When the College Football Playoff begins on Saturday, the one thing you can be certain of is that the semifinals will be decided by playmakers.

It could be a star-laden backfield willing a team to a win, as was the case with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel for Georgia in the classic 2017 Rose Bowl semifinal with Oklahoma, perhaps the greatest semifinal game ever played.

It could be 2 All-American quarterbacks doing battle, with the last one to make a mistake going home, as was the case in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, when Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence outdueled Ohio State’s Justin Fields.

Perhaps it will be a wide receiver no one on the planet can cover, like what transpired at the 2019 Peach Bowl, when LSU’s Justin Jefferson caught 14 passes for 227 yards and 4 touchdowns in a rout of Oklahoma.

Or maybe a team with an embarrassment of riches offensively will just overwhelm an opponent, like Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Jacobs, DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III did to Oklahoma at the 2018 Orange Bowl.

While close games are rare in the College Football Playoff, big moments by playmakers are not. We’ll see them on Saturday, regardless of the outcomes. With that in mind, here is Saturday Down South’s ranking of the top 10 skill players in the College Football Playoff.

10. Cornelius Johnson, WR (Michigan)

Johnson doesn’t lead Michigan in receptions, but he does attain separation against bump coverage effectively. And if he can get as open as he was against Ohio State (see below), he’ll be useful in the Fiesta Bowl.

Johnson’s 15.3 yards per reception is the best number on the Wolverines.

9. Darnell Washington, TE (Georgia)

In a world where Brock Bowers (scroll down) isn’t on Georgia, there’s far more attention paid to the mountain that is Washington, a 6-7, 270-pound human wrecking ball who can run over a corner and run past a linebacker. The other thing about Washington? Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken is spectacular in utilizing him: Washington averaged 16 yards per catch, and 22 of his 26 catches were for 1st downs or scores.

8. Donovan Edwards, RB (Michigan)

The Wolverines have outstanding balance on offense, but the heavy lifting is done in the run game. Michigan ranks 5th in the country in rushing offense, best of any team in the College Football Playoff. With Blake Corum out, Edwards, who has practiced in a non-contact jersey, will have to be the player he was down the stretch for Michigan. The sophomore gained more than 400 yards rushing in Michigan’s wins over Ohio State and Purdue, and his season average of 7.5 per carry is best on the Wolverines. There’s just not enough sample size to warrant a higher ranking.

7. Kendre Miller, RB (TCU)

The Horned Frogs aren’t here without Miller doing the yeoman’s work in the run game. With 1,342 yards and 17 touchdowns, Miller gives TCU a future pro in the backfield and provides vital balance to what Max Duggan and Sonny Dykes do in the passing game. Miller has also been at his best in big games, with 701 yards and 9 touchdowns against ranked opposition this season.

6. Stetson Bennett IV, QB (Georgia)

Make no mistake: Georgia is the prohibitive favorite to win its 2nd consecutive national championship because of, not in spite of, Bennett. The former walk-on and 3rd-year starting quarterback (yes, those 2020 starts count!) has improved every season, both in his ability to manage the game and his ability to make big plays. This year, the biggest difference with Bennett has been how decisive he is with his legs. And please don’t tell us he isn’t quick or a good athlete. That’s false.

Bennett’s QB rating is 6th in the country, and his completion rate of 68 percent is the best of any quarterback in the College Football Playoff. Should he have taken Hendon Hooker’s spot at the Heisman ceremony? No. But he’s an exceptional football player.

5. Quentin Johnston, WR (TCU)

Johnston is 1 of the 2 most versatile playmakers in the College Football Playoff, and he’ll be the most versatile one on the field at the Fiesta Bowl. A legitimately great deep ball receiver who will likely be a 1st-round pick in next spring’s NFL Draft, Johnston is a guy TCU lines up all over the field, making it difficult to consistently slot 1 corner on him in any given possession. He can also blow by any nickel or safety, should he find himself isolated.

Johnston’s splits vs. ranked opponents are also the reason he’s so highly thought of by NFL front offices. Of his 53 catches this season, 37 have come in games against ranked foes. In fact, more than 75 percent of his yardage production, and 4 of his 5 touchdowns, have come against ranked teams. He’s a big-game player made for the College Football Playoff.

4. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR (Ohio State)

The Hall-of-Famer’s son has carved out his own legacy in Columbus this season, with 72 catches for 1,157 yards at a clip of 16.1 yards per catch, with 12 touchdown catches and 55 1st downs. The latter 2 numbers both rank in the top 5 in college football. Schematically, Harrison has been even more vital after the injury and subsequent College Football Playoff opt-out of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Any snaps where Harrison and Kelee Ringo match up in the Peach Bowl will be must-see television.

3. Brock Bowers, TE (Georgia)

The most versatile player in the College Football Playoff on either side of the ball, Bowers is a matchup nightmare in the passing game and a weapon in Georgia’s run game, and he has worked diligently to become a competent blocker. He also makes highlight-reel receptions at key moments, even against good coverage, like this special play against Florida.

The Dawgs will unleash Bowers early and often Saturday, and if he’s the difference in the game, it will be the least surprising storyline in the semifinals.

2. Max Duggan, QB (TCU)

The Horned Frogs quarterback inspired anyone with a heart in the Big 12 Championship Game, gutting his way through the final 2 quarters despite taking an absolute beating from the Kansas State defense. Duggan is the glue of this year’s best college football story, a senior whose leadership capability gives off big-time Tim Tebow vibes. Like Tebow, he also posts video game numbers while rarely making mistakes. Duggan has 30 touchdown passes and only 5 turnovers all year, and he has run for 404 yards and 6 touchdowns as well. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist for a reason, and if TCU advances past Michigan, it will be Duggan whose star shines the brightest.

1. CJ Stroud, QB (Ohio State)

Stroud is the 1 guy in the College Football Playoff who, if he plays to his ceiling, can shake up the whole storyline about how the next 2 weeks are a Georgia coronation. Stroud is that talented. He can make every throw, and with 37 touchdowns against just 6 interceptions, he was every bit the player Ohio State fans expected in 2022. The Heisman finalist has the best supporting cast of his career, and he is more than capable of taking the College Football Playoff by storm over the next 2 weeks.