After a few days of waiting and wondering, the TCU Horned Frogs are officially fourth in the newest College Football Playoff rankings.

But as the Horned Frogs enter the decisive stretch of the regular season, they're No. 1 in the spotlight.

We fully expected top-ranked Georgia would be here, along with fellow front-runners Ohio State and Michigan.

TCU even close to the Top Four, though? Not at all.

Last offseason, the program fired longtime coach Gary Patterson. Sonny Dykes arrived from nearby SMU and brought a high-powered offensive system, but TCU looked more like a bowl candidate than a Big 12 contender. Max Duggan, who didn't even win the quarterback competition initially, has become a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate.

Through 10 weeks, the surging program—one that posted a 23-24 mark over the last four seasons—holds a 9-0 record with a straightforward path to the CFP. Win out, and TCU will be a part of the Playoff.

As much as you or I might be eager to see a real CFP controversy, there's no chance that a 13-0 power-conference champion would be excluded from the national semifinals.