College Football Playoff selection committee unveil first rankings

The College Football Playoff selection committee have announced their first rankings of the season, with one-loss Texas A&M surprisingly in the four spot ahead of an undefeated Washington Huskies team. The Aggies' SEC rival Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) are ranked first ahead of fellow unbeaten's Clemson and Michigan, who both picked up impressive road victories this past weekend.

With most teams still having five games to play this season, including title games, before the final rankings are announced, there is plenty of room for movement as has been seen over the past two seasons.

Aggies ahead of undefeated Huskies in first rankings

Without a doubt, the most contentious call which has been made by the 12-person selection panel sees Kevin Sumlin's 7-1 Texas A&M Aggies in the fourth spot ahead of Chris Petersen's Washington Huskies. The Aggies lost 33-14 to Alabama just two weeks ago, yet the committee believes that their strength of schedule should see them ranked in the top four.

Washington is one place outside the provisional top four, despite their 8-0 start which has included big wins over Stanford and Oregon, as well as an impressive victory last Saturday over the Utah Utes in Salt Lake City. Unfortunately for the Huskies, a weak Pac-12 means they will probably have to go unbeaten throughout the entire season to make the top four when the final rankings are announced on December 4th.

Alabama takes number one spot, with Buckeyes and Cardinals on outside looking in

Agreeing with the AP Poll, the committee has Alabama as the number one team in the country following their 8-0 start to the season. Nick Saban's unit have rolled through their schedule so far, yet still, face tough matchups the rest of the way starting this weekend in Baton Rouge against a rejuvenated LSU Tigers where a slip-up could cost them dearly.

The Clemson Tigers are ranked second, with Jim Harbaugh's Michigan third, although the Wolverines still have a long way to go with their clash with Ohio State set to decide the Big12 champion if other results go as expected. The Buckeyes currently place sixth in the rankings, ahead of another one-loss team in Louisville who doesn't have the toughest schedule coming up which may deter their chances of aking the final four.

Losses last weekend for the previously unbeaten Baylor, Boise State and West Virginia have seen them ranked 17th and lower, while the 8-0 Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference is 23rd.