THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: A ton of doubt as season ends

Embrace chaos.

If you consider yourself a football fan, you might want to prepare yourself for the likelihood that your favorite team, either collegiately or professionally, just might not get exactly what they want.

But, to be fair, we should have seen this coming months ago.

IN A perfect world, Georgia, Michigan and Florida State win in conference championship games today and there’s no debate come Sunday morning when the final rankings are revealed, along with the College Football Playoff semifinal matchups.

Then again, expect anything.

With only four teams getting into the semifinals, you’d think that the winner of Friday’s Pac-12 Championship game between Washington and Oregon will join those three.

And sure, you can make a case for any of the other teams in the top eight, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama.

But, those teams — like Oregon — have one loss, with Alabama losing at home to Texas earlier this year.

Next year, as both Oregon and Washington bail to the Big Ten and Texas joins the Southeastern Conference, should those teams happen to have good seasons, I’m sure they’ll be included as the playoff expands to 12 teams.

This year, who knows what might happen.

Should Alabama win, does that mean that Georgia — the two-time national champions, with a 29-game win streak — will be left out and unable to defend its title?

Meanwhile, if Texas beats Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship game, it will be interesting to see how much of a fuss is made about that game.

And to think, the only loss that Florida State has suffered so far this year is its starting quarterback. Now, you can also see the Seminoles being the odd team out come Sunday.

You can really make a case for any of the top eight to move on.

Unfortunately, that won’t be what happens.

THREE WEEKS ago, the Seahawks seemed like a sleeper pick to be in the mix to represent the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

Losses in the last three games changed that dream.

Things don’t get a lot easier in the next two weeks with a road game at San Francisco (Dec. 10) and a showdown with visiting Philadelphia on Dec. 18.

It’s tough to imagine a scenario where Seattle, at 6-8, can find its way back from this late-season slide.

Sure, road wins against the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati, if not for a few late blunders, could have made these upcoming games a lot less stressful.

But, that panic button hasn’t just been pushed.

It’s been full on pressed, again, and punched to try to get something to happen.

Seattle showed some signs of having things fixed offensively, but defensively … that’s another story.

Neither Dallas or Seattle were forced to punt the ball in Thursday’s 41-35 track meet. Seattle helped the Cowboys with 10 penalties for 137 yards. Dallas gifted the Seahawks with 127 yards in penalty yards however, something that neither team can repeat if they want to keep playing past January.

Seattle’s final three games are at Tennessee (Dec. 24), vs. Pittsburgh (Dec. 31) and at Arizona in the final weekend of the season.

It might take a massive win streak to save the Seahawks' season, and possibly a few coaches' jobs.

Whatever the results, we’re all here for it.

Love, or hate it.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.