As the night of January 6, 2014, draws late in Pasadena, Calif., will it be CJ Mosley, De’Anthony Thomas, Jadeveon Clowney, Sammy Watkins or none of these hoisting the crystal football in celebration of winning the BCS Championship? Whether it is one of these or someone else, it will be the last time this sparkling football will be held high as the symbol of college football supremacy because the College Football Playoff has decided to use a new trophy for that achievement.

As the final season in an exciting BCS era begins, questions are are raised. Who are the elite teams in 2013? Which teams have the best chance to be in this gigantic game?

Yes, there will be surprises this year as with Notre Dame, Stanford and Kansas State last year. The College Football Professor came up with a baker’s dozen of elite teams who appear to be best positioned to play in the final BCS Championship game. At least, this is the way it looks as we approach a new college football season.

Elite Teams for 2013 — The College Football Professor’s baker’s dozen:

  • Alabama
  • Oregon
  • Ohio State
  • Texas
  • Stanford
  • Georgia
  • Florida State
  • LSU
  • Florida
  • Texas A&M
  • Clemson
  • Oklahoma
  • South Carolina

There are some teams just below the cutline:

  • USC
  • Oklahoma State
  • Notre Dame

But each of those three has something missing. Who knows if they may find that missing element before season’s end?

There are four teams in the baker’s dozen who are shaky. LSU lost a lot of key players from last year’s team; Texas A&M lacks stability; Oklahoma lost a lot of defensive players, but that could be bad or good because last year’s defense was below par for the Sooners; Florida lacks an offensive punch, and I don’t think they can bring Tim Tebow back.

Schedule could make a big difference. Georgia, LSU and Florida play four elite teams. Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma and Texas play only one. Ohio State plays zero.

This baker’s dozen is not a projection of what ranking these teams will have at the end of the season. It is more of a power ranking judged on the quality of these teams. For instance, Louisville should win the AAC and could end the season ranked high, but they do not play a team in the top 50 power rankings. Last year no one expected Texas A&M to be as good as they were, and no one expected USC to be as bad as they were. Oklahoma and Florida State slid back; Notre Dame and Stanford slid up.

There will be teams to put it all together this year and there will be teams to fall apart. The big question: Who will be the elite teams at the end of the season?