Trevor Lawrence was the focus, even when he wasn’t on the field. As Clemson and Notre Dame played a double-overtime thriller, the camera kept checking back to the country’s best player, sporting an N95 mask following a positive COVID-19 test.

For just the second time in Lawrence’s three years in college, Clemson left with a loss. So, understandably, the focus turns to the future Jets savior for the rematch with the Irish in the ACC Championship.

But Ian Book’s performance will matter even more.

Lawrence can’t do much better than his backup did against Notre Dame — freshman D.J. Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards with three total touchdowns. Book was the difference, though. Less than two years earlier, he was overmatched in the blowout playoff loss to Clemson. Last season, Book was dreadful in Notre Dame’s two biggest games of the year.

But last month, Book showcased his growth — leading the last-minute game-tying drive, while finishing with 310 yards passing and a touchdown, adding 67 yards on the ground. Leading his second undefeated regular season in three years, Book is Notre Dame’s all-time winningest quarterback.

“I hate to compare him to Joe Montana, but he has a little bit of magic to him and he is a great player,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said this week. “He’s the heart and soul. He makes them go.”

Clemson will triumph and clinch a sixth straight playoff berth, but Book won’t let Notre Dame (+10.5) go down quietly, especially with an unprecedented rubber match against the Tigers potentially looming in a couple of weeks.

Even in a season Ohio State expected to start in the spring, the Buckeyes will be back in the playoff. This roster isn’t the best incarnation of the three-time reigning Big Ten champs, but the Buckeyes’ suspect secondary can’t be taken advantage of by a quarterback who hasn’t topped 212 passing yards all season. And as great as Northwestern’s defense has been this year, Pat Fitzgerald hasn’t yet faced a top-50 offense.

As so many uninspiring Aggies performances had hinted at, Florida’s loss to LSU confirmed Texas A&M has no business being the fifth-ranked team in the country. Still, part of me wants to see the Aggies get into the playoff, just so the committee has to watch another Alabama-A&M blowout and realize how irresponsible it was for passing over smaller, more deserving programs.

Lincoln Riley is always ready for a rematch. Oklahoma, which has won six straight games since losing at Iowa State, has won three straight Big 12 title games, including avenging a 2018 regular-season loss to Texas.

Two of the nation’s best ground games and run defenses travel back in time to play a game unlikely to feature more than five passes. Take the points. Each one is incredibly valuable in a low-scoring matchup of evenly matched teams.

Each of the Tigers’ previous three wins this season have been followed by a loss. A letdown is inevitable after the win over Florida, while the Rebels have won three straight games and are looking to secure their first bowl game berth in five years.

The weight of the Chanticleers’ undefeated season was evident in the near-upset to Troy. It only gets heavier. After ending an eight-game losing streak to Appalachian State and avenging back-to-back Sun Belt title game losses, the Cajuns will finally break through, erasing the pain of the last-second loss to Coastal Carolina on Oct. 14.

At 6-0 for the first time since 1939, the Spartans have been one of the sport’s best stories, having been forced to relocate home games to Las Vegas. The winner of this Mountain West title game will head to the Arizona Bowl, just as the players dreamed of growing up.

Here is a recent musing from Mike Leach about this season: “In the end, together with all the commotion and clutter, we’ve created one of the most joyless seasons on earth. Hopefully, we have the presence of mind to not repeat it this way again. Other than that, it’s been great.” The same can be said about his first season in Starkville.

Florida will be lucky to hold Mac Jones and friends under 60 points. Still, I expect Kyle Trask to keep his Heisman hopes alive, leading the nation’s top-ranked passing attack against a beatable Alabama secondary — which surrendered 365 passing yards and 48 points in its only game (Ole Miss) against a high-powered offense this season.

Outside Alabama, the Bearcats have been the most consistent team in the country this season. Cincy will complete its perfect regular season, but a four-week layoff puts the team in a tough spot against a defense allowing less than 20 points per game.

Best bets: Oregon, Ole Miss, Tulsa

This season (best bets): 107-93-2 (21-20-1)

2014-19 record: 772-756-13