The Week 8 Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25 have both been released and there’s a new #1: Mississippi State leapfrogged the Seminoles to capture the #1 spot in both polls. FSU did not slide far however, managing to somehow hold on to the second spot in both polls, fending off the hard-charging Rebels of Ole Miss.
While one could probably argue over whether the reigning national champions deserve to retain the #1 spot until they lose, a respect SEC teams have received in the past, it’s important to note that it’s only Week 8.
For argument’s sake, even if it was the last poll of the year and they accurately reflected the feelings of the brand-new College Football Playoff Committee members, Florida State would still be in the playoffs. So who would capture that last spot? The Baylor Bears, who somehow scored 24 unanswered points with 10 minutes left in regulation to secure the comeback against the former #9 team, TCU 61-58 on a last-second field goal.
The first team left on the outside looking in is Notre Dame at #5, but since FSU and Notre Dame meet next Saturday in a showdown of unbeatens, perhaps the last team(s) out are the teams occupying the sixth spot: Auburn in the AP and Michigan State in the Coaches.
All Florida State and its fans should be concerned about is the next game. If FSU takes care of business, they will be in the first ever Playoff.
The full AP and Coaches Polls are below:
First, the Associated Press:
1. Mississippi State
2. Florida State
3. Ole Miss
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
11. Oklahoma
12. TCU
13. Ohio State
14. Kansas State
15. Oklahoma State
16. Arizona
17. Arizona State
18. East Carolina
19. Nebraska
20. Utah
21. Texas A&M
22. USC
23. Stanford
24. Clemson
25. Marshall
The USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25:
1. Mississippi State
2. Florida State
3. Ole Miss
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan State
7. Alabama
8. Auburn
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
11. Oklahoma
12. TCU
13. Ohio State
14. Kansas State
15. Oklahoma State
16. East Carolina
17. Arizona
18. Arizona State
19. Nebraska
20. Stanford
21. Texas A&M
22. Clemson
23. Utah
24. Marshall
25. USC
