Sarah Glenn, the Worcestershire leg-spinner, has earned a maiden call-up to the England Women's team for next month's ODI and T20 series against Pakistan in Malaysia.

The 20-year-old Glenn caught selectors' attention while playing for Loughborough Lightning during the 2019 Kia Super League, which included figures of 3 for 25 when she bowled three top-order batsmen in an eight-wicket victory over Lancashire Thunder in August. Among those wickets was Indian star Harmanpreet Kaur, bowled for a golden duck.

Fellow youngster Mady Villiers, the 21-year-old who claimed 2 for 20 on debut as England beat Australia in the third T20I of the Women's Ashes series in July, held her place in the squad announced on Wednesday.

Sussex seamer Freya Davies, who played the last of her three T20Is against Sri Lanka in Colombo in March, returns to the England squad.

England and Pakistan will play three ODIs starting on December 9, followed by three T20Is. All of the matches will be played at Kuala Lumpur's Kinrara Oval.

The ODIs are part of the ICC Women's Championship, offering six points towards qualification for the 2021 ICC Women's World Cup, with England having already secured their place at the tournament. The three T20Is are a chance to prepare for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia in February.

England captain Heather Knight said her side were looking forward to returning to the international arena.

"It's been a few months since our last game and there's been a fair bit of change in that time so this tour is an opportunity to start a new era and move forward," Knight said. "There's a few younger faces in the group but also a lot of proven talent. I'm really happy with the group and we can't wait for the next few months."

With star wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor having retired from international cricket in the wake of her long battle with anxiety, Amy Jones will take the gloves for England.

The side will travel to Malaysia with interim coach Ali Maiden after Mark Robinson left his post as head coach at the end of a disappointing home summer. Lisa Keightley, the Western Australia and Perth Scorchers coach who was last month appointed as England Women's head coach, will link up with the squad in January.

England: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone,Sarah Glenn, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt.

Australia's world beating women's team have been dubbed the country's best national side in any sport as they enter the final 100 days before the start of a T20 World Cup that is hoped will be crowned with a crowd of more than 90,000 for the final at the MCG in March next year.

As T20 world champions at four of the six tournaments and at least finalists in every event since 2010, Australia have a record the envy of all other national sporting combinations, be it the men's cricket team, the Socceroos, the Wallabies (rugby union), Boomers (men's basketball), Opals (women's basketball), Diamonds (netball), Kookaburras (men's hockey) or Hockeyroos (women's).

In February and March they will in many ways be seeking a moment to recognise this greatness on home soil, but also to break another barrier for women's sport in terms of audience size and connection to the Australian public. Australia's new head of national teams, Ben Oliver, had little hesitation labelling them the best national side down under.

"The Australian women's team are currently leading the way and they're inspirational in the way that they're playing the game," Oliver told ESPNcricinfo. "So from that perspective absolutely delighted with the way they're leading the game globally, but also I think leading sport in Australia and so we should be incredibly proud of our players and our team.

"We've got an exciting opportunity in the T20 World Cup coming up in Australia and I'm very hopeful our team will do well in that tournament and really inspire a new generation of girls to take up the game."

On Wednesday it was also revealed that the global pop star Katy Perry would headline entertainment at the final, an event that the side captained by Meg Lanning will be making no apologies about being ruthless in getting to. Having debuted for Australia as far back as 2011, Lanning can see the looming event not only as a likely high point of many careers, but also as a chance to underline how steady, far-sighted investment in the women's program and a proactive move towards full professionalism can pay dividends for other sports also.

100 days to go!

There will be fireworks in more ways than one at the @ICC Women's #T20WorldCup Final, with global pop sensation @katyperry to perform LIVE

Details: https://t.co/lOtUzGOZlE
Tickets: https://t.co/k9dN2ot03n pic.twitter.com/IR3T3w04Oy

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 12, 2019

"I hope it is going to be the moment of our careers," Lanning said in Perth. "It's something you look forward to, playing in front of 93,000 at the MCG, I've been in the crowd watching big games, but to think potentially we could be out in the middle with all those fans there, it's certainly a very exciting prospect.

