SEC Battles FSU For Top Spot in College Polls

The Florida State Seminoles may have won the battle against Notre Dame on Sunday night, however it looks like the SEC won the war this week in the most recent top 25 poll.

Four of the first five teams in the poll are from the best conference in the country. Florida State remains second overall and lost some momentum with the votes, even though Mississippi State had the week off and the team beat the fifth team in the country.

According to ESPN.com, the four teams in the top five spots is a milestone of sorts and shows how dominant the SEC, especially the SEC West, has been this season.

Mississippi State stayed No. 1 after a weekend off. The Atlantic Coast Conference's Florida State held its ground at No. 2 after beating then-No. 5 Notre Dame 31-27.

Ole Miss remains No. 3. Alabama jumped three spots to No. 4 after a 59-0 victory against Texas A&M. Auburn moved up a spot to No. 5 during a bye week, taking advantage of losses by previously unbeaten Notre Dame and Baylor.

The Irish dropped two spots to seventh. Baylor fell to No. 12 after losing 41-27 at West Virginia.

Thirty times since 2001 a conference has placed three teams in the top five of the AP Top 25. The SEC had done it 16 times since 2009.

The Seminoles (7-0, 4-0 ACC) control their own destiny, however, as no currently ranked teams remain on the schedule.

The Seminoles won their 23rd straight game in a row. Florida State is now only one of three undefeated teams in the country, along with Mississippi State and Mississippi.

No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 3 Ole Miss have at least two more games against ranked teams. The Bulldogs and Rebels face each other in the regular-season finale in the Egg Bowl, so one is guaranteed to end the season with a loss.

Florida State was on the outside looking in last season before Ohio State lost last season to Michigan State in the regular season, opening the door for the Seminoles. Auburn also jumped into the picture last season for the national title game when the Tigers beat Alabama in the final regular season game for both schools.

"You can say whatever you want: This team is dominant,'' FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said after beating Notre Dame." This team understands how to win. ... This team has tremendous what I call 'adversity tolerance.' It doesn't flinch. It can deal with anything.''