CFP Placeholders: One Vacancy

It was bound to happen. Again.

Mississippi State's less-than-challenging schedule caught up with it. Again. The Bulldogs needed staying power and didn't have it.

When they needed to win and look good on Saturday against a slumping Mississippi Rebel squad in the Egg Bowl, they were instead defeated by their instate rivals, 31-17, putting an end to their hopes of playing for a national championship.

The Rebels salvaged their season, and did so one week after being destroyed by Arkansas, 30-0. As for Mississippi State, they'll be on the outside looking in when the names are called for the Featured Four on Sun 7 Dec.

The top three teams moved on, although there were struggles for two of them. Alabama trailed Auburn in the Iron Bowl, 33-21, in the third quarter before rallying for a 55-44 victory.

The Tide most likely will be the No 1 seed in the playoffs if they can knock off suprising Missouri in the SEC Championship game this coming weekend.

Oregon looks primed to have its name called in December, as they well and truly Ducked Oregon State in the Civil War, 47-19.

Marcus Mariota threw four touchdown passes on the day and now looks ahead to the Pac-12 Championship tilt for a rematch against Arizona, which handed them their only loss this season. A win over the Wildcats moves Oregon into the Featured Four.

Every week, we say the same thing, and here it is again: Florida State came back and won. This time, it was their rivalry game, a 24-19 decision over fiesty Florida.

Georgia Tech is up next for the Seminoles in the ACC Championship game and a win over the Yellow Jackets will put them in the Featured Four. The Yellow Jackets won't be an easy out, however, as they just went into Georgia and shocked the Bulldogs in their rivalry game.

Of course, if any of Arizona, Missouri, or Georgia Tech pull an upset, the Selection Committee meeting in Dallas next weekend may need to send out for more darts.

Hard chalk still leaves the fourth bracket spot open, and everyone has an opinion.

It looks like the debate's between TCU, Ohio State, and Baylor.

Each team has a game this coming weekend, so style points will count. The Frogs beat up on Texas Thanksgiving night and now ends their regular season with a home game against a 2-9 Iowa State team. Christians v Lions, dudes.

Ohio State can show the committee they're worthy by handling a good Wisconsin team in the Big Ten Championship game. The Buckeyes will have to do it without quarterback JT Barrett, who was injured in their 42-28 victory over Michigan. If they can stop Melvin Green and move the ball with third-string QB Cardale Jones, they'll make a strong case for the bracket.

Urban Meyer doesn't recruit hod-carriers. Jones answers when called.

Baylor, who defeated TCU earlier this season, held on to beat Texas Tech 48-46 but quarterback Bryce Petty was injured and may have a concussion serious enough to keep him out of next week's game against Kansas State.

K-State is capable of beating anyone in the country, so if Petty can't go, Seth Russell's performance will add even more drama to a matchup already dripping with it, as the Big XII title will be determined by the final whistle.

A win by all three teams -- TCU, OSU, and Baylor -- will have the committee up all night on Saturday, determining the final entrant.

And after that, the CFP poobahs had better start deciding how to implement an eight-team playoff.