The arrival of the early signing period Wednesday offered a stark reminder for college football fans. If recruiting rankings offer any accurate gauge in the era of the transfer portal, those teams competing for College Football Playoff berths now should keep contending for years to come.

Rivalry week across college football really had it all. There was fighting, flag-planting, eight overtimes, rivalries renewed and rivalry narratives reinforced. We saw Heisman Trophy contenders demand the spotlight and College Football Playoff contenders shrink when the lights were the brightest.

Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt, likely earning one of the at-large bids thanks to a 10-2 regular season record. Texas clinched its spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game with its win over Texas A&M. There, they'll face Georgia for the second time this season. The Longhorns lost their first game against the Bulldogs 30-15.