Oregon's win at Penn State catapulted the Ducks into the top three this week, but they weren't the only movers on a statement Saturday where winning on the road provided an extra boost.
Welcome back, Alabama.
There's a temporary ceiling, though, for some of these contenders, as the selection committee's head-to-head tiebreaker is factoring into the ranking. It's one of several tiebreakers it uses when comparing teams, and as long as the teams have similar records, the group has historically leaned on the head-to-head result. That's helping Florida State tremendously right now.
The 13-member College Football Playoff selection committee doesn't release its first ranking until Nov. 4, but based on what each team has done to-date, the ones with statement wins and/or multiple wins against respectable teams have the early edge.
The list below is fluid — and will continue to be as teams enter the heart of conference play. Here's the latest prediction of what the selection committee's top 12 would look like if it were released today.
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Ranking | Bracket
Why they could be here: The Canes had a bye week to prepare for their trip to Florida State, but entered this week ranked No. 4 in ESPN's Strength of Record metric — a statistic that has historically aligned with the selection committee's top four teams. With Notre Dame's resounding win at Arkansas, the Canes' season-opening win against the Irish continues to shine. Miami's wins against South Florida and Florida — both of which had bye weeks — continue to collectively help separate the Canes.
Why they could be lower: The Canes have won all four games at home — at a point in the season when other contenders have had to win tough games on the road. Ohio State and Oregon have
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