"It has always seemed a long way away, but it's certainly coming up very quickly. A home World Cup is an opportunity we don't get very often at all, and we're obviously in a good spot in Australian cricket, we've had some success the last few months, but World Cups are extremely hard to win and we know we're going to put in a lot of hard work to get the result that we want. But hopefully it's a great event, it's being built up massively, we're excited to be a part of it.

"I've been playing cricket for Australia now for close to 10 years and it's moved along very quickly, and to think there could be massive crowds and we'll be playing in front of them is very exciting, the group's looking forward to it, and I think it just shows where women's cricket and women's sport is at. It has become a part of Australia, it's not just men's sport anymore, it's part of the landscape and hopefully this World Cup shows that."

There has been plenty of recent focus on upon what looks to be a growing gap between Australia's women and the rest of the world, and it is a leading position that Oliver, having inherited this year, is not eager to relinquish.

"I feel very fortunate to come in at a time where we've got this real opportunity in the game to lead a real shift in sport and women's sport across the country and our Australian team's doing that," he said. "In response to that, what I'm sensing is some of the other countries globally are also inspired by that in a strange way and are also starting to really look at how they can develop their women's teams and programs.

"I don't think we should ever be complacent about where we sit, and we shouldn't be apologetic about leading the way and trying to inspire future generations of girls to take up the game and take it to a place it's never been. I'm very mindful the Australian team is leading the way at the moment, but I suspect some other countries globally will increasingly be very organised around their women's teams and programs."

Former Colombia striker Faustino Asprilla has said he had to convince a hitman not to kill Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert after the two clashed in a World Cup qualifying match in 1997.

In a documentary broadcast on Colombian television channel TelePacifico on Tuesday, Asprilla said the gunman called his hotel room after both he and Chilavert were sent off in a qualifier in Asuncion, which Paraguay won 2-1.

The gunman, who was himself killed in a drug-related shootout in 2004, asked Asprilla for permission to kill Chilavert but the Colombian refused.

"What? Are you crazy?" Asprilla said of his response. "You'll destroy Colombian football, you can't do that. No, no, no, no. What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch."

Former Parma and Newcastle player Asprilla, who turned 50 last weekend, was one of the top names in Colombian football in the 1990s and is well-known in his homeland for his colourful life both during his career and in retirement.

The incident underlines the violence in Colombia, and the once-strong links between football and the country's powerful drug traffickers such as Pablo Escobar, who was a huge soccer fan and invested in the game, in the 1990s.

In one of the darkest chapters of football history, Colombian defender Andres Escobar was shot dead outside a bar in Medellin in 1994 in apparent retribution for an own goal he scored days earlier that hastened their exit from the World Cup in the United States.

Big picture

Afghanistan must be hurting. Playing hosts to West Indies in their adopted home in India, their ODI campaign went so badly that the team's losing streak in the format extended to 11 by the end of the series. There's a mismatch in the philosophy of their batting (defensive) and bowling (attacking) units, and that gulf appears to have become deeper after the recent integration of a few young batsmen in the squad.

But T20Is are Afghanistan's best format. With a stockpile of mystery spinners and a batting unit that goes deep (if not always big) Afghanistan have made oppositions, especially when in the subcontinent, wary.

There's only one problem, though: they appear to have forgotten the art of winning.

Last month, they shared the tri-nation T20I series trophy in Bangladesh because of a washed-out final. Prior to the title clash, they had lost two in a row, to Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

T20I defeats used to be rare for Afghanistan, back-to-back losses even more, but the only team since 2017 to hand them that fate in a bilateral series are West Indies.

Although the West Indies side that blanked Afghanistan 3-0 in 2017 is vastly different from the squad that is touring India currently, there are a few similarities. The side is rejuvenated under a new captain - Kieron Pollard - and the influx of a new set of cricketers after the latest Caribbean Premier League season gives them an opportunity to blindside Afghanistan since they have seen very little of these players.

