Ranking the FBS conferences: SEC flexing its muscle

Published: Oct 30, 2014 at 04:51 AM

The first College Football Playoff rankings are out, and as the 2014 season enters Week 10, the CFB 24/7 team ranked the teams within each of the Power Five conferences (see navigation tabs at top of story) and each of the FBS conferences overall:

1. SEC

All those college football fans walking around your office with a smug look on their faces? Most likely, they're SEC fans pleased to see three teams in the top four of the CFB Playoff selection's committee's top 25.

2. Pac-12

It's appropriate that this is Halloween week, given the cannibalization that is going to truly start occurring this weekend in the Pac-12.

» 8 things we learned from CFB Playoff rankings

3. Big 12

Kansas State and TCU look to be the Big 12's best bets for a playoff berth. Yeah, everyone saw that coming.

4. ACC

A new off-field storyline seems to crop up each week at Florida State. All that media attention obscures the fact that the rest of the league is somewhat mediocre.

» Bowl projections: Gurley vs. Gordon in Citrus?

5. Big Ten

Speaking of somewhat mediocre, how many folks realize that the phrases "Big Ten Conference" and "somewhat mediocre" each have 16 letters?

6. American Athletic

East Carolina currently is in the driver's seat when it comes to earning the non-Power Five conferences' automatic bid into a "playoff bowl." If ECU gets the bid, that will help the perception of the AAC, as did league member UCF's victory in last season's Fiesta Bowl.

7. Mountain West

Colorado State is starting to gain attention from those who say the Rams are the best non-Power Five team. What that means, of course, is that CSU fans now have to wonder if coach Jim McElwain will return next season or be hired away by a bigger school.

8. Conference USA

Marshall is steaming toward an unbeaten season. Unfortunately for the Herd, they need some help from some teams in the AAC if they're to get that non-Power Five bid.

9. Sun Belt

FBS newcomer Georgia Southern has a great shot at winning the league title this season. That's impressive for the Eagles -- but also an indictment of the league's more established programs.

10. Mid-American

The league has one team with six wins; it also has four teams with at least six losses.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.

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