Can Houston crash the College Football Playoff party?

— -- HOUSTON -- There is no bigger question mark in the College Football Playoff entering 2016 than the one printed on the back of the T-shirts the Houston Cougars wore all spring.

"Last year was special," said quarterback Greg Ward Jr., "but who are we going to be this year? Who do we want to be?"

Here's who Houston can be -- the first team from a Group of 5 conference (Sun Belt, Mid-American, American, Mountain West or Conference USA) to crack the selection committee's top four and earn a spot in a CFP semifinal game. Houston can be the team that proves the playoff is open to more than just the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, SEC and Pac-12 conference champions. It can be the team that derails top-10 contender Oklahoma in the season opener.

Or it can be eliminated from the playoff in Week 1.