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Florida State still third in College Football Playoff Rankings: Committee making it up as it goes

By Bud Elliott
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State remained No. 3 in the college football playoff rankings.

"This has been a week of stability in the rankings, especially at the top. Given the way the games were played over the past week, there was very little change," said selection chairman Jeff Long. "As important as the rankings are at the top, I want to continue to emphasize we focus on all 25. Our job is to rank 1-25 and we take that very seriously. We spend a great deal of time talking about each team that we rank."

Chair Jeff Long, on the rankings show, said that some members consider FSU's close games a weakness, while other members see it as a strength that the Seminoles were able to come back.

To justify keeping Mississippi State at No. 4, Long cited Mississippi State's wins over teams that were ranked at the time (like four-loss LSU and four-loss Texas A&M). That's a dangerous, and new precedent.

Rank Team Last week Week 13 result Toughest opponent left (per F/+) If the season ended today ...
1 Alabama (10-1) 1 Won 48-14 vs. Western Carolina Auburn Sugar Bowl vs. Mississippi State
2 Oregon (10-1) 2 Won 44-10 vs. Colorado Oregon State Rose Bowl vs. Florida State
3 Florida State (11-0) 3 Won 20-17 vs. Boston College Florida Rose Bowl vs. Oregon
4 Mississippi State (10-1) 4 Won 51-0 vs. Vanderbilt Ole Miss Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama
5 TCU (9-1) 5 Idle Texas New Year's bowl
6 Ohio State (10-1) 6 Won 42-27 vs. Indiana Michigan New Year's bowl
7 Baylor (9-1) 7 Won 49-28 vs. Oklahoma State Kansas State New Year's bowl
8 UCLA (8-3) 9 Won 38-20 vs. No. 19 USC Stanford New Year's bowl
9 Georgia (9-2) 10 Won 55-9 vs. Charleston Southern Georgia Tech Orange Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
10 Michigan State (9-2) 11 Won 45-3 vs. Rutgers Penn State New Year's bowl
11 Arizona (9-2) 15 Won 42-10 at No. 17 Utah Arizona State
12 Kansas State (9-2) 12 Won 26-20 at West Virginia Baylor
13 Arizona State (9-2) 13 Won 52-31 vs. Washington State Arizona
14 Wisconsin (8-2) 16 Won 59-24 vs. No. 16 Nebraska Minnesota
15 Auburn (8-3) 14 Won 31-7 vs. Samford Alabama
16 Georgia Tech (9-2) 18 Idle Georgia Orange Bowl vs. Georgia
17 Missouri (9-2) 20 Won 29-21 at Tennessee Arkansas
18 Minnesota (8-3) 25 Won 28-24 at No. 23 Nebraska Wisconsin
19 Ole Miss (8-3) 8 Lost 30-0 at Arkansas Mississippi State
20 Oklahoma (8-3) 21 Won 44-7 vs. Kansas Oklahoma State
21 Clemson (8-3) 22 Won 28-0 vs. Georgia State South Carolina
22 Louisville (8-3) 24 Won 31-28 at Notre Dame Kentucky
23 Boise State (9-2) NR Won 63-14 at Wyoming Utah State New Year's bowl
24 Marshall (11-0) NR Won 23-18 at UAB Western Kentucky
25 Utah (7-3) 17 Lost 42-10 vs. No. 15 Arizona Colorado

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