What used to be Afghanistan's advantage earlier has now shifted away from them, and if the visitors can negate the spin threat Afghanistan possess, there's no reason why West Indies cannot top Afghanistan in the T20I series too.

Form guide

Afghanistan LLWWW (completed matches, most recent first)

West Indies LLLLL

In the spotlight

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has, for long, been the junior in the trio of spinners Afghanistan have unleashed on their opponents. But as teams focused more and more on not giving wickets to Rashid Khan, they have ended up exposing themselves to Mujeeb's guiles. The teenager was Afghanistan's highest wicket-taker in the ODIs against West Indies, and earlier this year was the most successful spinner at the Shpageeza Premier League as well. In 2019, Mujeeb's gone wicketless only once and takes a wicket every 15.66 runs. Not once has he conceded more than 30 runs in T20Is this year and as a new-ball bowler, the tone Mujeeb sets against a West Indian opening unit - that hasn't seen much of him - may just be the difference between West Indies scoring a middling score and a big one.

Opening batsman Brandon King made a useful 39 in his national debut for West Indies in their win in the third ODI and it won't be surprising if he walks into the T20I team as well after a fantastic CPL 2019. A ninth-round pick during the CPL draft, King smacked 496 runs in 12 innings, at an average of 55.11 and a strike rate of 149.94 as an opener for Guyana Amazon Warriors to break down the door that was stopping him from wearing the West Indies maroon. A right-hand batsman who prefers hitting straight rather than square, the potential for King to make an impact in his first T20I series is massive. He's a traditional stroke player, something missing among most of West Indies' white-ball batsmen these days, and if he can get into his zone swiftly against Afghanistan, King has shown that the longer he stays in the middle, the more dangerous he gets.

Team news

There are plenty of youngsters in both squads, and with the T20 World Cup only 12 months away, expect a few new faces in the XIs.

Afghanistan (possible): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Javed Ahmadi, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Asghar Afghan, 6 Gulbadin Naib, 7 Rashid Khan (capt), 8 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Sayed Shirzad, 11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

West Indies (possible): 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Brandon King, 4 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Khary Pierre, 9 Hayden Walsh Jr, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Sheldon Cottrell

Pitch and conditions

A bug invasion in the third ODI forced players to wear masks, and with the game being played under floodlights in Lucknow again, another attack can't be ruled out. North India is now experiencing the onset of winter, and dew is expected to play a big role as the evening progresses. With both teams expected to field multiple spin bowlers, there could be an effect. The night sky in Lucknow is expected to be hazy, and some reports suggest that the air quality could be hazardous.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies will become the first team to play two T20Is at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium, having played in the ground's inaugural match against India in November 2018.

• Afghanistan's spin bowlers have conceded 7.87 runs per over in 2019, but average more than six wickets per game for the side.

• Less than 12 months ago, Hayden Walsh Jr was playing for USA

Western Australia 191 (Short 51) and 3 for 28 need 324 more runs to beat New South Wales 8 for 444 dec

Pat Cummins produced a display that showed he was in prime shape for the Test season. in the process putting New South Wales on track to make it four Sheffield Shield wins in a row with Western Australia facing a final-day battle to save the game at the SCG with just seven wickets in hand.

Cummins, in his first first-class outing since the Ashes, produced an eye-catching spell of reverse swing during the morning session to take out the WA middle order - which was followed by another super spell from Mitchell Starc before stumps - while Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe combined for five wickets as New South Wales showed tremendous skill on a slow surface.

"The wicket is just so dry and hard, super abrasive, after about 30 overs the ball looked like it was 100 overs old, so it's reversing pretty early," Cummins said. "It's the first time I've bowled with a reversing ball for probably 12 months so was just trying to attack the pegs, get it swinging a bit each way, and fortunately today there were a few nicks and they carried which doesn't always happen when the ball is reversing."

