Did the Selection Committee Get it Right?

On behalf of all that is right with the world, thank you, Daily Player 12.

Something's gotta keep the spotlight glaring on how over the top this whole playoff process has gotten.

And until the field expands to eight teams, it's destined to stay that way.

The first college football playoff rankings of the year have been announced, and the results look dodgier than Patches O'Houlihan's agility drills.

Yes, November still has to happen, but here's their idea of the current Featured Four:

1. Clemson 2. Ohio State 3. LSU 4. Alabama

Now, these results aren't too controversial -- if you're a big brand fan, that is -- but when you take a look at the first four out and the AP poll, some questions arise:

5. Notre Dame 6. Baylor 7. Michigan State 8. TCU

The AP and coach's polls are flawed from the outset -- who in their right mind is gonna put cred in rankings before a season even starts? -- which helps explain how undefeated Baylor sits six spots behind Alabama and Notre Dame, who both have one loss.

The Bears are No 2 in the AP poll with the third-best odds to win the national championship, according to some Vegas bookies.

Of course, Baylor did lose star QB Seth Russell to season-ending neck surgery, but if that drives them down in the rankings, you'd think undefeated Michigan State or TCU would take their place.

In the AP rankings, Alabama and Notre Dame are ranked Nos 7 and 8, respectively. So what does the committee see in these teams to place them so high? Is it possible for them to make the playoff ahead of an undefeated team, in a power conference, by the end of the year?

Fortunately, every team on the list has at least one key matchup remaining.

This week, one of them is LSU and Alabama. If the Bayou Bengals and Heisman Trophy winner-in-waiting Leonard Fournette prevail, kiss off the Crimson Tide. But who then takes their place?

Clemson faces the one-loss Florida State Seminoles. If the Tigers hold serve, they should have a relatively smooth ride for the remainder of the season.

Ohio State and Michigan State clash on Sat 21 Nov, so that'll trim the list by one. Maybe the Buckeyes will figure out their QB situation by then.

Baylor and TCU don't meet until last game of the season. That should be another knockout game.

Notre Dame and Stanford will be a battle of one-loss teams, reducing the mix even more.

So as sucky as the system and the rankings are, it's still quite possible the contenders can sort this race out for themselves.