Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (photo: goducks.com)

As the number of teams with one loss dwindles the intrigue of who will make the College Football Playoffs builds. This poll, like all polls, is of the moment and not a prediction of who the four teams will be. After all, with all that’s happened this season who could predict who will be facing off in the semifinals on New Year’s Day.

1 – Mississippi State (9-0, 5-0 SEC)
2 – Florida State (9-0, 6-0 ACC)
3 – Alabama (8-1, 5-1 SEC)
4 – Oregon (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12)
5 – TCU (8-1, 5-1 Big 12)
6 – Baylor (8-1, 5-1 Big 12)
7 – Ohio State (8-1, 5-0 Big 10)
8 – Arizona State (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12)
9 – Nebraska (8-1, 4-1 Big 10)
10 – Auburn (7-2, 4-2 SEC)
11 – Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC)
12 – Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC)
13 – Michigan State (7-2, 4-1 Big 10)
14 – UCLA (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12)
15 – Clemson (7-2, 6-1 ACC)
16 – Notre Dame (7-2)
17 – Arizona (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12)
18 – Missouri (7-2, 4-1 SEC)
19 – Duke (8-1, 4-1 ACC)
20 – Kansas State (7-2, 5-1 Big 12)

5 to Watch – Texas A&M (7-3, 3-3 SEC), Marshall (9-0, 5-0 Conf. USA), Georgia Tech (8-2, 5-2 ACC), LSU (7-3, 3-3 SEC), Colorado State (9-1, 5-1 MWC)

Dropped Out – Utah (6-3, 3-3 Pac-12), Oklahoma (6-3, 3-3 Big 12)

Email Rock Hoffman at Rock@footballstories.com