WA slumped from 1 for 116 to 191 all out in their first innings but Peter Nevill opted to extend the lead rather than bowl again. Moises Henriques was promoted to open and biffed an unbroken opening stand of 98 with Daniel Hughes, who helped himself to a half-century.

Armed with the new ball, Cummins then struck early when Josh Philippe was bowled round his legs for the second time in the match - this time by the right-armer from over the wicket, compared to Starc in the first. With three overs left in the day, Starc then pinned Shaun Marsh lbw with a delivery that tailed back, meaning Marsh had been dismissed twice in the day, and then speared one through nightwatchman Matt Kelly as Western Australia stumbled to the close.

After the dramatic collapse of Australia A the previous day in Perth, Marsh had the chance to make things more awkward for the selectors with a big score when play resumed against the possible Test attack, but he chipped limply to mid-on for 43. From there, the innings unraveled. D'Arcy Short had played against his natural instincts to register a 154-ball fifty before falling two overs after Marsh when he missed a very full delivery from O'Keefe.

Cummins then set to work as he found just enough movement to challenge both edges of the bat. Ashton Turner nicked behind, Cameron Green shouldered arms to one which came back to take off stump, and Josh Inglis edged to slip in the final over before lunch.

There was some resistance after the break as Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Agar stayed together for 20 overs, but scoring was mighty difficult. Stoinis appeared to get a rough decision when he was given caught at slip when replays suggested he played over the top of the delivery from Lyon, the offspinner then bowling Kelly for a duck three balls later.

England face a choice between Chris Woakes and Sam Curran for the final place in their XI for the first Test against New Zealand.

With the remainder of England's plans falling into place, it seems the only decision left for the team management to make is who should operate at first change and bat at No. 8 in the Test team.

It was hard to pick between the pair on Wednesday. There was little movement - off the pitch or in the air - for any of England's bowlers on the second day of this game with two young New Zealand batsmen, Finn Allen and Jakob Bhula, taking advantage of a pitch that flattened out in weather much warmer than the previous day.

Not for the first time in recent years, England's attack struggled to gain much movement from a sluggish surface and the Kookaburra ball. And with every indication that the pitch in the first Test may be very similar, England will be looking to Woakes or Curran to provide control with the older ball. Woakes, not entirely encouragingly, later reported that the Kookaburra ball was "softer after 40 overs than a Dukes gets after 80."

There was, though, one reminder of the value of the variation that the left-arm of Curran offers. While the delivery that bowled Bhula did not appear to deviate in the air or off the pitch, the batsman did seem to misread the angle and, as a consequence, played down the wrong line. If Woakes plays, England will field an attack of four right-arm seamers.

Woakes is a bit quicker, however, and hopes his ability to bowl the wobble seam delivery provides an edge that he has lacked on previous overseas tours. He certainly used the skill to decent effect in the English summer and felt that it was the one ball that offered some threat here.

His overseas record is not in his favour. Woakes averages 23.45 with the ball - and, most pertinently, the Dukes ball - in his 19 Tests in England and 61.77 in his 12 Tests away from home when using the Kookaburra or SG ball. Curran averages 20.94 in his seven Tests at home and 105.50 in his four Tests away. Whichever way you look at it, Jimmy Anderson can probably expect, if fit, to return to the side for the Test series in South Africa.

Both Curran and Woakes may benefit from the presence of England's bowling consultant on this tour, Darren Gough. He was one of the few England seamers to have managed to swing - both conventionally and reverse - the Kookaburra and will have told both men his success was derived, in part, from his preparedness to pitch the ball full in search of swing. Yes, it cost him the odd boundary. But it also ensured he continued to threaten.

Curran probably bowled fuller of the pair here and was rewarded with that wicket. But he was also thumped for a six back over his head by the impressive Allen. It may also be that Woakes, who played in four of the Ashes Tests compared to one for Curran, is considered the man in possession. Had Saqib Mahmood been considered fit, Curran would not have played here.

