There is no need to wait for UCF to run the table again, or for the Big Ten champion to be slighted again, to drum up more support for playoff expansion.

The need is clear. Roughly three months remain in the regular season and only three playoff spots remain up for grabs.

Clemson solidified its place with last week’s home win over No. 12 Texas A&M.

Unlike the Tigers’ title defense two years ago, when they faced five ranked teams prior to the playoff, the Trevor Lawrence-led crew is unlikely to face another ranked team — or a sub-two touchdown spread — until the postseason. While the SEC currently occupies five of the top nine spots in the rankings, and the Big Ten has six of the top 19 teams in the nation, the ACC is in shambles.

Syracuse was supposed to be the exception. Coming off a 10-win season, the Orange were the most recent team to beat Clemson in the regular season (2017), and led the Tigers until the final minute of last season’s meeting.

But then this season actually arrived, and new starting quarterback Tommy DeVito struggled to pick apart Liberty. Then, Maryland piled up 63 points on the Orange in College Park.

Now, Clemson’s greatest challenges are complacency and overconfidence. Five years ago, those hurdles continually threatened defending-champion Florida State, which repeatedly scraped by against an underwhelming schedule, en route to another ACC crown. Four years ago, it tripped up defending-champion Ohio State, which had the most talented team in the country and didn’t play a ranked team until late November, when the Buckeyes suffered a still-stunning last-second home loss to a Michigan State team starting its backup quarterback.

If Clemson is caught sleeping, it won’t come against the team that’s fared better against it than Alabama has the past two years. But SYRACUSE (+28) should still be capable of keeping the score within four touchdowns in a rare prime-time game at the Carrier Dome.

TEMPLE OWLS (+7) over Maryland Terrapins: A new coach (Mike Locksley) and quarterback (Josh Jackson) have catapulted the Terps to their first ranking since 2013, but the Owls are in a solid spot, hosting Maryland in the aftermath of its blowout win over Syracuse and with a prime-time home game against No. 13 Penn State up next for the Terps.

Arkansas State Red Wolves (+32½) over GEORGIA BULLDOGS: I refuse to root against Red Wolves coach Blake Anderson, who lost his wife to cancer last month, and returned prior to the team’s 43-17 win over UNLV last week.

INDIANA HOOSIERS (+16½) over Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes have won 23 straight in the series, but the Hoosiers have had a knack for keeping it surprisingly close in recent years. Indiana has enough experience and playmakers to make the Big Ten favorites sweat again.

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (-17½) over Pittsburgh Panthers: Last year, Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett threw for 55 yards in a 51-6 loss to the Nittany Lions and finished the season averaging fewer than 140 yards passing against FBS opponents. Last week’s 321-yard effort against Ohio was a mirage.

New Mexico Lobos (+34½) over NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH: The Irish already failed as big favorites this year, continuing a trend dating back to last season’s playoff team, which failed to cover large numbers against multiple teams, including Ball State, which lost 24-16 as a 34-point underdog.

Alabama Crimson Tide (-25½) over SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS: Nick Saban has won his two meetings against former assistant Will Muschamp by an average of 24¹/₂ points. The damage will only be worse when the Heisman runner-up (Tua Tagovailoa) faces off with a true freshman quarterback (Ryan Hilinski) making his second start.

UCF KNIGHTS (-8) over Stanford Cardinal: The Knights can’t catch a break. In the one game supposed to help UCF’s strength of schedule, the Cardinal come in limping off a blowout loss to USC. Still, UCF won’t waste its opportunity, having won its pair of Power Five meetings the past two seasons by an average of 34 points.

BYU COUGARS (+4) over USC Trojans: Lynn Swann is out as athletic director. Let’s not pretend the former power has everything figured out now after a home win over a Stanford team without its star quarterback.

Arizona State Sun Devils (+14) over MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS: Hello? Herm Edwards pulled the upset last year.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES (+2½) over Iowa Hawkeyes: The Hawkeyes have won four straight in the rivalry, but the Cyclones have had two weeks to prepare. I just can’t figure out if Elizabeth Warren or Pete Buttigieg will be the one to pop up on ESPN’s “College Gameday.”

Florida Gators (-8) over KENTUCKY WILDCATS: The Wildcats finally did it, beating Florida for the first time in 32 years last season. A familiar scene will return, following a season-ending injury to Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson.

Oklahoma Sooners (-23) over UCLA BRUINS: If we very conservatively pencil in Jalen Hurts and the Sooners for 50 points, how are the Bruins — fresh off back-to-back 14-point outbursts in losses to Cincinnati and San Diego State — scoring four touchdowns? Man, UCLA should really find a coach who knows something about offense.

Best bets: Washington State, New Mexico, UCF

Season (Best bets); includes Friday’s two games: 19-17 (5-2)

Friday’s picks: Wake Forest -3 (W), Washington State (Best bet) -9 (Loss)

2014-18 record: 641-612-10