This should be relatively straightforward for the College Football Playoff selection committee.

With Tennessee and Brigham Young expected to drop in the rankings after their losses on Saturday, the top five teams will likely remain unchanged, while three SEC teams are set to rise in their place.

However, several questions remain as we approach Tuesday night. For starters, how will the committee handle the Big 12 situation? How far will BYU sink in the rankings? Will the highest-ranked Big 12 team come in behind Boise State, and what implications does this have for the top four conference champions receiving a first-round bye?

Additionally, where will Tennessee rank among SEC teams with two losses? Expect the Volunteers to fall towards the end of the line, likely behind Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, despite their earlier victory over Alabama. This indicates a challenging path for Tennessee regarding an at-large playoff spot.

Another critical aspect to consider is how many SEC teams will be included in the rankings. With a plethora of teams vying for at-large bids from the conference, the committee will focus on notable victories over ranked opponents to distinguish between teams that have the same records.

These and other questions are crucial as we head into Tuesday night:

What’s the situation for Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia?

All three teams are likely to move up two spots from last week. One potential issue could be Georgia’s recent victory, which might prompt the committee to reassess their previous head-to-head rankings. Georgia’s tough schedule could work in their favor when it comes to playoff consideration. Nevertheless, this could overshadow the fact that Mississippi dominated Georgia just two weeks ago. The anticipated SEC rankings are as follows: No. 3 Texas, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Georgia, and No. 10 Mississippi.

Is BYU likely to fall behind Boise State?

This seems almost certain. Previously ranked No. 6, BYU is expected to land at No. 13 or lower after their 17-13 loss to Kansas. There are two main factors at play here. One is their schedule, which features only three wins against bowl-eligible teams. Notably, their victory over Kansas State has lost significance due to Kansas State’s struggles in recent weeks. Additionally, the Cougars’ wins against Oklahoma State and Utah lacked dominating performances, further hurting their position in the rankings.

Does this mean a first-round bye for Boise State?

This seems plausible as of Tuesday night, but maintaining that coveted fourth spot among FBS conference champions will be a challenge. Boise State’s struggle to secure another significant win before the regular season wraps up complicates matters. Their upcoming games against Wyoming and Oregon State and a potential clash with Colorado State for the Mountain West title signify that any hiccup could change the tide.

Is the Big 12 headed for a one-bid outcome?

Unless there’s an unexpected shake-up in the Big Ten and SEC, it looks like the Big 12 champion will be the only team from the conference making it to the playoff. With the Wildcats and Iowa State already falling out of contention, this was undoubtedly going to happen, even if BYU had managed to maintain a perfect record; their loss to Kansas has solidified that the conference’s championship game will determine the sole playoff spot. BYU is on track to reach the title game with a win against Arizona State this weekend, while Colorado needs to defeat KU and then overcome Oklahoma State.

How many SEC teams will be in the rankings?

The SEC is set to have at least one fewer team than the nine it had last week, following LSU’s loss to Florida. If Missouri, which was ranked No. 23 last Tuesday but narrowly lost to South Carolina, also gets dropped, the count could fall to seven. However, competitive losses to ranked teams typically do not result in significant ranking drops, which could help Missouri retain their position from last week’s rank. The lack of viable replacements from other Power Four conferences further assists Missouri’s position.

The likely outcome is for there to be eight SEC teams in the rankings, in the following order: Longhorns, Tide, Bulldogs, Rebels, Volunteers, Texas A&M, Gamecocks, and Missouri.