There's little doubt over England's opening pair. While Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer were clearly easing into the tour, they claimed three of the four wickets England managed. Broad, forced to wait until second change here, struck with his third delivery. Continuing the policy which brought him such success in the England summer, he bowled a fuller length and was rewarded when Jack Boyle misread one which took his off stump. Ken McClure was beaten for pace by a full delivery from Archer that struck him on the foot. Archer later picked up the wicket of Leo Carter, too, feathering a catch down the leg side. Neither spinner enjoyed any assistance from the surface, though Jack Leach was the more consistent of the two.

In between times, Allen and Bhula, who not so long ago were representing New Zealand U19, added 117 in 29 overs for the third wicket. Both looked high-class prospects but while was the one able to retire after reaching his century from 129 balls, it was Bhula, who spent six months on the MCC's Young Cricketers scheme, who impressed with the way he dealt with the new ball. Both may have a future at the highest level.

All this suggests that England will have to take whatever chances come their way in the Test series. Here they put down a couple, with Allen dropped before he had scored - Stokes, at second slip, realised an edge off Archer would not carry to first slip and attempted a tough chance diving across Joe Root - before Pope, at backward square-leg, was unable to cling on to a tough chance when Bhula, on 58, pulled a long-hop from Matt Parkinson.

Earlier England extended their innings by 21 overs into the second day in order to provide time at the crease for more of their batsmen. With Root selflessly retiring on his overnight score, Pope and Jos Buttler settled in comfortably. While Pope, a little too expansive during his first stint in the Test team, left with some discipline outside the off stump, he lost patience against the left-arm spin and sliced a catch to cover. Buttler was fortunate to survive a similar error - Sandeep Patel making a fearful hash of the chance - off Theo van Woerkom's first ball of the day.

Stokes had no such issues. He smashed four fours and a slog-swept six in his 20-ball stay, showing no signs of the blow to the hand he sustained the previous day.

But it was a disappointing day for Mahmood. Struck down with a migraine, he was forced to stay in the hotel all day. With little prospect of breaking into the Test team, he may well have missed his only opportunity to play with a red ball on this tour.

There was better news for Joe Denly. Having suffered an ankle injury during the T20I series, he had been a doubt for this part of the tour. But he fielded through most of the day and will return to the team for the next game. If, as expected, he suffers no relapse, he is certain to play in the first Test. Jonny Bairstow, who has remained with the squad as backup, will consequently be sent home.

The England squad have a rest day on Thursday ahead of a three-day, first-class match against a New Zealand XI here from Friday. As things stand, England will probably field their Test XI in that match.

Big picture

Thirty-two Test matches, 26 wins, five draws, one defeat.

That's India's home record since the start of 2013. They have just dismantled South Africa in the most ruthless manner imaginable. They have won every Test so far in their 2019-21 World Test Championship cycle so far, and have 240 points from two series.

All those imposing facts stare Bangladesh in the eye as they begin a two-match series against the world's best Test team. As if the odds for them weren't bad enough, Bangladesh are without two of their most talismanic cricketers, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.

No one is giving Bangladesh a chance to get anything out of this series, but tours like this one can help cricketers discover hidden depths within themselves. They will need to be prepared for long and unforgiving days on the field, and nowhere-to-hide examinations of their batting techniques, but if they embrace the challenge, they will view it as a chance for a group of talented young players to make a name for themselves, and for a couple of older heads to burnish their reputations.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)

Bangladesh LLLWW

In the spotlight

Since his all-conquering 2018-19 tour of Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara has scored 205 runs in five Tests at an average of 25.62. His form shouldn't be a cause for undue worry for India, given that he scored two important half-centuries in the recent series against South Africa, but Pujara won't be satisfied until he's back to scoring hundreds regularly. Worryingly for Bangladesh, he broke a 14-innings century drought the last time he played in Indore.

Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam have thrived on turning tracks in Bangladesh, as their home averages of 21.44 and 27.04 suggest. Away from home, though, both have averages in the 50s. The two spinners can expect a bit of help from Indian pitches, but not a whole lot, and will be up against a line-up that will take full toll of every little error. With Shakib not around, Mehidy and Taijul will need to be at their absolute best if Bangladesh are to have any hope of achieving a semblance of control over India.

Team news

Given the tinge of green on the pitch, Virat Kohli has said India are likely to play three fast bowlers. This means they will most likely retain the five-bowler combination they played in their last two Tests against South Africa.

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 9 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Mohammed Shami

At the top of the order, Bangladesh have a choice to make between the uncapped Saif Hassan and the experienced Imrul Kayes. Another decision involves the seam attack, and who partners the steady Abu Jayed - Mustafizur Rahman or Ebadot Hossain. Middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain is unavailable; he has left for Dhaka to attend to a family emergency.

Bangladesh (possible): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Saif Hassan/Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque (capt), 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mohammad Mithun, 7 Liton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Abu Jayed, 11 Ebadat Hossain/Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

The pitch in Indore is usually a good one to bat on, with a bit of bounce to encourage stroke-making. There was a fair amount of grass on the surface on the eve of the match, so some early help for the fast bowlers can be expected. The weather should be warm but pleasant, with clear skies and afternoon temperatures in the high 20s (Celsius).

Stats and trivia

• The Holkar Stadium has only hosted one Test match so far, during New Zealand's tour of India in 2016. India won by 321 runs to seal a 3-0 whitewash, with big hundreds from Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane setting up a big first-innings total and R Ashwin picking up career-best match figures of 13 for 140 to bag the Player of the Match award.

• Bangladesh could hand a debut to Saif, the 21-year-old opening batsman. Saif has an excellent first-class record, with 2245 runs from 37 matches at an average of 45.81. Last month, he made 220* - his highest score - for Dhaka Division against Rangpur Division in the National Cricket League.

• Rahane needs 25 runs to reach the 4000 mark in Test cricket.

• Wriddhiman Saha has 97 dismissals (86 catches, 11 stumpings) in Test cricket. MS Dhoni (294), Syed Kirmani (198), Kiran More (130) and Nayan Mongia (107) are the only four India keepers with 100 or more dismissals.

Quotes

"They are used to playing in similar conditions so we definitely think that they will know their game plan and what they need to do. We'll have to play well to get a result, like we have in the past. We'll not take anyone lightly from Bangladesh. When they play well they can be a very skillful team and they have the ability to play some really good cricket. We'll have respect for them but more than that we'll have belief in our own team."
India captain Virat Kohli

Alabama is sitting at No. 5 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, and even though that appears oh-so-close to the top four, the very real possibility exists that the Crimson Tide could end the season where they sit right now.

On the outside looking in.

After the Tide lost at home to LSU on Saturday, all the quibbling started about how the selection committee would balance a tough loss that came down to the wire with Alabama's less-than-stellar schedule. Would the committee keep the Tide in the top four as one of the unequivocal best teams in the country or would it drop them out because a loss combined with no top-25 wins made it impossible to justify the ranking?

In the end, the committee went with Georgia at No. 4, one slot ahead of Alabama. Though Georgia has a loss that is far worse (to a South Carolina team that just lost to Appalachian State), the Bulldogs also have two wins over top-16 teams, and those wins were enough to overcome such a bad loss in the eyes of the committee.

Though nothing is out of the realm of the possibility, the message for the night is this: If Alabama is not playoff-worthy now, how will it be able to spiff up its résumé with only one top-25 game left on its schedule and, at least right now, no shot at playing in the SEC championship game?

For those Tide fans wanting any sliver of hope, there is this: Alabama is outside the top four for the first time since Nov. 28, 2017, when it also was No. 5. Alabama won the national championship that season. That is the same season Alabama made it in after not being a conference champion.

Alabama also plays in the SEC, the only conference in position to get two teams in the playoff right now. The committee continues to buy into the SEC hype, what with three teams in the top five for the third time since the CFP formed. The SEC, by the way, is the only conference to ever do this once, let alone three times. The Allstate Playoff Predictor gives Alabama a 40.5% to make it right now, the fourth-best chance.

