College Football Rankings 2014: Latest Standings and Predictions for Week 15
The Associated Press has finally seen the light. On Sunday morning, the Alabama Crimson Tide took over the top spot from the defending champion Florida State Seminoles in the latest AP poll. Behind 224 receiving yards from Amari Cooper, the Tide knocked off the rival No. 20 Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl 55-44 on Saturday.
The win was enough to push Bama past the Noles, who narrowly beat the unranked Florida Gators 24-19. It should also be enough to keep Bama No. 1 in the College Football Playoff standings.
Here's a look at the latest AP Top 25 poll.
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Mississippi State Is No Longer a Championship Contender
The Mississippi State Bulldogs saw their hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff dashed with a 31-17 loss to in-state rival Ole Miss on Saturday. That has opened the door for a small group of teams to seize the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The AP has thrust the TCU Horned Frogs into the fourth spot in its rankings. The Baylor Bears are fifth and the Ohio State Buckeyes are sixth. When the final CFP rankings are announced, TCU, Baylor and Ohio State will be under consideration for a spot.
About that Fourth Spot
Baylor beat TCU 61-58 in a game most believe the Horned Frogs deserved to win. Proof that many see TCU as the superior team is its higher ranking in the latest CFP rankings. Going into Saturday's games, TCU was ranked fifth while Baylor was sixth.
If the Bears can defeat the No. 12 Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, it might be enough to convince voters that they should be ahead of their Big 12 rivals.
TCU draws the Iowa State Cyclones in the regular-season finale. Obviously, a loss would push the Horned Frogs out of consideration. Because the Cyclones are unranked, a win may not be enough to hold off Baylor should the Bears beat the Wildcats.
The Buckeyes will obviously have something to say about all of this.
Ohio State will face the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship. If the Bucks win and both Big 12 teams fall, it should be pretty academic, assuming Alabama, the Oregon Ducks and Florida State Seminoles avoid upsets in their conference championships.
If Ohio State is to win, it will have to do it without quarterback J.T. Barrett. The freshman suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the regular-season finale against the Michigan Wolverines.
Sophomore Cardale Jones will get the start in his place.
Things will get especially interesting if Ohio State, Baylor and TCU win. Which of the three one-loss teams will get the fourth spot in the inaugural CFP?
It's going to be an interesting Week 15.
Prediction: Baylor Gets the Nod
Whether TCU looks like the better team or not, the fact is it lost to Baylor head-to-head. Because both teams each have one loss, the Bears should be ranked ahead. That's not the case now, but I believe it will be once the final CFP standings are announced.
It would be a major shock if TCU fell to Iowa State. The Cyclones are 2-9, and their defense is ranked 115th in the nation. It would take a miracle for them to win on the road against TCU.
Ohio State is heading into a tough matchup against the Badgers. This battle would be difficult even if the Buckeyes had Barrett. Without him, the Badgers are my pick to win. The nation's leading rusher, Melvin Gordon, and the Badgers' dominant offensive line will control time of possession to claim the Big Ten title.
That leaves Baylor.
The Bears should feel disrespected, and they should be on a mission to stick it to everyone who ranks the Horned Frogs ahead of them. Playing at home against a tough Kansas State defense that is ranked 17th in points allowed per game, the Bears will prevail.
Last season, Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty torched the Wildcats for 332 yards and three touchdowns. I see him leading the Bears to another win over Kansas State.
With a more impressive victory on the final day of the season, Baylor will earn the nod for the fourth spot in the CFP.
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