The Path Is Clear For A Spartan National Football Title

Yet another week of upheavals in the college football rankings just completed. What does all this mean for the Michigan State Spartans? Let's start by looking at what the oddsmakers in Vegas think.

College Football Future Odds (Vegas Insider):
Michigan State 13/2
Florida State 7/1
Mississippi State 7/1
Alabama 8/1
Oklahoma 9/1
Notre Dame 10/1
Ohio State 10/1
Mississippi 10/1
Auburn 12/1
Oregon 12/1
Georgia 14/1
Baylor 15/1
Texas Christian 50/1

Take a second look. The Spartans are currently the odds-on favorite to win it!?

There is a baker's dozen of teams listed. It started with all teams better than 20-to-1 on the Vegas odds list. Looking at the polls resulted in TCU becaming the 13th contender.

Associated Press Top 25
1. Mississippi State
2. Florida State
3. Mississippi
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
11. Oklahoma
12. Texas Christian
13. Ohio State

Coaches Poll
1. Mississippi State
2. Florida State
3. Mississippi
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan State
7. Alabama
8. Auburn
9. Oregon
10. Georgia
11. Oklahoma
12. Texas Christian
13. Ohio State

CBSSports.com 128
1. Mississippi State
2. Mississippi
3. Florida State
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Oregon
9. Michigan State
10. Georgia
11. Texas Christian
12. Oklahoma
13. Ohio State

ESPN Power Rankings
1. Mississippi State
2. Mississippi
3. Florida State
4. Baylor
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Georgia
8. Michigan State
9. Alabama
10. Oregon
11. Oklahoma
12. Texas Christian
13. Ohio State

The data for each team is shown. Certainly the selection committee will be looking at this information, but probably a lot more.

In AP Ranking order:
#1 Mississippi State (SEC) 6-0/3-0, Top-25 3-0
Opp W-L: 23-13 pts/gm 41.8-20.0 (21.8 MoV)
Pre-season AP-NR; 2013: 7-6 AP-NR

#2 Florida State (ACC) 6-0/4-0, Top-25 1-0
Opp W-L: 19-19 pts/gm 39.0-20.7 (18.3 MoV)
Pre-season AP-1; 2013: 14-0 AP-1

#3 Mississippi (SEC) 6-0/3-0, Top-25 2-0
Opp W-L: 21-16 pts/gm 35.7-11.8 (23.9 MoV)
Pre-season AP-NR; 2013: 8-5 AP-NR

#4 Baylor (Big 12) 6-0/3-0, Top-25 1-0
Opp W-L: 14-21 pts/gm 52.7-20.0 (32.7 MoV)
Pre-season AP-10; 2013: 11-2 AP-13

#5 Notre Dame (Ind/Acc) 6-0/2-0, Top-25 1-0
Opp W-L: 19-21 pts/gm 34.5-17.2 (17.3 MoV)
Pre-season AP-17; 2013: 9-4 AP-20

#6 Auburn (SEC) 5-1/2-1, Top-25 2-1
Opp W-L: 23-12 pts/gm 38.8-18.3 (20.5 MoV)
Pre-season AP-6; 2013: 12-2 AP-2

#7 Alabama (SEC) 5-1/2-1, Top-25 0-1
Opp W-L: 20-15 pts/gm 33.2-15.3 (27.9 MoV)
Pre-season AP-2; 2013: 11-2 AP-7

#8 Michigan State (B1G Ten) 5-1/2-0, Top-25 1-1
Opp W-L: 23-14 pts/gm 45.5-22.3 (23.2 MoV)
Pre-season AP-8; 2013: 13-1, AP-3

#9 Oregon (Pac-12) 5-1/2-1, Top-25 2-0
Opp W-L: 21-16 pts/gm 43.3-24.3 (19.0 MoV)
Pre-season AP-3; 2013: 11-2 AP-9

#10 Georgia (SEC) 5-1/3-1, Top-25 2-1
Opp W-L: 17-20 pts/gm 43.2-18.0 (25.2 MoV)
Pre-season AP-12; 2013: 8-5 AP-NR

#11 Oklahoma (Big 12) 5-1/2-1, Top-25 0-1
Opp W-L: 17-18 pts/gm 40.5-21.5 (19.0 MoV)
Pre-season AP-4; 2013: 11-2 AP-6

Texas Christian (Big 12) 4-1/1-1, Top-25 1-1
Opp W-L: 19-9 pts/gm 45.8-23.0 (22.8 MoV)
Pre-season AP-NR; 2013: 4-8 AP-NR

Ohio State (B1G Ten) 4-1/1-0, Top-25 0-0
Opp W-L: 13-17 pts/gm 44.6-20.8 (23.8 MoV)
Pre-season AP-5; 2013: 12-2 AP-12

The critical upcoming games for each team make any kind of prediction irrelevant at this time. However, some things can be seen more clearly from the schedules.

Assuming Michigan State wins out, all 5 of the following games will bring the Spartans up in the rankings.

#1 Mississippi State @ #7 Alabama
#1 Mississippi State @ #3 Mississippi
#2 Florida State vs #5 Notre Dame
#3 Mississippi vs #6 Auburn
#6 Auburn @ #7 Alabama

There are 15 other games that likely will impact who goes to the post season title matches.

#4 Baylor @ #11 Oklahoma
#4 Baylor vs #15 Oklahoma State
#4 Baylor vs #14 Kansas State
#5 Notre Dame @ #17 Arizona State
#5 Notre Dame @ #22 Southern California
#6 Auburn @ #10 Georgia
#6 Auburn VS #21 Texas A&M
#7 Alabama #21 Texas A&M
#8 Michigan State vs #13 Ohio State
#9 Oregon @ #20 Utah
#9 Oregon vs #23 Stanford
#11 Oklahoma vs #14 Kansas State
#11 Oklahoma VS #15 Oklahoma State
#12 Texas Christian vs #14 Kansas State
#12 Texas Christian vs #15 Oklahoma State

Mississippi State, Mississippi, and Georgia are the "Cinderella stories" thus far this season. All three came out of nowhere and onto the big stage. So the question about them is, can they keep it up? Do they know how to win while dealing with the media spotlight?

All MSU has to do is what Coach Dantonio said. Just win. Over the next few weeks, 4-6 of the 7 teams ahead of MSU in the polls will take a loss.

The Spartans control their own destiny in this.

JUST WIN!

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