NCAA Football Playoff 2014: Latest Predictions After Week 8 Standings

Another week of college football is in the books, and another big shift among the nation's Top Four teams looms large. The College Football Playoff picture continues to get murkier, as many one-loss teams are now fully in the mix following Saturday's action.

The No. 4 Baylor Bears were upset by the West Virginia Mountaineers, generating the first surprise among the top of the country's pecking order. Later, a very close game between the No. 2 Florida State Seminoles and No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish resulted in a win for the second-ranked team.

Adding to the interesting twists and turns, No. 6 Auburn was inactive in Week 8; however, No. 7 Alabama routed No. 21 Texas A&M 59-0. With losses by both Baylor and Notre Dame, determining which of those teams truly deserves the new No. 4 spot is difficult.

That said, no matter which teams reside in the Top Four heading into Week 9, those same squads may not be in the mix when the season reaches its conclusion. Based on current trends and remaining schedules, let's predict the four representatives to the first-ever College Football Playoff.

1. Mississippi State

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Now more than ever, Mississippi State looks like the nation's true No. 1 team. The Bulldogs may have been inactive on Saturday, but after watching the performances of Florida State and Ole Miss, Mississippi State appears far superior.

Thanks to three straight wins against ranked opponents, Mississippi State moved up the standings faster than any previous team, according to College Football 24/7:

This is due to a well-rounded team featuring dual-threat quarterback Dak Prescott, bruising running back Josh Robinson and formidable receiver De'Runnya Wilson, who together help this team average 41.8 points per game. Not only is this team full of offensive playmakers, but it is solid on the defensive side of the ball as well, allowing an average of just 20 points per game.

Considering the high grade of opponents the Bulldogs have faced, those are some impressive numbers.

This team remains as one of the few unbeaten squads in college football, and with just two ranked opponents—Alabama and Ole Miss—remaining on its schedule, Mississippi State has a great opportunity to finish the year with an unblemished record.

2. Florida State

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The Seminoles successfully knocked off Notre Dame on Saturday, and while the Irish nearly took the victory, Jameis Winston and Co. will remain as the nation's second-ranked team for at least another week.

This team isn't quite as dominant as its 2013 version—the lack of a running game and a porous defense are evident weaknesses. However, without any ranked opponents remaining on the Seminoles' schedule, it would take quite an upset to knock this team out of the Top Four.

It doesn't appear likely this record will receive a blemish any time soon, via SportsCenter:

As long a Winston is under center and Rashad Greene is catching passes, Florida State will continue to defeat inferior competition throughout the remainder of the season. This team is bound for the College Football Playoff.

3. Michigan State

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Watch out—Sparty is back. This selection may come with some disdain from Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama fans, but the fact of the matter is this: Michigan State will win out, and those teams will not. It's really that simple.

Michigan State's toughest opponent remaining is Ohio State. While Urban Meyer's team is improving, the Spartan defense is too tough, and surging quarterback Connor Cook leads a potent offensive attack. After all, it's hard to bet against an offense that can do this, via ESPN:

Meanwhile, Ole Miss wasn't impressive on Saturday and may not beat Auburn and Mississippi State. Auburn must face Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama. The Crimson Tide still have yet to play Mississippi State and Auburn. It's a case of good SEC teams knocking one another out of contention.

The Spartans are already set to jump up in the rankings following Week 8, and they will continue to climb into the Top Four before the season is over.

4. Notre Dame

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The Fighting Irish may fall down the rankings following their last-second loss to the Seminoles, but it's only a matter of time before they climb right back into the Top Four and earn a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame's biggest opposition for this spot will be the Oregon Ducks. Like the Irish, the Ducks are also a one-loss team; however, that loss came to Arizona, which won't sit with voters quite as well as Notre Dame's loss at the hands of the nation's No. 2 team.

On Saturday, the Fighting Irish proved they can hang with the best in the nation—their previous winning streak was no fluke. Despite losing, it was already wildly apparent they wouldn't be counted out of playoff contention. The Playoff Guru tweeted his thoughts even before the game took place:

With just two ranked opponents remaining on Notre Dame's schedule—Arizona State and USC—the team has a great shot at winning out. If that's the case, expect to see the Fighting Irish squeeze into the Top Four as the second one-loss team.