Ward has played a Heisman Trophy-caliber season to this point, leading the nation in passing touchdowns (34). Interestingly enough, Ward sits second in the country in passing yards (3,774), one spot behind Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord (3,946).

Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held onto the top spots in the latest edition of the College Football Playoff rankings, the selection committee announced. Three other schools dropped from the projected list.

For the teams strictly in at-large contention, what are the cases for their inclusion and what are the flaws that could keep them from the 12-team tournament? Below we examine 16 teams with at-large hopes — not just the 16 highest-ranked teams — and examine why they are worthy of at-large consideration while breaking down their flaws.