We are one week away from the unveiling of the College Football Playoff pairings.
Alabama's 48-45 loss to Auburn and Minnesota's 38-17 loss to Wisconsin trimmed the potential Playoff field down to seven teams with one loss or fewer. There's still room for the chaos factor in the final week of the season, however.
MORE: How Alabama's loss to Iron Bowl affects Playoff outlook
Sporting News breaks down the College Football Playoff heading into conference championship weekend:
College Football Playoff: Four in
1. Ohio State (12-0)
The Buckeyes should maintain the top spot after a decisive 56-27 victory against Michigan on Saturday, which sealed a perfect season in Big Ten play ahead of a third straight conference championship game berth. The Buckeyes have Heisman-caliber players in Justin Fields, J.K. Dobbins and Chase Young and could conceivably lose the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin and still get in the Playoff. The Buckeyes must still hold off the other undefeated teams for that top spot.
2. LSU (12-0)
The Tigers raced out to a 31-0 lead in a 50-7 blowout against Texas A&M, a far cry from last year’s seven-overtime thriller. Joe Burrow can deliver LSU’s first SEC championship since 2011, and the Tigers likely are in even if they lose. That's not a guarantee, however, and Georgia will test this team’s run defense. The Tigers can still take a run at the No. 1 seed too.
3. Clemson (12-0)
The Tigers beat rival South Carolina for a sixth straight time with a 38-3 victory that demonstrates the dominance Clemson has in the Palmetto Bowl. Trevor Lawrence passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns, and the program has a chance to win a fifth straight outright ACC championship against Virginia. The Tigers aren't getting the same buzz for the No. 1 spot, but keep in mind the defending national champions now have won 27 consecutive games. That is a shadow that looms over the other contenders.
4. Georgia (11-1)
The Bulldogs rolled up 219 rushing yards against Georgia Tech in a 52-7 blowout, but D’Andre Swift’s injury will be a major storyline leading up to the SEC championship game. Georgia’s Playoff path is simple: Beat LSU, win a second SEC championship in three years and take the final spot based on quality victories against Notre Dame, Florida and Auburn. That loss to South Carolina on Oct. 12 would likely be forgiven. Can Jake Fromm set up a semifinal matchup against Fields, the Georgia transfer leading the Buckeyes?
MORE: Ohio State demonstrates lengthening gap against Michigan, Big Ten
College Football Playoff: Three to watch
5. Utah (11-1)
The Utes’ Playoff path is open with the Alabama loss. Utah disposed of Colorado in the second half of a 45-15 matchup that clinched their spot in the Pac-12 championship game. Oregon will be a test, but the Utes’ methodical offense and tough defense continue to resonate since the USC loss. Would a one-loss Pac-12 championship campaign be enough to hold off the Big 12 champion?
6. Oklahoma (11-1)
Let the argument with the Pac-12 begin. Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State 34-16 in Bedlam on Saturday, setting up a chance to win the Big 12 championship — Oklahoma's fifth straight — with just one loss. That would set up an interesting argument with a potential one-loss Pac-12 champion Utah, though the Sooners would rather Oregon beat the Utes to render that point moot. Oklahoma's loss to Kansas State is a noticeable blemish, and the Sooners' defense isn't as well-rounded as some of the other Playoff contenders. But the offense is on par with Ohio State, LSU and Clemson's, and the matchup against Baylor also is the only Power 5 conference championship game between one-loss teams. Would Oklahoma's brand lead to a last-minute leapfrog into the Playoff?
7. Baylor (11-1)
The Bears still have a case, even with the regular-season loss to Oklahoma. Baylor has the benefit of playing in the Big 12 championship in a rematch against the Sooners, against whom they led 28-3 at one point in their regular-season meeting. That's the payoff to a remarkable 11-1 regular season under Matt Rhule, capped with a 61-6 blowout against Kansas on Saturday. Could a one-loss Baylor team make the Playoff over one-loss Utah? It's easier to envision after Alabama's loss to Auburn and Minnesota's loss to Wisconsin, but a Georgia win in the SEC title game could throw a wrench into that. The Sugar Bowl wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.
