College Football Playoff Rankings 2014: Predictions for Week 14
For seemingly the first time since the College Football Playoff rankings were unveiled, the committee might not have a reason to change its Top Four from one week to the next.
That obviously remains to be seen until the Week 14 rankings are released Tuesday night, but all of the four teams—Alabama, Florida State, Oregon and Mississippi State—took care of business in Week 13. If the committee shakes things up, it means it was wooed by an outside challenger enough to supplant one of the top teams.
Will that happen? It's hard to say, but other than Florida State—who beat Boston College on a last-second field goal—each of the Top Four squads won in convincing fashion.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Take a look at the Week 13 playoff rankings, then glance lower for updated predictions as to how the Top Four should look in Week 14.
Week 14 CFP Predictions
1. Alabama
Alabama is far from a consensus No. 1, as told by their No. 2 Associated Press ranking. But unless the Crimson Tide fall to Auburn or in the SEC title game, they'll be strolling into the CFP with the top seed.
They took care of Western Carolina 48-14 Saturday to move to 10-1, although a slow start had ESPN's David Hale wondering if they were as in control of games as they have recently let on:
Alabama has rolled at home this season, and it's likely to do the same in next weekend's Iron Bowl against Auburn—who struggled with Samford Saturday.
Once dogged for failing to notch a quality win, the Crimson Tide have put that critique to bed with an overtime victory at LSU and a five-point win over the nation's top team. Few can doubt anymore that Alabama is as complete a team as there is in college football, just based off their formidability on all three phases—offense, defense and special teams.
This isn't the unstoppable force that Alabama was a few years ago, but they're undoubtedly better than anyone else in this wide-open 2014 season.
2. Oregon
It's technically not a tuneup for a rivalry game if you're facing a conference foe, but don't tell that to Oregon. The second-ranked Ducks throttled Colorado at home for Senior Day, 44-10.
Pac-12 Networks capped the result:
A convincing win over Utah two weeks prior was enough to bump Oregon up from third to second—jumping Florida State—in the CFP rankings. The Ducks don't look like they've missed a beat since then, as Marcus Mariota added to his Heisman Trophy campaign with four touchdowns against Colorado Saturday.
The CFP committee made a statement with their moving Oregon to No. 2 last week—if the Ducks win out against Oregon State and in the Pac-12 title game, they're comfortably in. Now, it's just up to Oregon—and those two prospective teams—to decide its fate.
3. Florida State
Before too long, Florida State is going to trademark this type of winning.
Revered for blowing virtually everyone out last season, the Seminoles have made their name this year by coming as close as possible to losing. It was never on better display than Saturday at home, facing an overmatched Boston College team that they only beat 20-17 on a last-second field goal.
Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports capped up the thoughts of pretty much anyone who has closely followed Florida State in 2014:
"Florida State is the most predictable zombie.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 22, 2014"
Honestly, Florida State's dramatic victory was the only impactful moment among the Top Four Saturday. Alabama, Oregon and Mississippi State all crushed their competition in similarly convincing fashion, but the Seminoles' close win gives the committee something to dissect. And not in a good way.
The dreaded game-control factor will hang over Florida State more than ever following another apathetic victory, and it's hard to argue that it shouldn't at this point. Even with losses, Alabama and Oregon—and maybe even Mississippi State—have shown more formidability than the reigning champs week in and week out.
They don't face murderer's row down the stretch with games against Florida and Georgia Tech, but the 'Noles will have to prove twice more that they can truly win ugly.
4. Mississippi State
It's going to take perfection down the stretch (and maybe some style points) for Mississippi State to make the CFP after its loss at Alabama last week.
But it took a big first step in that direction Saturday, toppling Vanderbilt 51-0 at home to send the seniors out with a win. Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth.
A wealth of possibilities are open for Mississippi State, even though there's only one game left—the Egg Bowl at Ole Miss. Alabama losing against Auburn would put the Bulldogs in the SEC title game, but a Bulldogs win against their biggest rivals would be a big statement to close out the year either way.
Enough to keep Mississippi State at No. 4? That remains to be seen. TCU, Baylor and Ohio State all would make for a convincing case to jump them if one wins its conference title.
But the Bulldogs' big wins earlier in the season and a close loss to Alabama may be enough to get Dan Mullen's crew in regardless.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
