All 32 remaining College Football Playoff contenders, tiered

The Selection Sunday for college football's playoff is just over a month away, on December 6. Many projections will be offered, only to be rendered moot a few days later. Ahead of the next rankings release on Tuesday, this article aims to provide a more structured approach to the playoff race by categorizing all 32 teams still in contention.

The top four teams are Georgia, Utah, Notre Dame, and Miami, all of whom are expected to make the field unless something drastic occurs. Georgia faces tough games against Missouri and South Carolina but would need to lose both to be in danger. Utah has a difficult game against Arizona this weekend but follows that up with games against TCU and West Virginia, games they are unlikely to lose. Notre Dame has a strong resume, even if they were to lose to SMU, and Miami needs Malachi Toney to be healthy.

Indiana, Alabama, and Texas are all in very good positions. The committee has Indiana at No. 6, and they will not drop below this position. Alabama remains a strong favorite after a win against LSU, while Texas has a loaded roster with multiple top-25 wins. Tennessee needs to win against Texas A&M, LSU, and Vanderbilt to be safe.

UCLA, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, and USC have varying degrees of uncertainty. UCLA might suffer a slight penalty for playing with a backup QB, but they still have a strong chance if they win their last three games. Tennessee's path to the field is clear, but they still have to face tough opponents. Texas Tech would lock up a spot with an 11-0 record, while Wake Forest would need to win out and hope for some sort of chaos around them to get in.

USC would need a 3-0 finish to secure their spot, but a loss at Indiana would likely end their chances.

BYU is currently outside the field, but they have a notable win against Notre Dame in their back pocket. Kentucky and Houston also face significant challenges, with the likelihood of needing help to secure a playoff berth. Iowa and LSU are in a slightly better position than they might seem, but their best wins are against teams outside of the top 25. Overall, the playoff race is far from over, and many surprises could still occur before Selection Sunday.