So no, we cannot officially count out Alabama. But it is safe to say the Crimson Tide are going to need chaos if they are to climb back into the top four, not only for all the reasons listed earlier, but because the SEC once again is completely stacked in the eyes of the committee.

If one-loss Georgia wins the SEC championship over undefeated LSU, it is reasonable to expect LSU to be in the conversation for the final spot -- ahead of champions from the Pac-12 and Big 12. Neither of those conferences has an undefeated team in the mix, leaving the door open for a one-loss SEC team to nudge them out.

If Georgia loses at Auburn this weekend but beats undefeated LSU in the SEC championship game, then the question becomes trickier. Does a two-loss SEC champion automatically go? Would one-loss LSU be in better position than Georgia after having lost the SEC championship game? And would that potentially open the door for Alabama to slide back in?

Indeed, No. 12 Auburn could very well be the one team to sow the most chaos that could most directly benefit its nemesis, a thought that is sure to send shivers down any Alabama fan's spine. Of course, Alabama has to win out for any of this to remain a possibility.

Let's also remember that these rankings are a snapshot in time, and though the committee felt one-loss Georgia and one-loss Alabama should be ahead of one-loss Oregon (which already lost to Auburn, by the way), it is not necessarily an absolute indicator for the Pac-12 moving forward. Nor is it an absolute indicator that undefeated Baylor is sitting at No. 13 -- or undefeated Minnesota at No. 8, for that matter. Though Alabama does not have a great strength of schedule, the committee clearly does not hold the Baylor or Minnesota schedules in high regard, either. But if those two teams finish out as undefeated conference champions, how would the committee judge them if one-loss Alabama is sitting in the mix?

The same goes for a one-loss Pac-12 champion. Would that team, say Utah or Oregon, move ahead of a one-loss Alabama team by virtue of a conference championship victory?

Alabama has never missed the College Football Playoff. And though this team was among the biggest favorites to make it back into the top four and face a potential rematch with Clemson, those prospects must rely on a lot of help from others.

Maybe help that's impossible to get.

There are still two SEC teams in the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings -- but Alabama isn't one of them.

No. 5 Alabama is officially on the outside looking in after its loss to new No. 1 LSU, and SEC East favorite Georgia has been promoted to No. 4 as the selection committee's highest-ranked one-loss team in rankings released Tuesday night.

No. 2 Ohio State was followed by No. 3 Clemson, which entered the top four for the first time after sitting on the bubble last week. But No. 8 Minnesota made the biggest leap. The Golden Gophers made an unprecedented nine-spot jump from No. 17 after beating then-No. 4 Penn State on Saturday. The Nittany Lions fell to No. 9 but are still ahead of No. 10 Oklahoma.

Undefeated Baylor, which needed triple overtime to beat TCU, dropped one spot to No. 13. At No. 17, Cincinnati remains the highest-ranked Group of 5 team in an otherwise crowded race for a spot in a New Year's Six Bowl.

Here's what the bracket would look like if the playoff were today:

No. 1 LSU would face No. 4 Georgia in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The selection committee makes sure the No. 1 seed is not at a geographic disadvantage, and it would consider Atlanta to be a more favorable location for the Bulldogs.

That's why No. 2 Ohio State would face No. 3 Clemson in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Because the Big Ten champion is in a semifinal, the league's next-highest-ranked team, No. 8 Minnesota, would go to the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual, where it would face No. 6 Oregon because the Rose Bowl is also guaranteed the Pac-12 champion if it's not in a semifinal.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl, which is guaranteed an SEC team against a Big 12 team, would take No. 5 Alabama against No. 10 Oklahoma, as they are both the highest-ranked teams available from each conference. The Capital One Orange Bowl is guaranteed the ACC champion, but since No. 3 Clemson is in a semifinal, it would take the next-highest-ranked ACC team. In this week's ranking, there aren't any other ACC teams, but Wake Forest and Virginia are the only two seven-win teams, so the Demon Deacons probably would go because Virginia has three losses.

