Please scroll down for each committee member’s top four write-up. Along with the rankings compiled by all the members, each one explains what went into creating the top four. 

The Campus Insiders Week 12 Top Four
1. Mississippi State – 225 votes
2. Florida State – 216
3. Oregon – 199
4. TCU – 188

Others Receiving Votes: Alabama (180), Arizona State (180), Baylor (170), Ohio State (161), Auburn (157), Ole Miss (130), Michigan State (121), Nebraska (119), Kansas State (112), UCLA (104), LSU (94), Arizona (74), Notre Dame (68), Wisconsin (66), Georgia (64), Clemson (59), Duke (56), Marshall (33), Georgia Tech (28), Texas A&M (22), USC (17), Colorado State (13), Utah (8), Missouri (6), Miami (5), Oklahoma (5), Louisville (4), Oklahoma State (3), Minnesota (2)

LAST WEEK 
1. Mississippi State, 2. Florda State, 3. Oregon, 4. Baylor

The Committee: Doug Chapman, Rich Cirminiello, Geoff Coyle, Jeff Dantzler, Phil Dawson, Kristi Dosh, Pete Fiutak, Steve Greenberg, Russ Lande, Michael Lev, Paul Loeffler, Lachlan McLean, Russ Mitchell, Chris Plank, Dan Schwab, Crowley Sullivan 

Rich Cirminiello 
@RichCirminiello 

Cirminiello Bio
– Associate Editor at Campus Insiders
– Director of College Awards for the Maxwell Football Club 

1. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs are here because of successive wins over LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn. Staying here hinges on how they finish in Tuscaloosa and Oxford. 

2. Florida State
Style points or not, it remains impossible to argue with a perfect record or a team that shows the capacity to overcome all circumstances and obstacles. 

3. Oregon
No one is playing better than the Ducks right now. They’ve now knocked off three traditionally more physical opponents than them, Michigan State, Stanford and Utah. 

4. Alabama
The Tide, which won in Baton Rouge, displaces Auburn, which was unable to get past a shaky Texas A&M team at home. 

Jeff Dantzler 
@jeffdantzlertv 

Dantzler Bio
– Longtime University of Georgia and Athens radio personality and writer
– Athens SportsRadio 960 the Ref
 
1. Mississippi State 
It’s the biggest game in school history, as the top ranked Maroon Bulldogs clash with Alabama on the capstone. If State wins, there is margin for error with Ole Miss and Atlanta. Dan Mullen has a tremendous team, physical, strong, excellent running and passing and stout with the run defense. 

2. Florida State 
The Seminoles don’t have the easiest of roads with Miami and Florida, but they have superior talent to everyone on the schedule. There is tremendous burst at both running back and receiver. Just beware if you are wagering on the ‘Noles in the first half. 

3. Alabama 
The Crimson Tide had their backs against the wall, but didn’t panic, pulling out yet another thriller with LSU. Now Mississippi State comes to town and Bama can take a huge step towards Atlanta and the playoff with a win. Big shocker here, Amari Cooper figures to be their biggest weapon against Mullen’s Maroons. 

4. Oregon 
Because a Utah player tried to look cool, he fumbled instead of scoring a touchdown to put the “Runnin’ Utes” up 13 then 14-0, Oregon scooped it up and made it 7-7. And the Ducks kept scoring and scoring and scoring. The PAC-12 is clamoring for an Oregon-Arizona State 11-1 vs. 11-1 matchup in the conference championship game.    

Kristi Dosh 
@SportsBizMiss 

Dosh Bio
– Sports business reporter and analyst for Campus Insiders and Outkick the Coverage on FoxSports.com
– Author of business of college football book Saturday Millionaires and host of podcast by the same name 

1. Mississippi State
Mississippi State had it easy this week with UT – Martin. The Bulldogs are going to have to play better than they have the next month if they want to stay atop the polls after a visit to Alabama next week. I’m still a believer though. 

2. Florida State
Another less than dominant victory for the Seminoles. This weekend’s game against Miami looks a lot more difficult than it did earlier this season when we looked ahead. But, Florida State keeps finding ways to win, so I expect they’ll keep trucking along.

3. Oregon
Impressive win at Utah for the Ducks. Their heavy lifting is pretty much over until the Pac-12 championship game. 

4. Alabama
The Crimson Tide had to take it beyond regulation to get the win, but they got the win. They beat a good team in a tough environment. Next week they’ll have to beat a great team at home. 

Pete Fiutak 
@PeteFiutak 

Fiu Bio
– Managing Editor of Campus Insiders, Publisher of CollegeFootballNews.com
– Voter and/or on advisory board for almost every major college football award 

1. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs have the big games coming, but for now, they still get the top spot. 

