Here are three takeaways from the third round of the College Football Playoff rankings, unveiled Tuesday night on ESPN. You can find a full breakdown of the rankings here. SMU stands pat As the Mustangs spend their third straight week on the outside looking in,

A Week 13 showdown with undefeated Army is the final test. A win proves the Fighting Irish are real; a loss obviously turns the entire CFP field upside down. Strength of record does not quite land on Notre Dame's side, but in terms of momentum and the way the Fighting Irish are winning these games, it's hard to bet against them.

After another eventful weekend of college football comes another College Football Playoff rankings release. These become more important with each passing week as the regular season hits the home stretch. Selection Sunday is less than a month away, after all, and time is running out for teams to leave an impression.