Assuming this week it's Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons would face a team from the SEC, Big Ten or Notre Dame. In this case, it's No. 9 Penn State, as it's the highest-ranked team available.

The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic would feature No. 7 Utah against No. 17 Cincinnati, which is guaranteed a spot as the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion.

(All games can be seen on ESPN and the ESPN App)

Saturday, Dec. 28
Noon ET: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 7 Utah vs. No. 17 Cincinnati (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas)

4 or 8 p.m. ET: College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)

4 or 8 p.m. ET: College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Georgia (State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona)

Monday, Dec. 30
8 p.m. ET: Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 9 Penn State vs. Wake Forest (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida)

Wednesday, Jan. 1
5 p.m. ET: Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 8 Minnesota (Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California)

8:45 p.m. ET: Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 10 Oklahoma (Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans)

PHOENIX -- Anthony Davis had a wrap on his right shoulder before the game and tape around his ribs by the end of it, but neither setback stopped him from putting up 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-115 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

"He wants to play," said LeBron James when asked about Davis after L.A. pushed its record to 8-2 to start the season. "He wants to play, and we just have to pick it up.

"For him, when he's showing that grit when he's playing with injuries, there's no reason for any of us not to be out there, as well. He's been showing everything."

Davis, who has been playing through right shoulder soreness, took a shot to the ribs in the first quarter, eventually retreating to the locker room between the third and fourth quarters to get taped up.

The Lakers said X-rays on his ribs came back negative and that he'll be reevaluated Wednesday.

"Umm, thank you, LeBron," Davis said when informed of James' postgame remarks. "I just want to play. Like I said, it's tough for me to lead from the sideline.

"The more I can do on the floor to help this team win, that's what I try to do. I know what our goal is, I know what we're trying to build. So the more I can try to stay on the floor, the more steps we move toward our goal."

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Davis was "playing through a lot of pain," crediting him for checking back into the game with 8:41 remaining in the fourth quarter and closing things out.

While James praised Davis' toughness to the media, James did prod at the Lakers' big man later in the locker room, pointing out how he and Rajon Rondo -- who both played high school football -- would have shook off a hit to the ribs and stayed in the game. James asked Davis if he would need pads for the next contest as the young superstar playfully shook his head during the chiding.

L.A. plays the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday at home against the Golden State Warriors.

Davis would not confirm whether he would suit up.

"We'll see how the shoulder injury and the ribs feel tomorrow when I get up," Davis said. "And we'll go from there."

Lakers center Dwight Howard, who continued his strong start to the campaign with 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting and nine rebounds off the bench, kept the big picture in mind for Davis.

"I don't think he has to focus on pounding and grinding as much right now," Howard said. "Let us do all the dirty work, keep his body healthy and stuff like that, and come playoff time, it's go time. So we want to make sure to keep him fresh."

Should Davis be held out against the Warriors, L.A. could be in better position than, say, a week ago, to manage his absence, as Kyle Kuzma showed signs of rounding back to form in Phoenix.

Kuzma scored eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter -- including consecutive 3-pointers inside of three minutes to boost the Lakers' lead from one to seven -- in his most complete effort since returning from a left ankle injury that caused him to miss the first four games of the season.

Vogel said prior to Tuesday's game that the plan would be to play James in both games of the back-to-back. James told ESPN last week that he planned to play all season so long as he was healthy, rejecting the premise of load management in his 17th season.

Rondo, who made his season debut against the Suns and chipped in five points, seven assists and six rebounds in 14 minutes, has not yet been medically cleared to participate in back-to-backs, so he will be forced to sit against Golden State.

"If [Kuzma] can bounce back and have another great night tomorrow night, that would be huge," Vogel said. "I don't know what the status of those guys is going to be, but obviously if this was [Kuzma's] first or second game back, we'd have a lot more to be concerned about."