Top 10 Teams in the running for College Football Playoff following wild Week 10

The College Football Playoff Committee will release their first official rankings on Tuesday night, as fans will get a sense of who is in the running for the National Championship. (Photo courtesy of ABC 13 Houston)

Believe it or not, there are four weeks remaining in college football's regular season.

The first College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night and after a wild Week 10 that included a comeback for the ages in 6th-ranked Ohio State's win over 2nd-ranked Penn State in Columbus, a blowout victory by 3rd-ranked Georgia against archrivals Florida and a stunning upset by playoff-dream crusher 25th-ranked Iowa State defeating 4th-ranked TCU, there is a lot to look over.

Without further ado, here is just one prediction about how the CFP Committee may see the competing teams come Tuesday night:

Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide unsurprisingly top the polls and likely the CFP Rankings. (Photo courtesy of YellowHammerNews)

#1. Alabama (SEC; 8-0; Week 10: Bye)

Another year, another top spot in college football claimed by the Alabama Crimson Tide. Averaging an astronomical 43 points per game this season, while also maintaining the best running defense in the Southeastern Conference and entire FBS, there is little chance for the Crimson Tide to slip up and miss the playoff.

Their last four games are at home against 23rd-ranked LSU (6-2), on the road against Mississippi State (5-2, leading Texas A&M, also 5-2, at the time of this article, 21-7), at home against FCS minnows Mercer (4-4) and away in the Iron Bowl against rivals 19th-ranked Auburn (6-2).

Little risk is left for Alabama, barring major upsets. I'd just be careful "over-hyping" the unanimously voted top team in college football (earning all 61 first-place votes last week). You never know when Nick Saban will compare you to rat poison.

After another win for Georgia with the powerhouse tandem of runningbacks Nick Chubb (27) and Sony Michel (1), the Bulldogs seem competitive for an SEC title and potential CFP berth. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images and SportingNews.com)

#2. Georgia (SEC; 8-0; Week 10: W 42-7 vs Florida in Jacksonville [neutral-site game])

The Georgia Bulldogs got off to an early start against their bitter rivals, the Florida Gators. Scoring 21 points in the first half of the first quarter, the Bulldogs only managed to allow one scoring drive that occurred late in the fourth quarter. Although the Bulldogs entered Jacksonville as a top-tier team, there was doubt as to whether the Georgia squad could perform in an intense, neutral-site setting. The Bulldogs ran all over the Gators, after struggling to do so last year against their rivals. Large plays by Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and even their deep bench runningback Elijah Holyfield, the Georgia backfield continues to be one of the marvels of college football this season. The Georgia defense continues to be impressive, which should convince the Committee to squeeze a number-two spot for the Georgia squad.

An incredible comeback victory against #2 Penn State by J.T Barrett and the Buckeyes gives a share of the national spotlight to Ohio State. (Photo/Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports)

#3. Ohio State (Big Ten; 7-1; Week 10: W 39-38 vs #2 Penn State)

What a comeback by the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Down 35-20 at the end of the third quarter, the Buckeyes managed to outscore the powerful Nittany Lions, led by Heisman frontrunner Saquon Barkley, 19-3 in the fourth quarter, ultimately scoring a game-winning touchdown with 1:48 remaining in the game. Strong offensive performances over the last handful of weeks have catapulted the Buckeyes into a potential playoff scenario. If the Buckeyes win out for the remaining of their games, including an always-difficult trip to Iowa City to face the Iowa Hawkeyes, who nearly beat Penn State in Week 4, and a trip to rivals Michigan who seek revenge after an epic finish to last year's rivalry match, Ohio State will likely reach the College Football Playoff.

Heisman frontrunner Saquon Barkley and the Penn State Nittany Lions may have been dealt a tough loss against Ohio State and Columbus, but it would be silly to count them out of the College Football Playoff. (Photo courtesy of CardsChat.com and mcall.com)

#4. Penn State (Big Ten; 7-1; Week 10: L 39-38 @ Ohio State)

Tough break for Saquon Barkley and the Nittany Lions. However, they should not fret. The greatly anticipated marquee match of Week 10 proved both Ohio State and Penn State deserve to be at the top of college football. Thus, after seven amazing performances, including those in clutch situations, Penn State should remain in the playoff picture come Tuesday night. Their final true threat comes in the form of a trip to Michigan State, who lost to Northwestern on Saturday. Past Week 11, Penn State play Rutgers and Nebraska at home and Maryland on the road to close out the season. The Nittany Lions have to keep their eyes on the prize, the Big Ten Championship Game. However, with their loss to Ohio State, if the Buckeyes don't slip up, the Nittany Lions will not participate in the title match, which means a crucial conference championship in their resume may result in Penn State missing out of the College Football Playoff.

