You’ll hear Dabo say this a lot: “We don’t pay attention to rankings this early.” On an extremely superficial level, he’s not completely lying. Does he lose sleep over the midseason rankings? Most likely not. However, these rankings are important indicators to all coaches, so you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think he cares about them.

Each week when the rankings are released, we get insight into what the committee finds important. In turn, coaches can understand what they must do to get in/stay in the top 4 by the last week of the season. They also use it to figure out how to optimize their non-conference scheduling for future seasons.

When it was announced that we would play Ohio State in the semis last year, some Penn State fans were shocked and outraged as Big 10 champions. Everyone else in the country, however, knew this would happen. Going into championship week, Ohio State was in the top 4, and Penn State was not. No one outside the Big 10 wanted to see a PSU/OSU rematch, and so the committee had essentially told us that Ohio State would represent the Big 10 regardless of the outcome of their championship game. There would be no chance of having two teams from the same conference without other top 4 teams losing.

In previous years, the committee crafted their final release of rankings prior to selection day with a clear purpose. The top 4 were the teams guaranteed to make it if they won or did not play during championship week. The next few spots were the teams who could get in by beating a top 4 team themselves, and the rest have a small chance of making it in chaos ensued. This is how the rankings should be for every midseason update.

So, with that ideology, how should the playoff picture look for week 11?

1. Alabama

2. Miami

3. Wisconsin

4. Oklahoma

5. Clemson

6. Auburn

7. Georgia

8-25. A whole bunch of teams that don’t control their own destinies

Honorable mentions: Ohio State, who can replace Wisconsin, but only if Wisconsin is undefeated when they play in the Big 10 Championship game or else another conference may get a/another representative.

If you’re reading this, you probably agree with me that you think Clemson is the best team in the country. However, it’s hard to argue that they belong in the top 4 at this point in the season. Even without Kelly Bryant, Clemson should have beaten Syracuse. There are 3 undefeated P5 teams and an Oklahoma team with the #1 ranked strength of schedule and best resume in the country. Even after beating 7 P5 schools with a .500 record or better, our bad loss keeps us out of the top 4 for now.

The good news is that Clemson has a clear path to make it, so long as they win out. Not only that, but a win over an undefeated Miami in the ACC Championship game should move Clemson’s resume to #1 out of the top 4 teams. This would make them at least jump Oklahoma in the final rankings, possibly Wisconsin as well. The only team I can’t see the committee putting us above unless they lose again is Alabama, and that’s only because the committee gets moist when they hear “Roll Tide.”

So here’s the deal. If you made my list, don’t pay attention to the rankings tonight. Just win out, and you’re in. We can argue what the order should be until you’re blue in the face, but it just doesn’t matter yet.