Which top-4 team is most likely to miss the College Football Playoff?
The latest edition of the College Football Playoff rankings was released Tuesday, with drastic changes reflecting one of the season's most turbulent weeks.
Clemson surged to No. 1, Auburn moved to No. 2, and Oklahoma and Wisconsin rounded out a crowded top four, as many teams look to make a move with one week left before the final rankings.
Related - CFP Rankings: Auburn joins new-look Top 4, Alabama pushed out
Below, we look at each of the top four teams' chances of maintaining a spot in the top four and earning a College Football Playoff berth.
Clemson
The defending national champions are in prime position to rewrite history, moving from No. 3 to No. 1 after defeating South Carolina 34-10 on Saturday.
Clemson will square off against No. 7 Miami in the ACC Championship Game, and a victory would all but cement its spot in the tournament, presenting a chance to make an indelible mark during Alabama's reign under Nick Saban. Kelly Bryant is playing his best football of the season, the defense has held opponents to 13.6 points per game (fourth-best nationally), and it's unlikely voters will hold their mid-October loss to Syracuse against them.
There's still work to be done, though. Miami captivated the college football world with a tenacious secondary, drew in neutral fans with the Turnover Chain, and will be hell-bent on taking down one of college football's superpowers. Bryant will need to be in top form against the Hurricanes, who are tied for eighth nationally with 17 interceptions.
Auburn
Auburn has a simple route into the tournament: defeat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. That's much easier said than done, and archrival Alabama is lurking in the water, waiting for any chance to regain its place in the CFP.
Jarrett Stidham has been clinically efficient throughout the year, completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns against four interceptions, and, like many of his counterparts, appears to be steadily improving as the season marches on. Auburn's fate, though, may literally rest on the shoulder of standout running back Kerryon Johnson, who's day to day due to injury. If he's out, the Tigers will be a completely different team.
Either way, there's no margin for error.
Oklahoma
Baker Mayfield is looking to put the finishing touches on his outstanding 2017 season, which will likely see him hoist the Heisman Trophy. However, the maniacally competitive quarterback won't be thinking of individual hardware alone when he leads Oklahoma's top-ranked total offense into the Big 12 title game against No. 11 TCU.
The Sooners rank fourth in scoring offense with 45.3 points per game, and, for better or worse, have been tied to Mayfield's exploits all year. If he has a poor game, TCU, led by the nation's eighth-ranked scoring defense (15.7 points allowed per game), could pull off a seismic upset and send the Sooners sprawling into a lesser bowl game. Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State are likely rooting for Oklahoma's demise.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin and Ohio State square off in the Big Ten Championship Game - a matchup of the prototypical immovable object versus an unstoppable force. In one corner, Ohio State's prolific offense has steamrolled opponents to the tune of 43.8 points per game (fifth nationally). In the other, Wisconsin refused to allow opponents to move downfield, sporting the second-best scoring defense in the country with 12 points allowed per game. Welcome to a showdown for the ages.
The Badgers are also presented with a simple equation: win and you're in. However, much like their SEC counterpart Auburn, Wisconsin's margin of error is nil, with Ohio State looking to cement its case for its third national title of the century. Wisconsin may not win over any neutral fans, but they won't be taken lightly with a victory over the Big Ten's resident giant.