The SEC would have you believe that its very existence is justification enough for up to four College Football Playoff spots in perpetuity. It's hard to deny that the SEC is a great league, and it has largely dominated on a national scale.

The loss by the Crimson Tide at Oklahoma also raised some serious questions about the Kalen DeBoer and the challenges of following a coaching great like Nick Saban. Clemson, meanwhile, got a boost in their hopes by slotting ahead of those two SEC schools.