The first College Football Playoff rankings of the year came out Tuesday evening, pinning undefeated BYU at No. 9 in the country.
The College Football Playoff rankings, put together weekly (starting this week) by a committee, is the sole determining poll that will make up the field in this year's playoffs.
With an 8-0 record, the Cougars sit atop the Big 12 and, therefore, were granted the fourth seed in the hypothetical bracket should the playoffs start today. BYU would have to win the Big 12 championship to make this seeding a reality.
If the Cougars fail to win the Big 12 championship, they would be at the mercy of the committee and would need to be ranked in the top 12 to make the field.
BYU has four games remaining and remains in the driver's seat to make the Big 12 championship game. No game is bigger than this Saturday when the Cougars face bitter rival Utah.