Author: George Schroeder, USA TODAY

Defending champ Clemson would be left out of College Football Playoff if season ended today. It doesn’t, though, so its No. 5 ranking doesn’t matter.

The College Football Playoff committee will released its first rankings, but it’s just the start of the debate until the field is announced.

Georgia hoped this year would end with a national title. But the Bulldogs will be out of the College Football Playoff race if they don’t beat Florida.

Tua Tagovailoa’s ankle injury could be a problem for Alabama if it lingers as the Crimson Tide have LSU on the horizon in early November.

No. 12 Oregon has one loss but the Ducks showed they are still in the College Football Playoff discussion with a gritty defeat of Washington on road.

LSU’s standing as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender was bolstered Saturday night with the Tigers’ big win over Florida.

Defense has been the Achilles heel for Oklahoma in its last two College Football Playoff appearance. But by throttling Texas, that might have changed.

Oklahoma’s maligned defense made changes with hire of coordinator Alex Grinch. But even strong early play, Texas game will prove how far it has come.

Kyle Trask didn’t start at his Texas high school and rode the bench for his first three seasons at Florida. Now he is the starting quarterback.