack at shaking up the Big 12 and the notion of an inevitable rematch between Texas and Oklahoma.

In Week 10, Kansas State will travel to Texas. The status of Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is very much up in the air, and that could have an impact here.

Whether Ewers plays or not, K-State has the opportunity to provide a detour from a conclusion many were assuming just a few short weeks ago.

And we won't have to wait long to see it.

In many ways, the chaos has already begun.

Last week, despite playing a defensive player at quarterback a good chunk of the time, Utah conquered USC on the road, all but ending its push for the CFP.

This week, the Utes head home to take on Oregon. A win, of course, would jumble up an already jumbled Pac-12. But given what we just witnessed—and how difficult this home field typically plays—it would not be a surprise in the least.

A few weeks later, and they will head to Washington. The task is daunting, although this team is clearly seasoned enough to take it on.

Forget about simply playing spoiler. If Utah can win these games, it could throw itself squarely in the Pac-12 and playoff mix along the way.