With four first-place votes, Mississippi State maintained its hold on the No. 1 spot in the Week 12 College Football 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings -- barely.
The Bulldogs are just one point ahead of Florida State, which received the remaining three first-place votes from the panel of seven.
One-loss teams are ranked third through eighth. No. 5 TCU, No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Arizona State all won showdowns in Week 11 to strengthen their resumes. TCU moved up one spot, Ohio State six spots and ASU three spots. The teams that beat TCU (Baylor) and Arizona State (UCLA) are among this week's top 25; Ohio State lost to a five-loss Virginia Tech team at home.
Auburn is the highest-ranked two-loss team in the Power Rankings, at No. 9.
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1. Mississippi State
Points: 172 (4 first-place votes)
W-L: 9-0
Previous ranking: 1
The skinny: The Bulldogs tuned up for their monstrously big trip to Alabama next weekend by easing past FCS foe UT-Martin.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Alabama; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Vanderbilt; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Ole Miss
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (Alabama, Ole Miss)
2. Florida State
Points: 171 (3 first-place vote)
W-L: 9-0
Previous ranking: 2
The skinny: Ho-humming along: FSU wasn't all that sharp, but still won its 25th in a row by cruising past Virginia, 34-20.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Miami (Fla.); Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Boston College; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Florida
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
3. Oregon
Points: 156
W-L: 9-1
Previous ranking: 4
Skinny:The Ducks pulled away late against a pesky Utah team, but their injury report might be the most important takeaway from the game.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Colorado; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Oregon State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
4. Alabama
Points: 150
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 5
The skinny: A game-tying drive in the final 50 seconds with no timeouts? No problem. What else did you expect from a Nick Saban team?
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Mississippi State; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Western Carolina; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Auburn
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (Mississippi State, Auburn)
5. TCU
Points: 135
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 6
Skinny:TCU carved up Kansas State's tough defense and now has a relative cakewalk to finish out the regular season (though that Texas game looks tougher than it did a few days ago).
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Kansas; Thursday, Nov. 27 -- at Texas; Saturday, Dec. 6 -- vs. Iowa State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
6. Ohio State
Points: 135
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 12
The skinny: J.T. Barrett and his offensive mates basically did whatever they wanted against Michigan State, and in the process, the Buckeyes became the Big Ten's best playoff hope.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Minnesota; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Indiana; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Michigan
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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7. Arizona State
Points: 134
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 10
The skinny: The Sun Devils looked almost unbeatable in the first half against Notre Dame. But they looked quite average in the second half before re-awakening late to take the win.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Oregon State; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Washington State; Friday, Nov. 28 -- at Arizona
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Arizona)
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8. Baylor
Points: 131
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 11
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Oklahoma State; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Texas Tech; Saturday, Dec. 6 -- vs. Kansas State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Kansas State)
9. Auburn
Points: 112
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 3
The skinny: Turnabout is fair play? A week after two late fumbles by Ole Miss enabled Auburn to escape with a win, two late fumbles by the Tigers helped Texas A&M pull an upset.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Georgia; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Samford; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Alabama
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (Georgia, Alabama)
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10. Michigan State
Points: 97
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 7
The skinny: That top-notch Spartans defense? It was shredded by Ohio State. Actually, it was crumpled, smoothed out, put through a shredder, burned in a fire, then buried 10 feet deep.
Remaining schedule:Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Maryland; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Rutgers; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Penn State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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11. Ole Miss
Points: 95
W-L: 8-2
Previous ranking: 13
The skinny: Beating up on Presbyterian probably felt good after back-to-back losses. But it didn't really prove anything.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 22 -- at Arkansas; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Mississippi State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Mississippi State)
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12. Notre Dame
Points: 89
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 9
The skinny: Everett Golson is good, but his propensity to commit turnovershas become more than troublesome; it's causing the Irish to lose games.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Northwestern; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Louisville; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at USC
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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13. Nebraska
Points: 88
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 14
The skinny: Any hope at a playoff spot means the Huskers have to win next week at Wisconsin.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Wisconsin; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Minnesota; Friday, Nov. 28 -- at Iowa
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Wisconsin)
14. Kansas State
Points: 86
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 8
The skinny:The Wildcats' trip to TCU ended badly, as their defense was overrun.
