Think of the four teams everyone has already slotted in next season's College Football Playoff. When you've done that, determine a couple others with a great shot at reaching the final four near the top of every way-too-early ranking.

What you have left is a collection of 15 or so teams competing for a national championship on the outside looking in, not yet garnering their seat at the big-boy table in terms of public relevancy among the elites.

It's never a bad idea from a betting sense to fade the public and take a longshot, as long as it's in the realistic realm of happening.

Here are seven teams capable of darkhorse runs to the College Football Playoff this season if things fall into place and everything goes according to plan at each program: