I realize that trying to get inside the mind of the College Football Playoff selection committee might be a lost cause.

But after it actually made a lot of sense last week, I figured I’d give it a try.

Here are four things that I think we’ll see in the second Playoff poll of 2017:

1. The same exact 4

Lost in the shuffle of the weekend that was was that fact that the top four teams all beat teams with winning records. In other words, there’s no reason to drop or shift any of them. Perhaps the selection committee might’ve gotten a little nit-picky if Georgia barely escaped South Carolina, but that game wasn’t ever in doubt.

So just in case you forgot, here’s what the top four should look like Tuesday night:

  1. Georgia
  2. Alabama
  3. Notre Dame
  4. Clemson

Did Oklahoma earn an impressive victory against Oklahoma State? Absolutely. But in terms of one-loss résumés, the Sooners still aren’t on Clemson’s or Notre Dame’s level just yet. The fact that Ohio State got destroyed in Iowa probably didn’t help Oklahoma, either.

Repeating the exact same top four would, however, be atypical for the selection committee. In the 16 Playoff polls (not including the first one of each year), only four of them used the same exact top four from the week before. The selection committee knows it can prevent any second-guessing by keeping its top four as is.

All of the top four still have headliner games that will determine their Playoff fate. This week alone each of the top three teams has a road game against a top-25 team. The selection committee would be wise to let that play out before second-guessing itself.

2. A top-10 ranking for Auburn … which is significant

No, I don’t think Auburn still has a chance to make the Playoff, but the Tigers do obviously still have a chance to make a great impact on the SEC’s 2-team bid. The selection committee’s ranking of Auburn is important because we know that wins against top-10 teams have all sorts of value. That’s why Ohio State made the field without a conference title last year.

Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

I expect the Tigers to be the top-ranked 2-loss team after their convincing win at Texas A&M. Before this Saturday’s showdown against Georgia, that’s noteworthy. Georgia can pick up another win against a current top-10 team. On the flip side, an Auburn win would all but guarantee that the Tigers would be in the top 10 for the Iron Bowl.

That’s important for two teams (Alabama and Georgia) who would love to have a strong enough résumé to make the field IF they don’t win the SEC Championship.

And oh, by the way, Clemson wouldn’t mind if Auburn held a top-10 ranking for as long as possible.

3. Miami, Wisconsin get nice boosts

I hear ya. The Badgers and Canes still have plenty to prove to earn a top-4 spot. But perhaps both teams felt like making a statement to the selection committee on Saturday. Miami beat CFP No. 13 Virginia Tech by three scores and Wisconsin rolled on the road at Indiana.

That came on the heels of two top-7 teams losing. In other words, Miami and Wisconsin would’ve moved up by default. But now, they have another convincing win under their belts and likely in the No. 6 and No. 7 spots, respectively.

Will that anger some people? It shouldn’t. Here’s hoping none of the talking heads argue whether any of the 2-loss teams should be ranked ahead of Miami or Wisconsin. There aren’t enough breaths left in this life for that rubbish.

4. Five SEC teams in the top 25

It’s true that we only really care about the top four when it’s all said and done. But don’t devalue the importance of the rest of the top 25. If the SEC is going to have two Playoff bids, it needs as many top-25 teams as possible. A top 25 with Alabama and Georgia as the only SEC teams doesn’t exactly bode well for the conference’s 2-team bid.

Fortunately for the SEC, this poll should be favorable. LSU shouldn’t drop from No. 19 out of the top 25. Mississippi State will still be there, and aforementioned Alabama, Auburn and Georgia will be, as well. Auburn and MSU have a chance to provide a major benefit to Alabama and Georgia IF they don’t get their doors blown off in their respective meetings to end the season.

Those “S-E-C! S-E-C!” chants might want to sweep the southeast this Saturday.