Same four atop CFP with rivalry week looming

Nov 26, 2014 - 12:36 AM Grapevine, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Mississippi State are all still seated at the head of the table in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Three of the four programs cruised to easy victories last Saturday, with only Florida State getting tested by Boston College, but their stay is tenuous with arch-rivals lurking to knock them from their perch.

Alabama (10-1) comes in at No. 1 for the second straight week, and the Crimson Tide can seal a trip to the SEC Championship with a win over Auburn on Saturday.

Auburn's title hopes faded with a loss to Georgia two weeks ago, but the Tigers can still spoil Alabama's season with another Iron Bowl upset. Last year, Auburn shocked then-undefeated Alabama on Chris Davis' memorable return of a missed field goal on the final play of the game.

Oregon (10-1), which sits at No. 2, will meet Oregon State in what looks like a Civil War mismatch, while Florida State and Mississippi State are also battling in-state rivals.

Mississippi State (10-1) followed up its loss to Alabama with a 51-0 trouncing of Vanderbilt, but the blowout was not enough to jump the Bulldogs over the undefeated Seminoles (11-0), who struggled before putting away BC on a last- second field goal.

The defending national champion Seminoles host Florida this weekend, while Mississippi and Ole Miss square off in the latest edition of the Egg Bowl.

TCU, Ohio State and Baylor sit at No. 5-7, respectively, and need some help sneaking into the one of the top four spots.

TCU (9-1) visits Texas on Thanksgiving, Ohio State (10-1) hopes to avoid an upset against Michigan, while Baylor (9-1) and Texas Tech meet in Arlington for what should a high-scoring affair.

UCLA, Georgia and Michigan State round out the top-10, while Arizona, Kansas State, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Clemson, Louisville, Boise State, Marshall and Utah complete the top-25.

There will be two more votes by the 12-member selection committee culminating on Dec. 7, when the four teams that will play in the national semifinals on Jan. 1 will be announced.

The winners of the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day will move on to the national championship game on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The playoff replaces the oft-criticized BCS, which was in place from 1998 until last season.