This isn't it.
This is not the final answer, but Tuesday night's College Football Playoff rankings (7 ET, ESPN) will take us one step closer to the selection committee's top four, which will be revealed on Dec. 4 (noon, ESPN). Here's a look at the biggest questions facing the committee heading into its fifth ranking of the season:
1. Has Penn State closed the gap on Ohio State?
Last week, selection committee chair Kirby Hocutt said the gap between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State was significant. "I believe, to answer your question directly," he said, "does the selection committee see a small margin of separation this week between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State? We do not." Did the Nittany Lions' convincing win over Michigan State to clinch the Big Ten East Division help change that perception at all? It's important because if Penn State wins the Big Ten, the committee will consider putting in one or both. When teams are comparable, the committee will consider Penn State's head-to-head win over the Buckeyes and its conference title -- two advantages that will make it hard to leave the two-loss Nittany Lions out if the committee is consistent in its application of the protocol.
2. Is Michigan still a factor?
It's unwise to write the Wolverines off entirely -- though they should drop out of the top four -- because Michigan beat the two teams playing for the Big Ten championship, Penn State and Wisconsin. What if there's chaos, and Clemson and Washington both lose? That would mean Michigan would also have a win over Pac-12 champ Colorado. How far the Wolverines drop Tuesday night could be a clue as to whether they have any shot at getting back into the conversation with a two-loss résumé and no league title.
3. How does Washington's Apple Cup win impact its chances?
Last week, Hocutt said Washington's strength of schedule made the committee hesitant to move the Huskies up. "Their strength of schedule still gives the committee pause at this time from ranking them any higher," he said. Will a win over No. 23 Washington State change the committee's mind and boost No. 5 Washington into the top four? Will the Cougars drop out of the Top 25? Washington's wins against teams currently ranked by the committee include Stanford, Utah and Washington State, but the latter two lost this past week. Will that devalue Washington's résumé in the eyes of the committee? A win against No. 9 Colorado in the Pac-12 title game would give the Huskies a much-needed boost.
4. Can the winner of Bedlam made a big move in the final rankings?
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were off last week, and seemed to completely fall off the radar, but unlike Ohio State and Michigan, they will be playing Saturday in a de facto conference championship game while the committee is watching. The Big 12 winner needs help, regardless of who it is, as both teams are still staring up at the Big Ten's top two-loss teams and Washington. It would seem more than one of those teams need to stumble in order for the Big 12 champ to jump at least four spots. If Colorado wins, the committee would have to compare two-loss champions from the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12.
5. Who is the next-highest-ranked SEC team?
Assuming No. 1 Alabama remains in the top spot -- a safe assumption at this point -- the next-highest-ranked SEC team is heading to the Sugar Bowl against the Big 12 champion (assuming, of course, the Big 12 champ doesn't make the playoff). But there's no great team to choose from. Auburn now has four losses after losing the Iron Bowl, and Florida is a three-loss SEC East champ after losing to rival Florida State.
6. Is undefeated Western Michigan a no-brainer choice from the Group of 5?
No. 19 Boise State and No. 20 Houston both lost this week, leaving Western Michigan as the most obvious choice to represent the Group of 5 in a New Year's Six bowl, but what about Navy? The Midshipmen have two losses, but as the American Athletic Conference West division champs, they still have a chance to win their conference title. Would the committee rank a two-loss Navy team ahead of the undefeated Broncos? Where they are both ranked tonight will help answer that. The committee will be together on Friday, though, to watch the MAC championship game between Western Michigan and Ohio, along with the Pac-12 title game, so the Broncos will have its undivided attention on Friday night.