College Football Rankings 2014: Final NCAA Overview of Week 12 Standings

We're on the heels of possibly the most turbulent week of college football that's taken place so far this year. Week 11 caused dynamic shifts throughout the nation's rankings, sending some teams rocketing up the standings and others plummeting out of contention.

If you thought Week 12 would be any different, think again.

One impending game has the ability to completely change the College Football Playoff picture as we know it. This contest has more postseason implications than possibly any other we've seen this year. Get ready for Mississippi State versus Alabama.

Before we discuss the immense changes that could come to fruition in the wake of this monumental game, let's take a quick glance at the final overview of the nation's standings heading into Week 12.

College Football Playoff committee rankings can be viewed at CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.

Complete CFB standings can be viewed at ESPN.com.

Week 12 Storylines to Watch

Fallout from Mississippi State vs. Alabama

The ripple effect this game has a chance to leave on college football is simply astronomical. Not only does this contest affect both the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide, but it affects any other team in contention of reaching the College Football Playoff.

Sure, plenty of other factors will end up determining the nation's hierarchy following Week 12, but there are two intriguing scenarios that could emerge from the final result of this game.

In the first scenario, Mississippi State defeats Alabama. The size of the margin of victory doesn't matter much because the sheer difficulty of the road win will keep the Bulldogs securely in the No. 1 position. Oregon has a bye week, and should Florida State and TCU defeat their unranked opponents handily, there shouldn't be any changes in the Top Four.

In the second scenario, Alabama defeats Mississippi State. This is the conclusion that would send the college football rankings into a state of shock. With the undefeated No. 1 team going down, the new Top Four would be significantly altered. According to College GameDay, it's a likely probability:

Despite having the week off, Oregon could easily wind up as the new top team. However, Florida State would improve to 10-0, and Alabama could be considered the best one-loss team due to strength of schedule. Both squads would surely be under consideration for the nation's top spot.

What about TCU? The Horned Frogs have been playing extremely solid football this season. Would Alabama's win be enough to leapfrog this team even if TCU defeats Kansas by a handful of touchdowns?

One thing is for certain: If Alabama wins, it won't be a fun week to be a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

The Playoff Dark Horse

We have a good idea of what teams will comprise the Top Four as a result of the game between Alabama and Mississippi State. But which team is a dark-horse candidate to squeeze into the College Football Playoff in the near future?

Keep an eye on Arizona State in Week 12. The Sun Devils face off against Oregon State.

A huge victory over Notre Dame in Week 11 quickly saw Arizona State leap up the standings to No. 6 overall. SportsCenter tweeted the contest's final score:

This team is clearly in the favor of the selection committee right now, and a few more big wins could propel the Sun Devils into the playoffs.

It hasn't been an easy road for Arizona State this year. It has already faced five ranked opponents, earning a record of 4-1 in those games. Oregon State is riding a four-game losing skid; however, it has been rather unpredictable against better teams this season, taking Utah to two overtimes in October.

Should Arizona State earn a decisive road victory in Week 12, it will be on the cusp of the playoffs. After all, the loser of Alabama and Mississippi State is likely to fall below the Sun Devils in the standings, moving Arizona State up to No. 5 overall—just one spot away.

Sure, the Sun Devils will need a bit of help to move into the Top Four, but aside from Florida State, each team ranked above them still has yet to face another ranked opponent before the regular season comes to a close.

Don't look now, but Arizona State could be playoff bound.