College Football Rundown

The State of Mississippi Owns the Latest AP Polls

The world of college football is in a state of upheaval after Mississippi State dethroned the previously number one Florida State Seminoles for the top spot in the latest Associated Press rankings. The Bulldogs held off a late comeback run from Auburn to earn the respect of pollsters.

Not to be outdone by their in-state counterpart, the University of Mississippi Rebels pulled off a huge upset win over perennial powerhouse Alabama. Florida State tacked on another win, but it was not enough to impress voters. The Seminoles defeated an unranked Syracuse team 38-20. The win is not the first time the reigning champs have given up a load of points to a lesser opponent, and Florida State’s track record is beginning to leave a sour taste in the mouths of many pundits.

Baylor moved into the number four slot following a shootout win against Texas Christian University (TCU), who dropped from ninth on the polls to 12. Notre Dame rounds out the list of top-ranked unbeaten teams as they sit in fifth place during week seven.

The marquise matchup for week seven will undoubtedly take place when the Seminoles host the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is led by veteran quarterback Everett Golson, who took the Irish all the way to the national championship in 2012 only to be demolished by a stacked Crimson Tide in what turned out to be one of the most one-sided title games in history.

The two undefeated teams compliment one another in terms of style and reputation. Seminole quarterback Jameis Winston leads an offensive squad that is well known for putting up big numbers on the scoreboard while their defense has displayed a questionable performance so far this season.

The Fighting Irish have not faced many tough opponents besides Stanford, who was booted out of the top ten after a loss to Notre Dame sent them sliding down the rankings.

With five unbeaten playoff contenders, the odds of having a one or even a two-loss national champion are not impossible. There are a few teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with one loss on their record that brings enough to the table to pull of a title run. Georgia is poised to take the SEC East crown and a win against the SEC West champion would be a certain ticket to the four-team playoff.

Whether or not The Mississippi State Rebels remain on top will depend on the outcome of their bout against the remaining teams on their schedule. That slate includes Alabama and third ranked Ole Miss.

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