"It's not supposed to care that Vanderbilt hasn't been 7-1 in 84 years. The 12 people in that room will absolutely care, though, that Vanderbilt is 7-1 now -- with back-to-back wins against ranked SEC opponents LSU and Missouri. Vanderbilt -- the story of the season so far -- is on the brink of making its first appearance in any CFP ranking during the playoff era."
"And not only will the Commodores crack the committee's top 25, they have a legitimate chance to make their debut in the coveted top 12 when the first ranking is released on Nov. 4. If the playoff were today, they'd already be in. A lot can -- and will -- change with one Saturday remaining before the first ranking is revealed, but here is a snapshot of what it might look like through Week 9 results."
"Why they could be here: The Buckeyes remain safe at the top after a bye week, as Indiana's home win against a UCLA team that is now 3-5 wouldn't be enough to sway the committee into flipping them. Ohio State entered Week 9 ranked No. 1 in the country in total efficiency, No. 1 in defensive efficiency, and No. 6 in offensive efficiency."
Vanderbilt is 7-1 with back-to-back wins over ranked SEC opponents LSU and Missouri and stands on the brink of its first CFP-era top-25 or top-12 appearance. The committee's protocol does not consider program history, but recent performance and quality wins will influence rankings. If the playoff were today, Vanderbilt would already be in the top 12, though one remaining Saturday could change positions. Ohio State remains No. 1 after a bye, leading in total and defensive efficiency and ranking sixth in offensive efficiency. Ohio State's road wins, Game Control metric and a win at Washington bolster its top position despite Indiana's notable results.
Read at ESPN.com
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