Assessing threats for contenders in rivalry week

Breaking down the ballots for the AP Top 25 and wrapping up college football’s 13th weekend:—ASSESSING THREATSThis is the point in the season when things get weird.Rivalry week is here, with championship weekend on deck. The AP rankings didn’t change Sunday at the top after a blah Saturday in college football. For the first time since late September the top four is the same as last week’s: Florida State, Alabama, Oregon and Mississippi State.The gap between the Seminoles and the Crimson Tide narrowed after yet another close call by Florida State, which beat Boston College 20-17 on a field goal in the waning seconds.Florida State received 37 first-place votes and 1,458 points, down six and 18 from last week. Alabama has 21 first-place votes and 1,445 points. No. 3 Oregon received two first-place votes, one more than last week.Baylor passed TCU, moving to No. 5. The Horned Frogs are No. 6 and Ohio State stayed at seventh. View gallery Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion passes against Washington in the first half of an NCAA college … On to next week.From Thanksgiving night through Saturday, the potential for mayhem and a major shake-up in the College Football Playoff race exists. Time to assess the threat level for the contenders from Big Blue to various shades of orange and the potential for things to go haywire.Florida (6-4) at No. 1 Florida State (11-0). …

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