2. Florida State
Still undefeated, but people are really starting to scrutinze the schedule.

3. Oregon
Not 100% sold that the Ducks are going to get through the rest of the way unscathed, but the Utah win was terrific. 

4. Alabama
The LSU win was tough, but the talent is there to come up big at home. 

Steve Greenberg 
@SLGreenberg 

Greenberg Bio
– Chicago Sun-Times national college football and basketball columnist 
– Former college football and basketball editor for Sporting News 

1. Mississippi State
Now that the epic UT Martin tilt is behind them, the Bulldogs should have a walk in the park Saturday at Alabama, right? Goodness gracious. A strong showing in defeat might be enough to keep them in the top four. 

2. Florida State
Guess the Seminoles, who were tested by Virginia, just aren’t interested in the whole win-by-blowout thing. Yet on they go. 

3. Alabama
T.J. Yeldon went down, but a team — potentially a great team — rose up. We’ll see about “great” when the Dak Attack comes calling. 

4. Oregon
Thank you, Kaelin Clay! Duck luck struck in Salt Lake City, that’s for sure. Then Oregon did its thing, beating Utah 51-27. Did we mention thank you, Kaelin Clay? 

Michael Lev 
@MichaelJLev 

Lev Bio
– USC football/basketball beat reporter, Orange County Register
– 2-time FWAA writing award winner, AP Top 25 voter, Heisman Trophy voter 

1. Mississippi State
For what it’s worth, these are the same four I had last week. Why MSU No. 1? I still go back to beating LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn successively and impressively. Of course, we’ll find out if the Bulldogs are really for real this week.

2. Florida State
The Seminoles are just kind of plodding along. As long as they remain unbeaten, you can’t not put them in the Final Four. Should they stumble against Miami or Florida (or Duke), they’re out.

3. TCU
TCU vs. Baylor is shaping up as the Committee’s worst nightmare. How is it justifiable to rank the Horned Frogs ahead of the Bears when the Bears beat them? Three reasons: 1) General impressiveness of victories; 2) OOC schedule, aka, Minnesota matters; 3) Baylor comeback happened at Baylor, i.e., the outcome wasn’t unexpected.

4. Alabama
Man, what a war in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide survived it. If they survive what remains (MSU, Auburn, SEC title game), they’re probably the 1 seed.

Lachlan McLean 
@Lach840 

McLean Bio
– Host of Sports Talk 84 — one of the most popular sports talk radio shows in Louisville
– 15 years of daily coverage of University of Louisville and University of Kentucky athletics 

1. Florida State
Jameis Winston is greater than Dak Prescott, so Florida State is greater than Mississippi State.

2. Mississippi State
Up from last in SEC in defense to 12th! So they’re making progress… 

3. TCU
Beating Minnesota, Oklahoma and Kansas State = better resume than one win at LSU. 

4. Alabama
Edge Oregon for last spot in playoff because Ducks defense is ranked 104th in NCAA. 

Chris Plank 
@PlankShow 

Plank Bio
– Host of the Big Show from 2-6pm weekdays on 1430 in Tulsa 
– Fox Sports Radio Host of “The Plank Show” Sunday nights from 6-9pm cst
 
1. Mississippi State 
When you beat Tennessee Martin like that you DESERVE to be the best team in the country. But in all reality all eyes on Bryant-Denny in two weeks. 

2. Florida State 
All they do is win. It might not be impressive, but they have now put together 25 in a row. 

3. Alabama 
Still don’t know why the reception on the final drive wasn’t reviewed, but it was still an incredible comeback. Bama finds a way to win and looks like a team tat is getting better. 

4. TCU 
Sure they won’t have to worry about a Championship game, but the Frogs keep shocking the world and have an easy schedule the rest of the way.

Dan Schwab 
@DanSchwabCI 

Schwab Bio
– Executive Producer, Campus Insiders
– Executive Producer, Answers Media Productions 

1. Mississippi State

2. Florida State

3. Alabama

4. TCU

Crowley Sullivan 
@rcsullivan435 

Sullivan Bio
– Executive Vice President/General Manager, CampusInsiders.com
– Peabody & Emmy Award winner for ESPN SportsCentury, “The Fifty Greatest Athletes of the Century” 

1. Mississippi State
Now that the Bulldogs have UT Martin out of the way, the schedule gets a but more November-worthy with a trip to Alabama. Enjoy the #1 ranking while it lasts, Cowbellers. 

2. Florida State
Should the Noles be worried about the upcoming battle with The U? No. The number one ranking might be back in Tallahassee. 

3. Oregon
The loss to Arizona means less and less with each passing week. 

4. Alabama
Just when everyone thought the state of Mississippi was ready to take over the SEC… When all is said and done, an Alabama v Ohio State national championship battle would be quite entertaining.