The race for the fourth playoff spot is already on

The fight for the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff has already begun.

Don't believe it? Too soon? (Wait! There are still games on Sunday and Monday! It's only Week 1!)

Yes, it's early, but it's not outlandish -- even after only one week of games -- to assume that the SEC (Alabama, Auburn and Georgia), Big Ten (Ohio State leads a deep field) and ACC (Clemson) began the season in the good graces of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

A season's worth of scenarios will still unfold, and chaos is bound to ensue along the way, but it's hard to imagine those three conference champions will be left out. That leaves the Pac-12, Big 12 and Notre Dame on the bubble, considering…