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 -- 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, but they also will have a legitimate chance to make their debut in the coveted top 12 when the first ranking is released Nov. 4. If the playoff were today, they would already be in. A lot can -- and will -- change with o

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