In the second week of December, more teams than ever are dreaming of a national title.

The first 12-team playoffs are less than two weeks away as Indiana and Notre Dame open the postseason on Friday, December 20th. A day later, the three other first round games will take place before the quarterfinals on December 31 and January 1.

At the moment there are six teams that can legitimately be called contenders and six teams that are considered underdogs. At least according to the betting odds. But you can make a case for any of the 12 teams in the postseason to win the College Football Playoff. Even if you have to squint a little.

Here’s that case for every team in the field. (All betting odds come from BetMGM.)

Why the Broncos can win it all: It makes little sense why Boise State is the biggest long shot right now. The Broncos have to play one fewer game than eight other teams and could potentially face a Georgia team without Carson Beck in the semifinals if they win either SMU or Penn State.

No matter who Boise State plays in the playoffs, it can be argued that it has the best offensive player on the field in Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman finalist has rushed for 2,497 yards on 7.3 yards per carry so far – and nearly 5.5 of those yards came after contact. Only 66 qualified players in college football average more yards per carry than Jeanty after contacting us. He is capable of making a big play against anyone, regardless of the game plan of the opposing defense.

Boise State’s defense is supported by a pass rush that can get to the quarterback in many different ways. Four different players have at least five sacks and the Broncos have tallied 51 sacks as a team. A disruptive pass rush in key moments can change football games.

Why the Sun Devils can win it all: Like Boise State, ASU’s odds may be a little too low due to the first-round bye. RB Cam Skattebo is a wrecking ball and one of the hardest players to tackle in college football. He made life difficult for Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game.

The offense was not limited against the Cyclones despite the absence of leading receiver Jordyn Tyson, as QB Sam Leavitt averaged over 10 yards per attempt. When opposing defenses make an effort to stop Skattebo without Tyson on the court, Arizona State is capable of making big plays.

Why the Tigers can win it all: There may not be a looser team on the field than Clemson. While numerous teams enter the playoffs with title-or-leave expectations, Clemson is the only team in the field with three losses and is here in the ACC title game because of a last-second 56-yard field goal.

The Tigers’ offense is certainly capable, especially when the running game is working. If Clemson can rediscover what worked midway through the season, the Tigers will be in position to surprise some teams. The emergence of Bryant Wesco Jr. late in the season poses a serious threat to Clemson. Wesco had eight catches for 143 yards and two scores against SMU and is averaging nearly 18 yards per catch.

The defense has also forced 12 turnovers in the last five games. The Tigers have a +16 turnover margin on the season.

Why the Mustangs can win it all: Only five teams score more points per game than SMU at 38.5, and Kevin Jennings has emerged as one of the better QBs in college football. Jennings has thrown for more than 3,000 yards and eight different offensive players have at least 275 receiving yards. Even with TE RJ Maryland injured, the defense can’t train a single player in the passing game. RB Brashard Smith also averages almost six yards per carry.

Defenses have held opponents to just 4.6 yards per play and opposing offenses have rushed to just 2.7 yards per carry. Only five teams have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game against SMU, and Boston College is the only team to average more than four yards per carry at 4.2. Playing Penn State and then possibly Boise State is a good thing.

Why the Hoosiers can win it all: Indiana has one of the best offenses in the country and has only scored fewer than 31 points twice all season. Yes, those games came against Michigan and Ohio State — the Hoosiers’ two toughest opponents — but Indiana will have had time to address those issues before the playoffs. If they can be fixed, QB Kurtis Rourke can pick apart opposing defenses. He completed 70% of his passes and threw just four interceptions.

The defense was very effective at stopping the run. That’s huge with a Notre Dame team that loves running the ball and a Georgia offense that will likely be much more ground-oriented than it has been all season.

Why the volunteers can win everything: The Vols might have the best defense in the SEC. James Pearce Jr. has 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss while leading a ferocious defensive line. Georgia is the only team to score more than 23 points against Tennessee all season, and Vanderbilt – which scored the opening touchdown – is the only other team to break 20 points.

The offense has been very inconsistent, but RB Dylan Sampson is capable of opening a game. He rushed for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. WR Dont’e Thornton is a big piece waiting to be played as well. He has 25 catches for 647 yards and six touchdowns.

