The CFP rankings are out again and fans everywhere are plotting their teams’ paths to the Playoff. Well, we’re taking the other side of things. Sorry to be Negative Nelly, but here is a reason each team in the CFP Top 10 won’t end up in the Playoff.

And yes, some of these are mutually exclusive reasoning. Obviously, somebody has to win. But while it could be (almost) anybody below, there’s also good reasons against each of them. So here’s why each Top Ten team could be left out of the Playoff.

10. Penn State (8-2)

Two losses, probably can’t make the Big Ten title game. A two-loss team that can’t gain significant ground is done.

9. Ohio State (8-2)

Not only does Ohio State have two losses, it lost those two games by a combined 46 points. It lost to an unranked Iowa team by 31. That ain’t no CFP team.

8. Notre Dame (8-2)

The Irish can’t play in a conference championship game. Notre Dame’s best chance to make up some ground is playing CFP No. 22 Stanford next weekend. This holier-than-thou, we-don’t-need-a-conference thing hurts. A lot.

7. Georgia (9-1)

The road now goes through Alabama or Auburn again. If you fight the little brother of a family and he beats the snot out of you, why would you think you’d beat the big brother? Or want to fight the little brother again? (And yes, Auburn fans, you can be the big brother if you beat Bama next week.)

6. Auburn (8-2)

The Tigers probably have the toughest road in — they’ve got to beat No. 1 Alabama and No. 7  Georgia in consecutive weeks — after beating No. 1 Georgia last Saturday. Had Auburn not blown a 20-point lead and lost at LSU, they’d be in the top 4 already. As it is, it’s a brutal uphill climb.

5. Wisconsin (10-0)

They haven’t beaten anybody all year (strength of schedule is 67th, best win is No. 23 Northwestern), and to make it in, they have to beat two top 25 teams — Michigan and then whoever they get in the Big Ten title game — probably Ohio State.

4. Oklahoma (9-1)

Is there any conference in the world that loves to make a car wreck out of their conference championship more than the Big 12? Seriously, an 11-0 Big 12 team could play an 0-11 Big 12 team and the underdog would win. It’s not a bad league at all, but it’s parity city when it comes time to win meaningful games.

3. Miami (9-0)

There’s an old, old story that the higher the monkey climbs the tree, the more he shows. A couple weeks ago, nobody was talking about Miami. Now, they’re the CFP darling. They’re basically one quality win above Wisconsin in strength of schedule and their path goes through the defending champion. That win over Notre Dame was impressive. But Clemson is a whole different matter, and while Miami has enjoyed this climb, Clemson can make a long day of exposing the Hurricanes.

2. Clemson (9-1)

The Tigers are survivors, and a beauty contest doesn’t reward survival. Clemson has won five games by two scores or less. If a team can’t put away Wake Forrest or Georgia Tech, how can they hope to impress the CFP committee in the final count?

1. Alabama (10-0)

The most damaging loss Bama could have is against possibly the hottest team in the country. Sure, Miami’s win over Notre Dame might have been more impressive than Auburn’s win over Georgia, but then Georgia was responsible for Notre Dame’s only previous loss. Auburn is as dangerous as possible — especially given Alabama’s injuries on defense — and the Iron Bowl makes weird things happen. Is it bad form to mention the Kick Six?