They come out with their first rankings in November.

Until then, the AP and Coaches polls are fun to see, but there is no actual value to them. They don’t figure into the rankings that matter.

Win CCG or be good enough for a top 10 seed or so to guarantee a spot in the playoffs.

Hopefully win the conference and, if one of the top four conference champions, be guaranteed a top four seed and a first round buy.

I’ve not read anything that suggests either of the polls have a definitive impact on how the Selection Committee decides to rank the top 25.
https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2024-08-29/how-12-team-college-football-playoff-will-work-teams-schedule-bids?amp