Heather Dinich believes the College Football Playoff Committee will forgive Alabama for their 40-35 Week 6 loss to Vanderbilt because the Commodores are a better team than what the narrative dictated at the time as a 3-2 outfit.

Oregon made quite the statement heading into college football's midseason junction, holding off previously unbeaten Ohio State to move up in this week's national rankings. The victory validates the Ducks as one of the College Football Playoff national championship frontrunners and puts the Buckeyes in the unfamiliar position of needing to play flawlessly over their final six games in hopes of a rematch.