While SEC cannibalism results in SEC West teams failing to gain improved evidence of their "goodness" this past week (sometimes win or lose given its cyclical nature, e.g. Ole Miss->Bama->LSU->Ole Miss), it doesn't otherwise penalize them, as evidenced by the only mild relative decline in the ranking of Auburn and Ole Miss. However, Florida State, while they continue to win, is experiencing a decline in the relative value of those wins as those opponents falter elsewhere (Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Syracuse).
While Oregon rose significantly, outside the SEC West and Florida State, Marshall, Notre Dame, and UCLA are all more deserving of playoff inclusion.
Top 25 (Explanation; Full Ranking):
- Mississippi State
- Alabama
- Auburn
- Ole Miss
- Florida State
- LSU
- Texas A&M
- Marshall
- Notre Dame
- UCLA
- Oregon
- Arizona State
- Nebraska
- TCU
- Oklahoma
- Kansas State
- Colorado State
- Duke
- Georgia
- Baylor
- Clemson
- Louisiana Tech
- Ohio State
- Boise State
- Arizona