Nowhere in the College Football Playoff selection committee's protocol does it refer to anything about a team's history and tradition -- or lack thereof. It's not supposed to care that Vanderbilt hasn't been 7-1 in 84 years.

The 12 people in that room will absolutely care, though, that Vanderbilt is 7-1 now -- with back-to-back wins against ranked SEC opponents LSU and Missouri. Vanderbilt -- the story of the season so far -- is on the brink of making its first appearance in any CFP ranking during the playoff era.

And not only will the Commodores crack the committee's top 25, they have a legitimate chance to make their debut in the coveted top 12 when the first ranking is released on Nov. 4. If the playoff were today, they'd already be in. A lot can -- and will -- change with one Saturda

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