How do the College Football Playoff résumés of No. 2 Baylor and No. 4 TCU compare at midseason? Here's a look at where each of the Big 12 favorites stand in a few of the categories that matter to the committee:

Strength of schedule: According to ESPN FPI, Baylor has played the nation’s No. 102 schedule to this point. Its three non-conference opponents are a combined 7-11 this season, and West Virginia and Kansas are both winless in Big 12 play -- so that hasn’t helped. TCU has played the No. 54 schedule so far. Its season-opening win at Minnesota probably won't sway voters much, since the Gophers are 4-3 and projected to go 5-7, but having four road wins this early is a plus.

Best win: For both teams, it’s Texas Tech. TCU pulled off a 55-52 win in Lubbock on Sept. 26 thanks to a miraculous fourth-down touchdown in the game’s final minute. ESPN’s Game Score metric gave TCU a score of 89 for that win. A week later, Baylor earned a 94 for its 63-35 blowout of the Red Raiders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. That game never got too close thanks to Baylor’s 49-point first half and a strong day on defense.

Offensive efficiency: Baylor has the best offense in the country and it’s not even close. In addition to being tops in scoring and total offense, the Bears are No. 1 in yards per play (8.9), yards per rush (7.1) and yards per attempt (11.7). They’re scoring on 66 percent of their drives. TCU is No. 2 in scoring and yards per play (7.8), No. 3 in total offense, No. 4 in yards per attempt (10.2) and scoring on 54 percent of its possessions. Both feature Heisman Trophy contender quarterbacks, All-American receivers, powerful offensive lines and impressive coaching. Hard to find many flaws.

Defensive efficiency: Neither Baylor nor TCU can claim to be playing elite defense right now. They’re not among the top 50 scoring defenses in FBS and rank No. 46 and 56, respectively, in ESPN’s defensive efficiency metrics. Baylor’s doing well on takeaways (14) and has a tough run defense (3.3 yards per carry). TCU is still consistently forcing three-and-outs (28 percent of drives) and producing stops on 65 percent of its drives. Baylor gets stops on 69 percent. We’ll see how those rates hold up against the Big 12’s best.

Gary Patterson's TCU team and Art Briles' Baylor squad are neck-and-neck when it comes to the College Football Playoff. AP Photo/Jerry Larson

Injury status: Yes, the committee factors this in. Baylor has maintained near-perfect health through six games. Only backup running back Devin Chafin has missed extended time, and defensive tackle Andrew Billings and linebacker Taylor Young have had minor injuries. TCU has been ravaged at linebacker, defensive back and wide receiver, including losing six starters for the season, but those who’ve filled in have delivered. A 12-0 TCU team would get serious props from the committee for overcoming those setbacks.

Remaining schedule: Baylor’s remaining schedule ranks 18th in the nation according to ESPN’s metrics. TCU checks in at No. 22. For comparison’s sake, Alabama is 28th and Utah is 38th on that list. One thing the Big 12 rivals both need in November: Oklahoma and Oklahoma State must stay in the Top 25. Baylor and TCU still have a combined zero wins over ranked teams this season. Alabama and LSU already have three. Michigan State, Utah and Stanford each have two.

Conference title: According to ESPN FPI, Baylor is still the favorite to win the Big 12 with 52.3 percent odds. TCU is seen as having a 33.2-percent chance. The only other threats, of course, are Oklahoma (8.6) and Oklahoma State (5.9). That same FPI data projects TCU to be a slight underdog at Oklahoma. Both Baylor and TCU are better than 70 percent favorites against the Pokes. The likelihood of Baylor finishing with one loss or less is 74 percent, which ranks best in the FBS. TCU, at 48 percent, ranks fifth.

The eye test: Art Briles has put together his most talented Baylor team yet -- these Bears look like they can beat anybody. They still haven’t been seriously challenged by anyone, a reflection of both their play and their schedule. TCU has braved three serious road challenges against Power 5 foes and is just trying to survive and advance. Gary Patterson has enough star power on offense and his young, patchwork defense is improving under fire. One must grow, the other must maintain. There’s no doubt about which team has been more dominant and which team has faced a greater degree of difficulty. And there’s nothing wrong with admiring the results of each.

The head-to-head: As of today, FPI projects Baylor’s odds of beating TCU in Fort Worth at 55 percent. If the Horned Frogs and Bears can stay on track through their treacherous November schedules and remain undefeated, the odds of their Black Friday showdown being as ridiculously important as last year’s unforgettable shootout are at least 100 percent.