Remaining schedule: Thursday, Nov. 20 -- at West Virginia; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Kansas; Saturday, Dec. 6 -- at Baylor
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (TCU, Baylor)
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15. UCLA
Points: 79
W-L: 8-2
Previous ranking: 18
The skinny: The Bruins look to be in good position to win double-digit games for the second season in a row; the last time that happened was 1997 and '98.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. USC; Friday, Nov. 28 -- vs. Stanford
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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16. Georgia
Points: 72
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 17
The skinny: The Bulldogs rebounded from their embarrassing loss to Florida by blasting Kentucky. Now they get Todd Gurley back and can clinch the SEC East title next week with a win over Auburn.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Auburn; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Charleston Southern; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Georgia Tech
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (Auburn, Georgia Tech)
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17. Duke
Points: 63
W-L: 8-1
Previous ranking: 20
The skinny: The Blue Devils are all alone in first place in the ACC Coastal Division, and they finish the regular season with games against three teams that currently have losing records -- and all at home.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Virginia Tech; Thursday, Nov. 20 -- vs. North Carolina; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Wake Forest
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
18. Arizona
Points: 58
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 19
The skinny: The Wildcats have a tough closing stretch and are attempting to get to 10 wins for the first time since 1998, which is one of just two 10-win seasons in school history.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Washington; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- at Utah; Friday, Nov. 28 -- vs. Arizona State
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Arizona State)
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19. LSU
Points: 53
W-L: 7-3
Previous ranking: 16
The skinny: Another year, another Alabama-LSU nail-biter. The nail-biter turned into a gut punch, though, and a bad kickoff in the final minute started the problems..
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Arkansas; Thursday, Nov. 27 -- at Texas A&M
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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20. Clemson
Points: 46
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: 21
The skinny: QB Deshaun Watson appears primed to return from injury, and that is good news for an offense that has missed him.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Georgia Tech; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. Georgia State; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. South Carolina
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Georgia Tech)
21. Wisconsin
The skinny: For all the attention showered on Melvin Gordon -- and it is deserved -- the Badgers' defense has been much better than expected. It also has improved on an almost-weekly basis.
2014 schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Nebraska; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- at Iowa; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. Minnesota
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 1 (Nebraska)
22. Georgia Tech
Points: 16
W-L: 8-2
Previous ranking: NR
The skinny: As usual, the Yellow Jackets are bludgeoning teams on the ground. But the remaining opponents should be able to take advantage of Tech's shaky defense.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Clemson; Saturday, Nov. 29 -- at Georgia
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: 2 (Clemson, Georgia)
23. Missouri
Points: 15
W-L: 7-2
Previous ranking: NR
The skinny: The Tigers were off this weekend to get ready for a stretch run that is tougher than it appeared to be two or three weeks ago. The offense hasn't been consistent all season; will it all come together in the final three weeks?
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- at Texas A&M; Saturday, Nov. 22 -- at Tennessee; Friday, Nov. 28 -- vs. Arkansas
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
24. Colorado State
Points: 13
W-L: 9-1
Previous ranking: NR
The skinny: The Rams blasted Hawaii on Saturday and seem a lock to win 10 games for the first time since 2002. CSU has been playing football since 1890 and has had double-digit wins just four times.
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 22 -- vs. New Mexico; Friday, Nov. 28 -- at Air Force
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
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25. Marshall
Points: 12
W-L: 9-0
Previous ranking: 24
The skinny: The Herd is one of just three remaining unbeatens. Is finishing the regular season unblemished going to be enough to get Marshall the "automatic bid" to the playoff-affiliated bowls that goes to the best non-Power 5 team?
Remaining schedule: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Rice; Nov. 22 -- at UAB; Friday, Nov. 28 -- vs. Western Kentucky
Remaining CFB 24/7 top 25 opponents: None
Others receiving votes:
Miami (Fla.) 10, Minnesota 10, Oklahoma 10, Utah 5, USC 4, Louisville 1
Voters in the College Football 24/7 Top 25 Power Rankings include: NFL Media analysts Gil Brandt, Bucky Brooks, Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah, and College Football 24/7 writers Bryan Fischer, Chase Goodbread and Mike Huguenin.
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