When the College Football Playoff selection committee meets on Halloween to reveal its first ranking, the group will not discuss Georgia's back-to-back national titles nor is it supposed to be influenced by them.
The committee will evaluate the Bulldogs' résumé to that point, and Saturday's win against Kentucky might be their only one against a ranked opponent -- if the No. 20 Wildcats are even ranked.
Which leaves the possibility that Georgia might not be No. 1.
(Insert audible gasp here.)
While it's certainly possible Georgia ultimately ends this season where it began -- as the nation's premier program -- the committee's weekly snapshots reward the teams that have played the best against the toughest competition. At this point, with several undefeated teams still on the board, No. 1 is up for debate.
What about Florida State? The three Pac-12 teams?? The three Big Ten teams?! And did you hear? OKLAHOMA is BACK.
What we do know after Week 6 is that the field of teams that can make a case for the top spot no longer includes Texas. Below we list -- in order -- the nine teams with a reasonable case for No. 1. We also list the case against those teams.
Georgia Bulldogs, 6-0
Best win: Saturday vs. Kentucky, 51-13
Case for No. 1: The committee pays attention to how teams win, and Georgia finally looked like Georgia on Saturday. The committee proved last year that teams don't get into the CFP based on name and history alone when two-loss Alabama was snubbed. Contenders have to look the part, and after pedestrian performances against South Carolina and Auburn, Georgia started strong and had the upper hand for four quarters against Kentucky. Brock Bowers continues to make a case for the best player in the country, and rookie quarterback Carson Beck for the second straight week made significant strides that left no doubt he is the team's undisputed starter.
Case against: Other contenders simply have played at a higher level more consistently against better competition, which is why the committee could waiver at this point. In last year's first ranking, undefeated Georgia started at No. 3 -- even after a commanding 49-3 win against Oregon. This year, there isn't an Oregon on the schedule. Georgia opened against FCS opponent UT-Martin, UAB is 2-4 in the American Athletic Conference and South Carolina and Ball State are a combined 3-8. The win against Kentucky was Georgia's first against a ranked opponent, but the sheer dominance of the victory also could call into question in the committee meeting room whether Kentucky is truly a top-25 team.
Florida State Seminoles, 5-0
Best win: Sept. 3 vs. LSU, 45-24
Case for No. 1: The Seminoles have a neutral site win against LSU in Orlando, which continues to resonate following the Tigers' triumph against previously undefeated Mizzou on Saturday. And while Clemson has looked like a shadow of its CFP self, winning at Clemson will still impress the committee as long as Clemson continues to find ways to win. The committee values wins away from home, and Florida State has won three of its five outside of Tallahassee. Florida State boasts star power on both sides, as quarterback Jordan Travis has multiple passing touchdowns in all five games this season, and defensive lineman Jared Verse, who had his first full sack of the season on Saturday, is fast and disruptive.
Case against: While Florida State has two good wins, they're the only ones on the Seminoles' schedule against Power 5 teams over .500. It clearly struggled at Boston College too, avoiding disaster with a 31-29 victory, which remains the most glaring performance on FSU's résumé and the biggest reason to question the Noles for the top spot.
Oklahoma Sooners, 6-0
Best win: Saturday vs. Texas, 34-30
Case for No. 1: The Sooners just earned the best win of the season's first half, and they did it in a raucous environment against their biggest rival. With the exception of the Red River thriller on Saturday, Oklahoma has won every other game by at least two touchdowns. They scored 50 points or more in three of their games and held Big 12 opponent Cincinnati without a touchdown. The Sooners also have been one of the nation's most complete teams, with a vastly improved defense to complement an explosive offense led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Case against: Texas was the first Power 5 opponent with a winning record that Oklahoma had defeated this season, and the Longhorns are the only ranked foe currently on the Sooners' schedule. While Oklahoma can make the case this week for No. 1, it might have to win all of its remaining games, including the Big 12 title game, to finish in the top four. If Texas represents Oklahoma's only regular-season victory against a ranked team and the Sooners don't win the Big 12, the committee will scrutinize the rest of their schedule. Unless more Big 12 teams eventually get ranked, OU's résumé would likely fall short, making it difficult for the committee to deem the Sooners "unequivocally" one of the four best teams in the country. If they stumble to an unranked opponent but beat Texas a second time to win the Big 12, it would be a great debate on Selection Day.
Washington Huskies, 5-0
Best win: Sept. 30 at Arizona, 31-24
Case for No. 1: Washington has made a case for the most complete team in the country, and the Huskies have done it on a consistent basis in all three phases of the game. They also have arguably one of the top two quarterbacks in the country in Michael Penix Jr., and the big-play capabilities of the offense have devastated opposing defenses. And in the case of Arizona, which limited Washington's ability to pull off some of those explosive plays, Washington won with its versatility.
Case against: It's still too early. The Pac-12 is on the brink of revealing who to take seriously as its top CFP contender: Washington will host Oregon on Saturday. Until then, Washington has a résumé issue with no wins against ranked opponents and only two road wins -- including one against a Michigan State team mired in off-field woes. One other potential trouble spot for Washington to keep an eye on is penalties, as Washington racked up 12 for 125 yards against the Wildcats last week. That could prove costly against tougher competition.
Michigan Wolverines, 6-0
Best win: Uhhhh ... Saturday at Minnesota? Sept. 30 at Nebraska? Sept. 23 against ... Rutgers?!
