Washington’s upset defeat Saturday at the hands of Sam Darnold and the USC Trojans was bound to drop the Huskies in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings; the only question was how far. Fortunately, misery loves company: The carnage visited upon the rest of the top 10 — five of the top nine teams lost, including Nos. 2, 3, and 4 for the first time since 1985 — means that the Huskies didn’t drop too far.
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At No. 6, Washington presumably has a clear path to the playoff despite their recent loss. Despite the recent mark on their record, the Huskies still have a very realistic opportunity to finish the season as a 12-1 conference champion. In that scenario, we would see the clearest test yet of the importance the committee places upon conference championships, as Washington would likely be jockeying for the No. 4 position alongside one-loss Louisville.