Have fun figuring this one out, poll voters!
Entering Week 7, Florida State had been the country's No. 1 for 10 AP Top 25 polls in a row. Though Alabama briefly topped FSU in the Coaches Poll in Week 6 (and the computers seem to hate FSU), the defending national champions have held down the top spot for nearly a calendar year now, back to December 1 of 2013.
But their nearly unanimous hold on that spot, with 57 of 60 first-place votes in the preseason poll, was already slipping. The Noles counted only 27 of those first-place votes two weeks ago and 35 last week, after Bama and Oregon lost.
Now, with Mississippi State and Ole Miss each making a strong case for No. 1, can FSU hang on for another week? Not that it matters matters, since the Playoff selection committee won't establish its official midseason rankings for another two weeks. But let's briefly spin through the things you'll hear being argued about all week, no matter who ends up atop the poll.
For reference, here are last week's polls.
Florida State, 6-0
For: The reigning belt-holder has won 22 games in a row. It's done nothing in particular to be moved down, winning four of its six 2014 games by multiple scores, nearing or covering lofty Vegas spreads in those four. Its close wins were against quality opponents Clemson and Oklahoma State, who've only lost once otherwise.
Against: FSU had unimpressive first halves against NC State and Wake Forest, combining to trail those teams by 20 points at the ends of those first quarters. It also needed overtime to beat a Clemson team at home that it destroyed on the road last year. That near-loss was without Jameis Winston due to suspension, but that's FSU's problem.
Mississippi State, 6-0
For: Counting No. 2 Auburn, the Bulldogs and their Heisman Trophy front-runner Dak Prescott have beaten three straight teams ranked in the top 10 at the time, only the fifth team to ever do that. While we can debate whether LSU or Texas A&M ever really belonged in that space, considering how they've looked since, those teams are unbeaten against non-SEC West teams, as is everybody else in the division. And if not for some late flurries of nearly meaningless scoring, MSU would've beaten those three by a combined 73 points. The computers love the Bulldogs.
Against: LSU seems like a mediocre SEC team. And the Aggies (who dropped nine passes against the Bulldogs) just got beaten about as badly at home by Ole Miss as they did by MSU in Starkville. And giving up 36 late points while trying to close out wins isn't an encouraging sign. Also, nobody's impressed by a 47-34 win against a UAB team that lost to FIU.
Ole Miss, 6-0
For: The Rebels have beaten five teams by multiple scores, with five wins against likely bowl teams and three against potential mid-major conference champions (Boise State, Memphis, and UL Lafayette). That one single-score win came against Alabama, and it might've been a two-touchdown win, if not for a missed facemasking call that gave the Tide a free defensive touchdown. Ole Miss might have the country's best defense. The computers love the Rebels.
Against: How good is Alabama? The Tide just goofed into a one-point win at Arkansas, which has now lost 15 SEC games in a row. Boise State and UL Lafayette each has a concerning loss. Alabama and A&M outgained Ole Miss; were those games closer than they seemed?
Other
Baylor? Notre Dame? What if Arizona beats USC? Other other?