Mel & Todd: What should the CFP's top four be this week?

Throughout the college football season, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay kick off each week by settling a debate, looking at emerging NFL prospects and peeking ahead to next week.

This week's topic: Who are the top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings? There's no dispute about Alabama in the top spot.

Who are your top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings?

Mel Kiper:

1. Alabama: It's Alabama and every other team. Yes, the Crimson Tide scored only 10 points against LSU, and their offense looked out of sync for 50 minutes of the game, but over the season, they still have one of the best offenses in the country -- more than 478 yards and 40 points per game -- and the Tigers have NFL players everywhere on defense.

2. Michigan: Michigan gets the No. 2 spot -- for now. It has the No. 1-ranked defense and the No. 3-ranked offense. Mark Nov. 26 on your calendar, as the Wolverines travel to Columbus with the Big Ten's playoff spot on the line. If either Michigan or Ohio State drops a game between now and then, I'll be surprised.

3. Washington: I really like the Huskies' talent on both sides of the ball. They crushed Cal on Saturday in what could have been a trap game. The Apple Cup in Pullman the day after Thanksgiving is going to be terrific, as both teams are currently undefeated in the league. There's a chance that game could knock UW out of not just the playoff but also the conference championship game.

4. Clemson: I think there's another drop-off after Washington. Clemson is the clear fourth-best undefeated team, in my opinion, but it's most likely to be unbeaten after conference title games. For all of the Tigers' flaws, they just keep winning.

Sleeper: Louisville

The Cardinals count as sleepers because they need a lot of help to get back into the playoff picture. Let's remember that this is college football, and chaos happens every season. No one wants to play Lamar Jackson & Co.

Todd McShay

1. Alabama: The defense keeps getting better, holding Leonard Fournette to 2.1 yards per carry on Saturday. The Crimson Tide have shown that they can win high-scoring games and low-scoring games. They're clearly the most complete team in the country.

2. Clemson: The Tigers had been up and down before demolishing Syracuse 54-0 on Saturday. There's no question Clemson is one of the three most talented teams in the country. The Tigers will need QB Deshaun Watson, who suffered a bruised shoulder Saturday, to finish strong, as he did last season.

3. Michigan: The Wolverines' schedule has been favorable, but they continue to take care of business (a 56-point win over Maryland on Saturday). Coach Jim Harbaugh has to be pleased with what he has seen from QB Wilton Speight. His two best performances have come in his past two outings.

4. Washington: The Huskies showed good toughness Saturday against Cal, outscoring the Golden Bears 45-7 in the final two and a half quarters, after the score was 21-20 midway through the second. QB Jake Browning continues to shine, and this defense is loaded with future pros, including DTs Vita Vea and Elijah Qualls, LB Azeem Victor and CB Sidney Jones. A huge test is coming this weekend against red-hot USC.

Sleeper: Wisconsin

I wouldn't count Louisville or Ohio State out either, but the Badgers have a clear path to the playoff, should they win out (including a possible Big Ten title game against Ohio State or Michigan). Wisconsin already has a good win over LSU, and its two losses were one-score games against the Buckeyes and Wolverines.

Prospect on the rise

Kiper: Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama

You might already know about Williams, who was No. 1 on my preseason Big Board. He's an unblockable pass-rusher at times. But he has dropped a few spots throughout the season because I hadn't seen enough improvement in the rest of his game. That changed Saturday. Against LSU, Williams was a force against the run, as he helped the Crimson Tide hold Leonard Fournette to 2.1 yards per carry and the Tigers to no points. Williams (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) showed that he can use his hands to get off blocks and find ball carriers. He even made a tackle in coverage. I feel much better about his all-around game, and he's going to move up a few spots. Rushing quarterbacks is where he's going to make his money, though. After having 10.5 sacks in part-time duty last season, he has seven this season as a full-time player.

McShay: D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

I know I featured him in this spot last week, but I'm going to keep hyping Foreman until he gets the credit he deserves. He rushed for 341 yards in a 45-37 win over Texas Tech (I'm aware the Red Raiders don't have college football's best defense, but 341 yards!). At this point, I think Foreman would be my third-best Heisman candidate, and if you think I'm crazy, look at his production, and consider the supporting cast. Foreman also might be one of the top three RBs selected in this year's draft, if he chooses to leave school early.

We also saw a lot of other strong showings from NFL prospects on Saturday: Alabama DE Jonathan Allen got another sack, Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey gained 199 yards on the ground, LSU CB Tre'Davious White did a great job in run support, and North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky lit up Georgia Tech for 329 passing yards.

Almost famous

Kiper: Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan

Moton stands out on tape for the 9-0 Broncos. At 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, he has gone back and forth between right guard and right tackle the past four years, and he's excelling at tackle this season. Against Ball State on Tuesday, Moton showed nice feet in pass protection and sustained his blocks well. He was sloppy with his technique a few times, losing leverage and losing his balance, but he can get out and hit a target on the move. Moton is likely a Day 3 pick, but he has a future in the NFL. At worst, he's a backup guard or tackle. He could be a starter in the right situation.

McShay: Bryan Schor, QB, James Madison

I railed on James Madison when my Richmond Spiders ruined their hosting of College Gameday last year, so it's only fair to recognize the Dukes for a great effort Saturday. Schor, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior, completed 78.6 percent of his throws for three TDs and zero picks against Richmond. He also rushed for 92 yards and another score.

The big question for next week

Kiper: Can red-hot USC knock Washington out of the College Football Playoff picture?

The Huskies are just pounding teams in the Pac-12. They're No. 2 in the nation in scoring offense (48.3 points per game), and they're 11th in scoring defense (17.0). But don't discount what the Trojans have done lately. After a 1-3 start and some quarterback issues, USC has quietly won five straight. Redshirt freshman QB Sam Darnold has been very impressive. He's completing 67.9 percent of his passes, with 20 touchdowns and four interceptions. One matchup that USC has to win to have a chance: wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster vs. Washington cornerbacks Sidney Jones and Kevin King.

McShay: Can Alabama avoid a letdown against upset-hungry Mississippi State?

The Bulldogs impressed with an upset win over Texas A&M on Saturday. They'll face a Crimson Tide defense with loads of talent, but I'll be interested to see if Alabama is a little worn down after a hard-fought, physical win over LSU. QB Jalen Hurts stepped up Saturday when the game was on the line. His ability to make plays with his legs gives Alabama's offense a dimension it hasn't often had under Nick Saban. The Bulldogs allowed Texas A&M dual threat QB Trevor Knight to get loose on the ground prior to Knight's leaving the game with injuries. Can they contain Hurts?