College Football Playoff threat watch: We'll get to see either FSU or Bama lose

An instantaneous survey of the teams in the best position for the College Football Playoff at this moment, based on what happened this weekend and what's yet to happen going forward.

1. Florida State

America's team once again delighted a nation by extending its win streak to 26 in a 30-26 win over the Miami Hurricanes. They fell behind early to be sporting, then stormed back with a flurry of passes and the occasional lightning strike run from freshman Dalvin Cook. Oh, and yes, they got a TD that bounced into Karlos Williams' hands off a Miami defender's hands, because Auburn has loaned all its demonic luck to FSU for the year. (Probably in exchange for paying off Gene Chizik's contract.)

Via ABC

Maybe the Playoff at this point is best viewed as black comedy. Watching Alabama beat this team to a flat patch of cheap asphalt would be a delight, and watching FSU pull this same bullshit on Alabama would be an equally dark pleasure. This is the best college football team in the country right now. They remain precisely what we as a nation deserve.

Threats: Boston College and Florida at home. Florida State is already 12-0 going into the ACC Championship Game.

2. Alabama

Beat the No. 1 Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 25-20 game whose score only really indicates Dan Mullen's dogged commitment to covering the spread.

Alabama still underwhelms on offense, something on one cares about as long as the defense continues to mature into a kind of living pesticide for points and offensive yardage. It is doing just that, killing the run and forcing teams to pass the ball as the only viable option. Dak Prescott was probably the best hope to do that in the SEC, and he threw three interceptions against Bama on Saturday. Even in an uneven year, Nick Saban's retirement is the only real rival Alabama has on the horizon.

Threats: Auburn on the 29th in the Iron Bowl. Yes, the same Auburn coming off a 34-7 loss to Georgia this weekend.

3. Mississippi State

Defeats come in many flavors, but Mississippi State has its own custom flavor. It's a new one, actually: to be dominated by Alabama for much of the game, keep the Crimson Tide within striking distance, and then take no less than fewer possibly productive red zone visits and throw them directly into a waiting incinerator with interceptions. That incinerator is Alabama football, and it burns brightest when you throw the combustible hopes of your football team into it.

On the upside, Miss State scored more than 10 points against Alabama for the first time in the Dan Mullen era. Take a tiny step towards your goals every day, and you'll probably still watch someone faster and bigger run away with them, Bulldogs.

Threats: Likely just Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, with no SEC Championship unless Alabama loses again.

4. Ohio State

Won a game playing behind The Wall in the land of the White Walkers, defeating Minnesota 31-24. Minnesota is a good football team, but the hardest part about pulling out a win in such a hostile environment is the psychological warfare employed by the seasoned locals.

Via ABC

THAT MAN IS EATING A DILLY BAR IN A SNOWSTORM. HE DOES NOT CARE ANYMORE WHETHER HE LIVES OR DIES.

J.T. Barrett accounted for 389 yards of offense by himself, the Ohio State defense clamped down on Gophers running back David Cobb when it had to, and Ohio State is playing brilliant football at just the right time.

Threats: The Big Ten Championship, probably against Wisconsin, whose Melvin Gordon inspired Jon Bois to make these charts.

TEAMS WITH ONE LOSS THAT WISELY CHOSE NOT TO PLAY FOOTBALL THIS WEEK

Oregon, a team that would easily be in the final four were it not on its bye week. (Typically, we don't include teams that didn't play a game in the week of the given Threat Watch.)

TEAMS WITH ONE LOSS THAT ARE WAITING IN THE ANTECHAMBERS OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

TCU, which falls out this week as a penalty for struggling with Kansas in an underwhelming 34-30 performance.

Baylor, just waiting to see if hanging 70 on Kansas State would be impressive enough to get it into the top four.

NOTRE DAME wait no I'm sorry ahahahahaa--

TEAMS WITH BRAND NEW, HEALTHY, ELEVEN-POUND BABY SECOND LOSSES

Arizona State, stunned late in Corvallis by the Oregon State Beavers 35-27.

Duke, beaten 17-16 by Virginia Tech.

Nebraska, pummeled 59-24 by Wisconsin and those record-breaking 408 rushing yards.