Every week, SDS will look at what goes into the College Football Playoff selection committee’s latest rankings and what factors will influence their picks based on the previous weekend’s results.

If not for Amari Cooper’s explosive performance against Auburn, the SEC would be outside the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings heading into conference championship weekend following a wild slate of rivalry games on Saturday afternoon.

Alabama’s Iron Bowl win stopped the bleeding for a league that had three possible Playoff participants heading into Week 14 and exited with just one following Georgia’s overtime loss to Georgia Tech and Mississippi State falling flat in the Egg Bowl.

The Crimson Tide should retain their top ranking in Tuesday’s next-to-last rankings release, but the SEC’s remaining contenders will fall behind several one-loss Power 5s.

The 12-member selection committee’s final pairings will be released on Sunday with supposed transparency and no personal bias. The most likely points of emphasis heading into championship weekend are as follows :

  • Conference championships won
  • Strength of schedule
  • Head-to-head competition
  • Comparing results against common opponents
  • Relative factors that may have altered a team’s performance (injuries)

Here’s an explanation on how we think the committee will take these factors into account.

Making an educated guess based on those factors stated by the CFP committee, here’s how we expect the sixth Top 10 to look Tuesday night.

  1. Alabama
  2. Oregon
  3. Florida State
  4. TCU
  5. Ohio State
  6. Baylor
  7. Arizona
  8. Mississippi State
  9. Michigan State
  10. Kansas State

Conference championship potential

Who it helps: Ohio State, Oregon, Florida State, Alabama, Mizzou

Who it hurts: Michigan State, Mississippi State, Kansas State

Takeaways: The truth is, we don’t know how much weight the selection committee will put on conference championships which could be the crucial piece of a full-season resume for teams like Ohio State and even Mizzou. The Tigers are on the outside looking in and would need several upsets in addition to a win over Alabama to reach the final four.

Strength of schedule

Who it helps: TCU, Oregon, Alabama

Who it hurts: Ohio State, Florida State

Takeaways: Florida State just won its 28th consecutive game and yet the selection committee hasn’t deemed the Seminoles as the nation’s best team. An early-season win over Notre Dame was impressive at the time, but no longer has much meaning thanks to the Fighting Irish’s four straight losses. Ohio State’s non-conference loss to Virginia Tech remains the Buckeyes’ Albatross despite quality wins over Michigan State and Minnesota.

Head to head outcomes

Who it helps: Oregon, Alabama, Baylor

Who it hurts: Mizzou

Takeaways: If it comes down to head-to-head results when all other factors are even in the case of TCU vs. Baylor, the Bears would get the nod after an overtime win over the Horned Frogs earlier this season. TCU’s had the edge in the rankings the last several weeks however and Baylor’s battle against Kansas State this weekend won’t be easy.

Common opponent results

Who it helps: Alabama, Oregon, TCU

Who it hurts: Mississippi State, Ohio State

Relevant factors including injuries, game control

Who it helps: Ohio State, Oregon

Who it hurts: Arizona

Takeaways: Will the committee ultimately decide to keep the Buckeyes out following a season-ending injury to J.T. Barrett? Obviously, the Buckeyes aren’t nearly as strong with a third-team quarterback heading into Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin but if Ohio State wins, it’ll have an argument along with a league title. ‘Game Control’ has become an open-ended term and it’ll be interesting to see how CFP chairman Jeff Long reveals his committee’s final thoughts on Sunday afternoon.