AT LARGE TEAMS (Current AP Rankings):

#4 TCU: (Big 12; 7-1; Week 10: L 14-7 @ #25 Iowa State)

The Big 12 are in serious risk of not having a representative in the College Football Playoff. After defeating then-16th ranked Oklahoma State on the road in September, the Horned Frogs seemed like they were the last team remaining that could compete for the CFP in the Big 12. However, once again, a highly-ranked Big 12 team loses to a Big Ten team, and once again, it's the low-ranked Iowa State Cyclones. The highly revered TCU squad who shutout Kansas 43-0 last week, who beat Kansas State 26-6 on the road and who beat #6 Oklahoma State in September 44-31 on the road, the Horned Frogs were shut down in Ames against the Cyclones. TCU will likely drop dramatically, perhaps out of the Top 10. The loss to the Cyclones may leave TCU the least-likely team to reach the Playoff on this list.

#5 Wisconsin: (Big Ten; 8-0; Week 10: W 24-10 @ Illinois)

So, Wisconsin is currently ranked fifth. Two teams above them, Penn State and TCU, lost on Saturday. Why aren't they deserving of a current CFP spot? The issue Wisconsin has is they have not beaten anyone worth their hype. Utah State, Florida Atlantic, BYU, Northwestern, Nebraska, Purdue, Maryland and now Illinois. None of those games against those teams, with all due respect, would have been shocking if the Badgers won by 30+. Instead, Wisconsin is surprisingly high-ranked while being unsurprisingly undefeated. The Badgers' only true tests come in two and three weeks as they host Iowa and Michigan, respectively. This isn't to say that Wisconsin should not be hyped or to say Wisconsin would not be competitive against a Penn State, Ohio State, Miami, etc. However, based on opponents, Wisconsin most likely doesn't deserve to crack the top four just yet.

#7 Clemson (ACC; 6-1; Week 10: Currently leading Georgia Tech 24-3 at home in the third quarter):

The highly-regarded Clemson Tigers are trying to earn the blessing of the College Football Playoff committee once again. After losing in a shocking upset to Syracuse, who have become a tough win to secure in 2017 (losing by just 8 to Miami, 8 to NC State and 9 to LSU), the then-second-ranked Tigers dropped in the AP rankings. However, this team continues to have the talent and results to perhaps persuade the Committee. Next week's matchup against NC State, who had a chance themselves of spoiling the traditional playoff outlook before losing this week to Notre Dame by a wide margin, will serve as the statement game for Clemson to make an impression to the Committee come decision time.

#8 Miami (ACC; 7-0; Week 10: W 24-19 @ North Carolina):

Mark Richt's coaching continues to give the Hurricanes a shot at making this season a year to remember. However, the main issue for the undefeated Hurricanes are their lack of big wins. Their last four wins have been by four against the struggling Florida State Seminoles, by one against Georgia Tech, by eight against 4-4 Syracuse and by five to 1-8 North Carolina. Although their matchups have been important and notable, for an eighth-ranked squad, most would expect more impressive victories. Crucial home games against the Virginia Tech Hokies and increasingly impressive Notre Dame Fighting Irish are do-or-die wins for Miami.

#9 Notre Dame (FBS Independents; 7-1; Week 10: W 35-14 vs NC State):

If it weren't for a nailbiter against Georgia in Week 2 that ended up in a heartbreaking 20-19 loss, the Fighting Irish would already perhaps be in the top four. The argument against the Fighting Irish lies in that they do not belong to a conference, and therefore will not compete in a conference championship. However, with victories including a 20-point win over Michigan State, a staggering 49-14 victory over USC and this week's big win over competitive NC State, while also considering the Irish will end their season at eighth-ranked Miami, at home against Navy and on the road against 20th-ranked Stanford, Notre Dame's grueling schedule may serve just as well as a conference title.

#10 Oklahoma (Big 12; 6-1; Week 10: Currently leading Texas Tech, 42-27 at home in the third quarter)

Lastly, we talk about a team on the same boat as TCU. Oklahoma also lost to Big Ten spoiler Iowa State, but they lost 38-31 at home in Norman back in Week 6, when the Sooners were ranked third. Narrow margin victories over Texas two weeks ago and Kansas State last week means Oklahoma must have impressive victories in the upcoming weeks. Next week, they play the famous "Bedlam", as they travel to rivals Oklahoma State, ranked 11th. Then, the Sooners have to host TCU. Easy victories may follow as they head to Kansas and host West Virginia. However, Oklahoma may have to rely on upset victories to squeeze into the playoff picture, as the Big 12 do not control their fate in being represented this year in the College Football Playoff.