I promise. It’s almost here.

After tonight, we only have 2 more College Football Playoff poll shows. Then, we’ll know the question that’s on everyone’s mind.

Who’s getting in?

Right now, that’s still up in the air with the regular-season finales upon us. We really didn’t get much clarity from tonight’s rankings show, either.

Here’s what stood out:

1. The selection committee hates Cupcake Week, too

You know what makes the selection committee’s job more difficult? When teams play FCS programs late in the season. Sup, Clemson? We’ll get to the Tigers later.

For now, though, let’s focus on the fact that the selection committee was forced to come out with new rankings after every top-10 team rolled. Of course we weren’t going to see a drastic shakeup after teams played the likes of Mercer, Louisiana Monroe and The Citadel. It was arguably the most uneventful November week of college football of my lifetime.

Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

You know what the selection committee would rather base its rankings on? Non-conference showdowns. Top-25 showdowns. Top-10 teams playing good teams on the road.

Lucky for us, we’ll get a whole lot of that this week.

2. Not so fast, Clemson

So the only change in the top 10 was that Clemson and Miami (FL) switched spots at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. There are a few ways to look at that. Feel free to pick your favorite option.

  1. TAKE THAT, FCS SCHEDULING — The selection committee might’ve said, “You know what? We’re not fans of quality teams like Clemson lining up teams like The Citadel in late November. That doesn’t help us do our job!” With Miami (FL) playing an actual conference opponent, it was easy for the selection committee to justify moving the Canes up one spot this week. Want to not move down after a win? Don’t play an FCS school.
  2. Ummmmm, we messed up you guys — Was that the selection committee correcting the mistake it made last week? Perhaps. Last week, the selection committee criticized Oklahoma’s loss to Iowa State…but failed to mention that No. 2 Clemson lost to Syracuse. Injured quarterback or not, that’s a double standard. Instead of swapping Oklahoma and Clemson altogether, it moved the Tigers back a spot as a way of saying “Our bad, y’all.” There’s usually at least one time during the poll process each year in which the selection committee second-guesses itself big time. Maybe this was that time.
  3. Being undefeated this late is really hard — Then there’s always the theory that the move had nothing to do with Clemson and it was more about Miami (FL). The selection committee could’ve just realized that being undefeated heading into the final week of the regular season is really hard for Power 5 teams — except for Wisconsin apparently — especially when you have a non-conference showdown against a bonafide top-10 team like Notre Dame. Why not show the Canes some love? That could also have more long-term implications.

3. Do unbeatens have a loss to give?

Ah, and therein lies the most important question of the night and perhaps the most important question moving forward. For Alabama, Miami (FL) and Wisconsin, this question seems worth asking at this point.

Let’s start with the Badgers, who are stuck at No. 5. Without a doubt, Wisconsin is getting in if it wins out. Don’t listen to anyone who suggests otherwise. Right now, though, it would take pure chaos for any scenario that involves Wisconsin losing to Ohio State in the B1G Championship and still making the field. In that scenario, the B1G gets left out.

I’d be fascinated to see what the selection committee would do with Wisconsin if it lost to Minnesota this weekend but it still beat Ohio State in the B1G Championship. That, based on what the selection committee has said about Wisconsin’s résumé, would be a coin flip at best. Telling it was that Wisconsin was the only top-10 team that faced a top-25 team, yet the Badgers still didn’t get the nod ahead of Oklahoma. We figured that would happen.

Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

As far as Miami (FL) is concerned, what the selection committee did is significant. At No. 2, it seems even more likely that Miami (FL) could potentially lose the ACC Championship to Clemson and still find a way in. The Canes got one of the most impressive wins of the season in that blowout against Notre Dame in non-conference play, and as long as they don’t get destroyed by the defending national champs, they’ll present a rather unprecedented résumé to the selection committee.

And what about Alabama? Still at No. 1, the selection committee obviously values the Tide’s résumé. Perhaps more important than its current résumé is how dominant Nick Saban’s squad has been. Otherwise, the Tide would be closer to No. 5 Wisconsin than No. 1.

Yes, it’s true that no team has lost after Nov. 9 and made the field. But the way it’s looking, Alabama could easily be the first with a loss to either Auburn or Georgia. Keep in mind that if it is to Georgia, the Tide will have another impressive win (at Auburn) to speak of.

All of those borderline teams (not you, Ohio State) should be rooting hard for Alabama to roll through the SEC.

4. This will be the last week of minimal movement

Hooray for that! You know what’s awesome? Look at the schedule for the top 10 this week:

  • No. 1 Alabama at No. 6 Auburn
  • No. 2 Miami (FL) at Pitt
  • No. 3 Clemson at No. 24 South Carolina
  • No. 4 Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
  • No. 5 Wisconsin at Minnesota
  • No. 7 Georgia at Georgia Tech
  • No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 21 Stanford
  • No. 9 Ohio State at Michigan
  • No. 10 Penn State at Maryland

As the kids say, Saturday is going to be LIT. OK, let’s pretend I didn’t just write that.

Eight of the top-10 teams will play on the road. One of those 2 teams that will play at home is No. 6 Auburn…which will play No. 1 Alabama. That’s tough news for Oklahoma, which seems stuck at No. 4 and will play at home against a West Virginia squad that lost an opportunity to sneak back into the top 25 last week.

Rivalry week is loaded with matchups that will define this stagnant Playoff picture. Fortunately for us, this was the last snoozer week of rankings for the season.

Probably.