College Football Playoff 2014: Rankings Projections Ahead of Tuesday's Release
The inaugural College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday. In studying the Associated Press and USA Today polls, accurate inferences can be drawn about what the initial standings will look like.
Mississippi State is the consensus No. 1 team in the land in both major rankings, so it stands to reason that the Bulldogs will be at the top of the heap. Here is a look at the rest of the projected standings, which will be determined by the selection committee:
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
The combination of a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback in Dak Prescott and a stout defense give Mississippi State the edge, as does the fact that the Bulldogs don't yet have a blemish on their record.
ESPN College Football highlighted how high of a level Prescott has been playing at all year:
Arguments could be made for other SEC teams such as Iron Bowl adversaries Alabama and Auburn to take up the second slot in the rankings, but Florida State deserves the benefit of the doubt.
With a number of gritty victories to keep their record at a perfect 7-0, the Seminoles are still in the hunt to repeat as national champions. The all-important QB position is a big reason for that, with sophomore Jameis Winston leading FSU to wins time and again.
Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher praised Winston's ability to get the job done, most recently seen in a huge 31-27 victory at home over Notre Dame.
| 1 | Mississippi State |
| 2 | Florida State |
| 3 | Alabama |
| 4 | Auburn |
| 5 | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Oregon |
| 7 | Ole Miss |
| 8 | TCU |
| 9 | Georgia |
| 10 | Michigan State |
| 11 | Baylor |
| 12 | Kansas State |
| 13 | LSU |
| 14 | Nebraska |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | Arizona State |
| 17 | Ohio State |
| 18 | West Virginia |
| 19 | Clemson |
| 20 | Oklahoma |
| 21 | Marshall |
| 22 | East Carolina |
| 23 | Duke |
| 24 | UCLA |
| 25 | Missouri |
"He's a competitor," said Fisher, per the Orlando Sentinel's Brendan Sonnone. "He can compartmentalize and focus. And he can see. He has a drive to win. Drive for greatness. Not because of him, but for his team. He really does."
Alabama has bounced back admirably after a prior loss on the road to Ole Miss.
The Crimson Tide are always a threat with Nick Saban at the helm, and their clash with Auburn in the regular-season finale should have plenty of postseason implications if the two marquee programs remain near the top of the college football hierarchy.
Ole Miss couldn't quite get past LSU, as Tigers freshman phenom Leonard Fournette came into his own.
NFL Network's Albert Breer weighed in on Fournette:
The Tigers' vaunted defense under coordinator John Chavis stymied the Rebels in Baton Rouge, leading to an upset 10-7 victory for the hosts Saturday.
With how many one-loss teams there are, how many close calls Florida State has had and Mississippi State still needing to navigate the remainder of an SEC schedule, anything can happen. A number of dark-horse teams, such as Nebraska, Arizona and others, still have a real chance at a high-profile bowl.
The kickoff to the College Football Playoff rankings should stir a fair share of debate and controversy. However, the postseason picture will experience drastic changes in the weeks to come.
It will be fascinating to see if Mississippi State's explosion onto the scene can sustain, and whether the Seminoles can retain their elite status as the reigning title bearers.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
