Shakeup in CFP Rankings

Mississippi State held on to the #1 position in the CFP rankings for the NCAA college football playoffs this week.

Oregon jumped FSU for the second position and TCU Horned Frogged, I mean leap frogged Alabama for #4 in the rankings. I feel Mississippi State should have been punished more for scheduling UT-Martin this late in the season but facing Alabama may be their comeupance later this month. But I also feel FSU has played poorly against opponents they should have beaten handily and should not be in the top 4.

Oregon has dominated the Pac 12 this year and will face an Arizona team in the Championship game that will either solidify their position or remove them from contention. Florida State, with a close win over Notre Dame and a lackluster performance over Louisville, doesn't deserve a top four ranking but is one of two teams that remain undefeated this year. Alabama should be in the top 4 with FSU about 5 or 6.

TCU must win out to remain in the 4th spot. Alabama, with games against Auburn and Mississippi State and the SEC championship game could well be a top 4 team while Mississippi State could drop out of the top four.

Read the ESPN article here and let me know what you think.

Football Rankings Change After Saturday's Game

The football rankings have changed pretty dramatically following this week's games. Mississippi State took on UT-Martin in a gimme game and Florida State had no trouble in their game against Virginia as they beat the Cavaliers 34-20. FSU's biggest test may come against a resurgent Florida team on the 29th of Nvember.

Auburn dropped to 9th after their loss to Texas A&M. TCU climbed to #6 with their win over Kansas State, Arizona State moves up to 7th with their decisive victory over Notre Dame and Ohio State climbed to #8 with a convincing win over Michigan State.

Read the AP article here.

1st CFB Playoff Rankings Released

Controversy here we come! Probably not with the #1 and #2 in the rankings but from there down look out.

#1 Mississippi State and #2 Florida State are the two undefeated teams left. Right now they deserve their ranking.

One would think that Ole Miss would have fallen farther than 4th with the loss to LSU.

"Head to head is important, but it's not the only factor, obviously," Playoff selection committee chairman Jeff Long said.

"We're still early in this process," Long added.

#3 Auburn and #4 Ole Miss would be in if this was selection week. Oregon comes in at #5 followed by Alabama, TCU, Michigan State, Kansas State and Notre Dame at #10.

ESPN has the story here.

Graham Watson editor of drsaturday for Yahoo.com sees the rankings in a slightly different light here.

Signature Authentication Haunts FSU and Jameis Winston

Darren Rovell of ESPN asserts that in indepth search reveals 2000+ Jameis Winston signed items on the website of James Spence Authentication (JSA).

James Spence, the authentication company's owner, told ESPN Thursday he will not reveal the identity or identities of the customers who submitted the signed Winston items for authentication. Spence also won't verify the number of items because he says his database is not searchable by name.

Read Darren's article hhere.

Florida State to Investigate Winston Autographs

Florida State University has begun investigating how 340+ items with Jameis Winston's autograph have shown up on the web pages for James Spence Authentications (JSA). JSA was recently in the news for authenticating 500+ items signed by suspended UGA Bulldog Todd Gurley.

FSU has not been contacted on the matter by the ACC or the NCAA, but the university's compliance department has begun to specifically look into how JSA received such a large number of signatures.

"Kids sign things all the time," Jimbo Fisher, head coach of the Seminoles said after Saturday's game. "So what do you want them to do, stop signing stuff? We could make them not have any fans from that standpoint and not sign for anybody. That's what it's going to come to, and that's a shame for college football, that somebody exploits a kid. Now if they're getting paid for it, then I don't have any knowledge of that. I don't believe Jameis did."

Fisher also said that Jameis told him that he didn't take any money for the autographs. So while Todd Gurley was suspended by UGA immediately, no action will be taken against Winston until the investigation is complete.

What an indictment of the ACC when the SEC takes the moral high ground.

Read the complete ESPN story here.

New #1 in College Football

Mississippi State, with a win over previously unbeaten and #2 ranked team, has leap frogged former #1 Florida State to claim the #1 ranking.

The win was the Bulldog's third consecutive over a top 10 team.  This marks the first time in the AP's 78 year history that a team has gone from unranked to #1 in five weeks.

Read the ESPN story here.

What a Week for College Football

For the first time since 1994, 4 of the top 6 ranked teams lost on the same weekend. Let's take a look at what happened.

#1 Florida St. crushed Wake Forest 43-3
     Roberto Aguayo kicks 5 FGs in win
#2 Oregon lost to previously unranked Arizona 31-24
     Arizona rushes for 207 yards
#3 Alabama lost to #11 Ole Miss 23-17
     Ole Miss ties the game and Alabama fumbles the unsuing kickoff - Ole Miss scores
#4 Oklahoma lost to #25 TCU 37-33
     Trevor Knight throws 2 INTs in loss
#5 Auburn beats #15 LSU 41-7
     Nick Marshall has 326 yards total offense and scores 4 TDs
#6 Texas A&M loses to #12 Mississippi State
     Dak Prescott has 336 yards and 5 TDs in Miss. St. win
#7 Baylor beats Texas 28-7
     Texas scores with less than 3 minutes to play to make the game look closer
#8 UCLA lost to previously unranked Utah 30-28
     Utah kicks FG with :34 on the clock
#9 Notre Dame beats #14 Stanford 17-14
     Golson throws TD on 4th and 11 play for the victory
#10 Michigan State beats #19 Nebraska 27-22
     MSU takes 27-3 lead, hangs on to win
#13 Georgia beats previously unranked Vanderbilt 44-17
     Todd Gurley 25 carries 165 yards and 2 TDs
#16 USC lost to previously unranked Arizona State 38-34
     46 yard TD pass as time expires wins it for ASU
#17 Wisconsin lost to previously unranked Northwestern 20-14
     Godwin Igwebuike has 3 INTs in upset
#18 BYU lost to previously unranked Utah State 35-20
     Taysom Hill, BYU quarterback fractures leg
#20 Ohio State beats Maryland 52-24
     Esekiel Elliott has 139 yards rushing on 24 carries for OSU
#21 Oklahoma State beats Iowa State 37-20
     Iowa State AD bemoans officiating in loss
#22 East Carolina beats SMU 45-24
     Shane Carden 31 of 41 for 410 yards and 4 TDs
#23 Kansas State beats Texas Teeh 45-13
     Jake Waters had 395 total yards with 4 passing TDs and a rushing TD

As you can see 5 of the top 8 ranked teams lost this week and 8 of the top 18 ranked teams lost. It was quite a week in college football.

Florida State should maintain it's solid hold in the #1 spot. Oregon which lost to an unranked Arizona should drop out of the top four. Alabama with it's close loss to #11 Ole Miss should stay in the top four. Oklahoma and Texas A&M will both drop. Baylor should move into the top four. Mississippi Stste and Ole Miss should move up pretty good although neither should be able to jump Notre Dame in the rankings. It is possible that ND jumps into 4th in the polls...we'll have to see come Sunday night.