USC can have a major say in College Football Playoff rankings

Three thoughts for the coming week in college football:

1. USC barely missed the AP top 25 on Sunday, topping the “others receiving votes” list, but has a chance to throw a wrench into the College Football Playoff ranking if it can upset AP No. 4 Washington in Seattle.

2. Oklahoma, No. 14 in the CFP ranking, was hoping a win over Baylor this Saturday might bolster its slim playoff hopes, but that game lost all its juice when Baylor lost to Texas Christian over the weekend.

3. San Diego State — another Southern California team on the periphery of the top 25 — has clinched a spot in the Mountain West Conference championship game on Dec. 3 no matter what happens the rest of the regular season.

david.wharton@latimes.com