Jackson Free Press

College football is about to enter its final month in the regular season. Each week comes with de-facto playoff games as one-loss teams face each other.

Mississippi State University took the No. 1 ranking for a spin last week and had some bumps on the road but still won. The same can't be said for the Mississippi Rebels, who couldn't handle the pressure of Tiger Stadium or the Louisiana State University running game.

Florida State University faces a big test Thursday night at the University of Louisville. The rest of the one-loss teams must keep winning to help their playoff hopes. Case in point, Auburn University and Mississippi play an elimination game this Saturday in Oxford.

Rank / Team / Record / Previous Rank

1 Mississippi State Bulldogs 7-0 1

2 Florida State Seminoles 7-0 3

3 Michigan State Spartans 7-1 4

4 Alabama Crimson Tide 7-1 5

5 Auburn Tigers 6-1 6

6 Georgia Bulldogs 6-1 7

7 Oregon Ducks 7-1 9

8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-1 8

9 TCU Horned Frogs 6-1 10

10 Mississippi Rebels 7-1 2

11 Kansas State Wildcats 6-1 11

12 Baylor Bears 6-1 13

13 Ohio State Buckeyes 6-1 12

14 East Carolina Pirates 6-1 14

15 Arizona Wildcats 6-1 16

16 Arizona State Sun Devils 6-1 15

17 Utah Utes 6-1 18

18 Nebraska Cornhuskers 7-1 19

19 LSU Tigers 7-2 22

20 Oklahoma Sooners 5-2 17

21 Marshall Thundering Herd 8-0 20

22 West Virginia Mountaineers 6-2 NR

23 Colorado State Rams 7-1 23

24 Duke Blue Devils 6-1 24

25 UCLA Bruins 6-2 NR

Dropped out: Minnesota Golden Gophers and Oklahoma State Cowboys