Why the Fighting Irish can win it all: The Fighting Irish have become one of the best teams in the country since their loss to Northern Illinois. Notre Dame scores nearly 40 points per game and has a running game that averages over six yards per carry. Jeremiyah Love will likely surpass 1,000 yards against Indiana, averaging over 7.1 yards per carry. His No. 2, Jadarian Price, is averaging 7.3 yards per carry. QB Riley Leonard has been a dangerous rushing threat all season and has become much more comfortable as a passer as the season progresses.

The defense is led by defensive back Xavier Watts. He has 49 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. Opposing offenses are scoring fewer than 14 points per game on a unit that has shown significant depth due to numerous injuries throughout the season.

Why the Nittany Lions can win it all: A healthy Nick Singleton helped Penn State post perhaps its best offensive performance of the season against Oregon in the Big Ten title game. The Nittany Lions ran 35 times for 292 yards and averaged seven yards per play. Oh, and Tyler Warren is one of the few skill position players who can challenge Jeanty for the title of best offensive player on the field. Warren has more than 1,000 yards receiving and rushed for four scores while throwing for another.

Edge rusher Abdul Carter has 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. It’s a chore for everyone to block him. Oregon became just the second team all season to have more than 400 yards of total offense against Penn State and the only team to do so without overtime.

Why the Buckeyes can win it all: The Buckeyes are probably the most talented team on the field and are more than capable of winning four games and a national title with a loss to Michigan. Will that happen?

A reconfigured offensive line has had three weeks to practice as it opens holes for star running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka form one of the best receiver duos in the country and Will Howard is still completing over 72% of his passes this season.

They have the best defense in the country with 10.9 points per game and 35 sacks. Defensive back Caleb Downs is also an impact punt returner. All the pieces are there for Ohio State.

Why the Bulldogs can win it all: Things are a little more difficult for Georgia without Carson Beck, but Gunnar Stockton will practice with No. 1 for three weeks assuming Beck is unavailable for the College Football Playoff. With a power run game, Georgia’s offense can perform at its best, and the time off will also help RB Trevor Etienne get healthier. WR Arian Smith has already made big playoff plays. This offseason is the best time to break out of its latest slump.

The defensive line is capable of taking over games – just ask Texas. Potential first-round pick Mykel Williams has 20 tackles and five sacks, while linebackers Jalon Walker and Chaz Chambliss are tied for the team lead with 6.5. It’s hard to bet against a team coached by Kirby Smart. He is 7-1 in SEC title games and the College Football Playoff against teams not coached by Nick Saban.

Why the Longhorns can win it all: Texas has only lost to Georgia this season and would first have to face the Bulldogs in the national title game. Despite playing in the first round, Texas is now a favorite to win outright thanks to a defense that is allowing 12.5 points per game; It is the stingiest in the country against the pass. Against the Longhorns, opposing quarterbacks only throw for 143 yards per game. The 211 yards rushing by Kentucky’s cutters Boley and Brock Vandagriff are the most against Texas all season.

A lack of depth hasn’t hurt the running game against teams not named Georgia – Texas had 55 carries for 60 yards against the Bulldogs – and TE Gunnar Helm and WR Matthew Golden are very reliable targets for Quinn Ewers. Steve Sarkisian is also one of the most creative offensive coaches in college football and he will certainly have more tricks up his sleeve to use with QB Arch Manning in the postseason.

Why the Ducks can win it all: The Ducks don’t let themselves get rattled in close games and have the ability to rattle anyone. Penn State was Oregon’s fourth one-point win of the season, following a Week 2 victory over Boise State, the one-point victory over Ohio State and a three-point scare at Wisconsin. Dillon Gabriel plays better than any QB in the country and is also capable of beating teams with his legs. WR Tez Johnson’s importance to the offense was on full display in the Big Ten title game when he ran through the Penn State secondary at will.

DE Matayo Uiagalelei was a force in the second half, leading the team with 10.5 sacks. Jordan Burch is back after missing four games and has 8.5 sacks in just nine games. They are a fantastic edge rushing tandem and Kansas State transfer Kobe Savage bolstered the secondary with 61 tackles.