When the College Football Playoff selection committee meets for the first time on Halloween, it will consider a plethora of factors as it sorts out the first of six rankings, but résumé and eye test typically loom large in the room.
Don't tell Michigan it hasn't played anyone yet -- it is too busy taking care of business.
"We're in the ass kicking business," linebacker Michael Barrett said, "and business is booming."
While undefeated Michigan has made a case for the most complete team in the country, the Big Ten remains a mystery with its most critical games looming. The deep Pac-12, meanwhile, has used the first half of the season to provide quite an encore in its final season of existence -- at least as we know it. The Big 12 has quickly boiled down to Oklahoma and Texas, while the SEC has a familiar feel with Georgia and Alabama leading the way in their respective divisions. The ACC is still somewhat surprising as it has two undefeated teams remaining -- none of which is named Clemson.
Including conference championship weekend, there are 14 Saturdays for teams to impress the selection committee, and the sport has officially reached its halfway point. While the heart of conference play remains, there have been plenty of lessons learned, statement games won and some sense of a playoff pecking order established.
Here's a look back at how the past seven weeks have shaped the playoff race, and the most pressing storylines and games to watch moving forward as teams continue to jockey for position when it matters the most:
Jump to a topic:
Lessons learned | Games to watch
Results that resonate | Questions
Movers | Conference rank
Surprises | Disappointments
Impact players | Top 4
