It only took 11 straight wins in the toughest conference in college football, and a gritty 22-20 win on the road against Oregon State for Washington to overtake Florida State in this week’s rankings.

However, the job is yet to be finished.

With Michigan and Ohio State playing this weekend, Washington will likely take a top-three spot in next week’s rankings.  But the Huskies will have to put together a quality win against in-state rival, Washington State.

In other words, the Huskies control their destiny.

Washington holds the best resume of all undefeated teams, with wins over No. 6 Oregon, No. 15 Arizona, No. 16 Oregon State, and wins against previously ranked USC and Utah. However, the so-called “eye test” has prevented them from jumping into the top four.

Now, the eye test no longer applies. It comes down to winning football games.

If the playoffs began today, Washington would find itself facing No. 1 ranked and two-time defending national champion Georgia. However, based on its upcoming path to reach the playoffs, it’s unlikely to expect Washington in the number 4 spot.

Let’s dive into it.

The SEC champion will be the only team that represents the conference in the playoffs. This will either be an undefeated Georgia or a one-loss Alabama.

Even if Georgia loses, given the resume of other teams searching for a playoff spot, Georgia won’t be getting in. This means Georgia will come in at #1 or Alabama will either come in at #4 or #3 with one loss.

There is a chance that two Big 10 teams reach the CFP this year, but it is dependent on this weekend. That means the matchup between Michigan and Ohio State will have massive implications.

The winner of this game will have a much easier game in the Big 10 championship and will come into the playoffs at either #1 or #2, depending on if Georgia is in it. The loser very well may come in at #4 as the best remaining one-loss team if Florida State, Texas, and Washington were to lose.

In this hypothetical, your four playoff teams are Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia/Alabama, and Oregon.

The ACC is currently a one-team race, with Florida State still undefeated. If they win out, they will represent the #4 spot based on their resume and the absence of starting quarterback Jordan Travis, who is now out for the season.

Louisville is the closest ACC team to stopping Florida State, but given their one loss to Pittsburgh, their playoff hopes are all but over, even with a win in the ACC Championship game. (Unless they win by 70)

Things get interesting with the Big 12. If Texas wins out, they will be in given its win against Alabama on the road. If they lose another game, then Texas will be eliminated as well. If Texas wins out and Alabama loses, they will be either #4 or #3 depending on Florida State.

The PAC-12 championship is everything for Washington. If they run the table but lose to Oregon, then Oregon will be in the top four. If Washington wins out, they will be in the top three and have a great argument for #1 if Georgia were to lose.

If Washington were to lose to Arizona, it would be very hard to see the committee say Washington gets that last spot over a one-loss Big 10 team. 

Regardless of how things play out in other conferences, Washington stamps its ticket to the playoffs if it continues to take care of business by beating Washington State and winning the Pac-12 championship.

It is an exciting time to be a fan of college football, and all eyes will be on the remaining undefeated teams as they look to close out the season with wins and secure a playoff birth.