Case for No. 1: The team, the team, the team! Michigan appears to be a CFP team -- again. J.J. McCarthy looks like the best quarterback in the Big Ten. The defense seems capable of shutting down Ohio State's top playmakers. Michigan is a well-coached, is fundamentally sound and has outplayed every opponent on its schedule. They consistently limit turnovers and penalties, which some other contenders have struggled to do.
Case against: The schedule, the schedule, the schedule. It's literally the only drawback to Michigan right now. Four straight home games. No ranked opponents. No Power 5 nonconference opponents. Rutgers and UNLV are the only opponents over .500. Michigan simply hasn't been tested yet while other contenders have, and that won't change until November. If Michigan wins the Big Ten East again, it will contend for the playoff. But it's hard to make a strong case for the Wolverines as the No. 1 team in October.
Ohio State Buckeyes, 5-0
Best win: Sept. 23 at Notre Dame, 17-14
Case for No. 1: The win at Notre Dame remains one of the best in nonconference play in the country -- even after the Fighting Irish were upset at Louisville on Saturday -- and will further impress the committee because it was a true road game. There's no denying the talent on Ohio State's roster, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. gives the Buckeyes a player worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration. With the exception of the Notre Dame contest, Ohio State has won each of its games by at least 20 points, and the committee looks for teams to leave no doubt they're better against unranked teams without necessarily running up the score. The committee also considers when teams are missing star players for various reasons and will know Ohio State was without running back TreVeyon Henderson for undisclosed reasons against Maryland.
Case against: It hasn't always been pretty -- and it's not like the Buckeyes are facing Georgia every week. Maryland was just the second Power 5-level opponent with a winning record that Ohio State has defeated this year, along with Notre Dame. Ohio State has looked vulnerable since its season opener against Indiana, and the Buckeyes got off to another slow start on Saturday against the unranked Terps. Yes, Henderson was out, but replacement Chip Trayanum was contained for much of the game. In the past, the committee chair has often highlighted a team's elite quarterback play, and while rookie Kyle McCord has competed well enough to win, other contenders have Heisman hopefuls at their most important position.
Oregon Ducks, 5-0
Best win: Sept. 23 vs. Colorado, 42-6
Case for No. 1: There's no greater reason than Oregon's sheer dominance to this point. With the exception of its road win at Texas Tech, Oregon has manhandled its opponents on both sides of the ball, scoring at least 42 points in each game while holding teams to no more than 10. While the committee doesn't ask teams to run up the score, it does look for them to leave no doubt they are the better team against lesser competition, and Oregon has done that. The Ducks also have a true Heisman contender in quarterback Bo Nix, and that has been a trait of past CFP teams.
Case against: We just don't know enough about the Ducks yet, but we will on Saturday after they travel to Washington. Other teams ranked ahead of Oregon have had a chance to earn at least one statement win, and while beating Colorado in such convincing fashion was important, it was more a reality check for the Buffaloes. The committee tracks wins against FCS teams, and Oregon racked up 81 points against Portland State in its season opener. Colorado is the only opponent with a winning record the Ducks have defeated, and it has since dropped out of the AP Top 25, leaving the Ducks with no wins against current Top 25 teams.
Penn State Nittany Lions, 5-0
Best win: Yeesh. Sept. 23 vs. Iowa, 31-0
Case for No. 1: Penn State, much like Oregon, is doing what it's supposed to do against lesser competition. Rookie quarterback Drew Allar has given the Nittany Lions hope that they can be a factor in the Big Ten East race, as they have looked capable of upending Ohio State or Michigan. A talented, veteran line has been the heart of the offense, and the defense has not allowed any opponent to score more than 15 points.
Case against: See: best win. The Lions don't have a victory against a ranked opponent. They racked up 63 points versus FCS Delaware. They only have two road wins. Yes, West Virginia is a much-improved team, and Iowa is certainly respectable, but nothing here would sway the committee to put them at the top -- and a triumph on Saturday against 1-6 UMass isn't going to change that. However, victories against Ohio State and/or Michigan will. They're just not there yet.
USC Trojans, 6-0
Best win: Sept. 30 at Colorado, 48-41
Case for No. 1: This offense can score on anyone, anytime, anywhere. It's the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, ahead of Oregon, Oklahoma and Washington. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, is good enough to win it again, and there's a plethora of talent surrounding him. As dominant as Georgia's offense looked on Saturday, USC has been significantly better, and it's done so more consistently.
Case against: The defense, one that was on full display again in a triple overtime win against Arizona on Saturday night. USC gave up 506 yards to the Wildcats and trailed 17-0 to start the game. This after the Trojans allowed Colorado more than 500 total yards and over 40 points. Oregon's defense held Colorado to six points. While there have been signs of defensive improvement for USC, the better performances came in those first three home games -- not the more difficult road trips against Pac-12 opponents.
Teams that could join the conversation
North Carolina: The Tar Heels are unbeaten and have Power 5 nonconference wins against South Carolina and Minnesota, and they still have opportunities to impress the committee against Miami and Duke. The reality, though, is they need to win with style -- something the Tar Heels failed to do in their two-overtime win against Appalachian State.
Louisville: The Cardinals' statement win against Notre Dame catapulted them into a contender for the ACC title, and that's the first step. If the unbeaten Cardinals somehow play their way into the conversation, they'd even have a common opponent with Georgia in Kentucky.