AP College Football Poll 2014: Complete Week 14 Rankings Released
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Week 13 of the college football season felt like the calm before the final storm this year. The top teams generally all had winnable games, the major rivalry games were a week away and some of the most anticipated matchups of the season are on the horizon as well.
Still, no week in this season has been without surprises or head-scratching results, and while the top teams in the rankings survived, a few other results could end up seriously shaping the playoff landscape.
Let's take a look back at the week that was while reviewing the Week 14 Associated Press poll and the Bleacher Report poll as well.
Analysis
The top of the rankings was never going to see that much movement after the top teams in the nation generally avoided being upset. While Florida State had its struggles against a Boston College team it probably should have handled without incident, once again the Seminoles found a way to win, 20-17.
Still, it's hard not to have your doubts about the Seminoles. They certainly divide opinion, as Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times tweeted:
Has ever been a more begrudged 11-0 team than Florida State?...they can't win public approval but can't seem to lose a football game.
- Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) November 23, 2014
Some folks see a team that has struggled against inferior competition. They remember the dominance of last year's team and contrast it to the team this year that is winning by the closest of margins. They'll point to this stat from ESPN Stats & Info, for instance:
Florida State is 11-0. In 5 of those games, the go-ahead score came with less than 8 minutes left in 4th quarter or in OT
- ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 23, 2014
Other folks will see a team that always finds a way to win. They'll see a team that can handle adversity and delivers in crunch time. They'll focus on the wins, not how close the Seminoles were to losing. Ultimately, it's a matter of perspective.
Many of the other results on the day are going to have the top playoff contenders checking their resumes. Minnesota's win over Nebraska, for instance, certainly bolstered TCU's resume just a little bit, while Ole Miss' shocking 30-0 loss against Arkansas hurts Alabama's resume just a touch-the Crimson Tide lost to the Rebels-and probably takes a bit of the shine off of the upcoming Egg Bowl.
'I'm certain our confidence is probably not the same as it was a month ago,' Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze told reporters.
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
For Mississippi State, the hiccup from Ole Miss probably just made it a little bit more difficult for the Bulldogs to sneak into the playoff. Unless Alabama loses to Auburn or falls in the SEC title game, Mississippi State is going to have to rely on a strong resume when being considered against conference champions for one of the four spots in the playoff.
Ole Miss was the last 'big win' Mississippi State could hope to add to its resume. Now, that big win won't look quite as impressive for the Bulldogs. Given the madness of this college season and the number of teams still with a strong case to make for reaching the playoff, every little thing matters when determining a top four.
Mississippi State will certainly be hoping its rival's recent struggles don't hurt the Bulldogs in the long run.
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