The college football season has one more full week in October as the journey to the national championship is beginning to get more intense. Our latest College Football Power Rankings look at where the nation’s top teams stack up heading into Week 9.
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
- This week: 13/2 odds
- Last week: 7/1
The Bulldogs are preparing for the month of November, but they first have to deal with a road game at Kentucky. Mississippi State has the best conference wins of any team, but its non-conference wins are very weak. If the Bulldogs lose once, they could be in big trouble, but as long as they stay undefeated, they’re going to be at the top of this list.
The real challenge for Mississippi State is that it must go to both Alabama and Ole Miss if it wants to run the table. If the Bulldogs win both of those games and then win the SEC championship, they’re going to be the top team in the College Football Playoff.
Tie, 2. Florida State Seminoles
- This week: 7/1
- Last week: 11/2
The Seminoles just continue to win. They don’t always look great, but they’re always good enough to get through. Florida State’s defense looked weak for much of the evening against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but quarterback Jameis Winston was 15-of-16 passing in the second half against the Fighting Irish’s defense. Florida State’s passing offense had not looked better this season than it did against Notre Dame, a sign that the Seminoles are able to play well when they need to.
There’s a kind of feeling that this team flips the switch when it gets into a tough spot, and that’s something that could burn Florida State before the season’s over. Yet, Jameis Winston is such a superstar player who continues to show his critics that he’s the best clutch player in college football. Florida State has him, and no one else does. That could be the simple reason why the Seminoles might repeat as national champions.
Tie, 2. Alabama Crimson Tide
- This week: 7/1
- Last week: 8/1
The Crimson Tide are feeling a lot better about themselves after lighting up Texas A&M in a 59-0 blowout. Alabama head coach Nick Saban was not happy at all after his team barely survived against Arkansas, 14-13, over a week ago. Arkansas got trashed by Georgia this past weekend, making the Hogs look a lot worse than they appeared to be against Alabama. The Crimson Tide probably did underachieve against Arkansas, so it was natural for Saban to be upset with that performance, even though it ended in a win. All that anger clearly had its intended effect. Alabama played its most complete game of the season. What’s also clear is that Texas A&M is not a very good team. Alabama is going to play much better teams in November. This upcoming weekend against Tennessee should be a comfortable win.
Tie, 4. Michigan State Spartans
- This week: 15/2
- Last week: 7/1
Michigan State played a shaky first half against Indiana this past weekend, but the Spartans looked like a complete team in the second half, as they shut out the Hoosiers after halftime and cruised to the easy kind of win that had been denied Michigan State the previous two weeks against Nebraska and Purdue. Being able to win a game by a big margin could give Michigan State the confidence it needs to go forward with its season. The Spartans needed to feel that they could wield a hammer instead of barely easing by an opponent in the Big Ten. Michigan State wants to be clicking on all cylinders as it arrives at the big game against Ohio State in a few weeks.
Tie, 4. Ole Miss Rebels
- This week: 15/2
- Last week: 9/1
The Rebels are now beginning the toughest stretch of their season. They go to LSU this Saturday, and while LSU has really underachieved this season, the Tigers might finally be hitting their stride. LSU looked terrible in decisive losses to Mississippi State and Auburn, and LSU was also shaky in a close win over a Florida team that is obviously not very good. However, LSU began to fix a number of its problems in a strong win over Kentucky. LSU was excellent in offense, defense and special teams, putting together its best effort of the month of October. Ole Miss will probably not have an easy time winning in LSU’s home stadium. The Rebels are going to have to earn every bit of the SEC West if they’re going to win the division.
Tie, 4. Oregon Ducks
- This week: 15/2
- Last week: 14/1
The Ducks pounded Washington a week after popping UCLA. The Ducks have gotten healthier on their offensive line, and that’s the reason they’ve been able to play so well. Marcus Mariota is a true Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback, and now that he’s getting some help from his restored offensive line, Oregon’s offense is playing exactly as it should be. The Ducks just need to maintain this roll and keep it through the rest of the season. They’ll be in very good shape for a playoff berth if they win the Pac-12 with only one loss, because the win over Michigan State is probably going to go a long way.
7. Georgia Bulldogs
- This week: 8/1
- Last week: 14/1
The Bulldogs are beating bad teams in the SEC. They have to beat Auburn in a month if they want to have any chance at the national championship and a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff. For now, though, they’re taking care of business. They just have to continue to do that.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes
- This week: 10/1
- Last week: 14/1
The Buckeyes dominated Rutgers at home, and are in a position very similar to what Michigan State faces. Ohio State wants to be peaking at the right time. Urban Meyer’s team wants to be in full throttle when it goes to Michigan State for what is clearly the Big Ten game of the season.
9. Auburn Tigers
- This week: 12/1
- Last week: 12/1
The Tigers will get a chance to play their way back into the playoff chase. They will play Ole Miss and Alabama, two other teams ranked in the top six, and if they win out, they might be able to work past Mississippi State if they get help from other sources. Those other sources are, interestingly enough, the teams they need to beat to make the playoff: Alabama and Ole Miss.
10. TCU (20/1)
11. Notre Dame (25/1)
Tie, 12. Baylor (33/1)
Tie, 12. Kansas State (33/1)
14. Nebraska (40/1)
15. Marshall (50/1)
