Another week on top for Florida State to flex some muscle. Photo: USA Today Sports
It has been a while since we have seen such uniformity with the top two picks in our weekly power rankings, but our staff is ending the season on the same page. Florida State, number one. Auburn, number two. There was absolutely no question about that, as Florida State received every first place vote from our staff and Auburn took every second place vote. After that we saw some varying picks but for the first time in a while we all seem to agree with the BCS Championship Game match-up to take place in Pasadena in January.
Here is how our final power rankings of the 2013 season look as we head in to the bowl season.
1. Florida State (90 points, 9 first place votes)
From the start of the year through the ACC Championship Game, the Florida State Seminoles were in full control of their season. No team in the country was as dominant on a regular basis as the Seminoles and even when they were faced with the slightest bit of adversity they shrugged it aside with flying colors. Now Florida State is one step away from laying claim to the college football throne in an official capacity. Getting there may not be as easy.
2. Auburn (81 points)
Few teams made quite the turnaround this season that Auburn did, but the SEC Championship Game and the past few weeks have shown this is not a fluke. Auburn went toe-to-toe with Georgia and Alabama and then went back and forth with Missouri before the powerful running game of Auburn proved to be too much to handle. They may not run for 500 yards against Florida State, but they certainly will try as they try to carry the SEC banner on the BCS stage for one last time.
3. Alabama (69 points)
They did not play last weekend, which means Nick Saban gets one extra week to prepare for his bowl match-up. Yeah, good luck with that one Oklahoma.
4. Michigan State (65 points)
The Spartans defense proved to be too much for Ohio State to handle in the clutch in the Big Ten championship game and now Michigan State is heading to the Rose Bowl. Mark Dantonio can flat out coach.
5. Stanford (46 points)
Playing on the road at Arizona State was supposed to be a challenge for Stanford but the Cardinal once again proved the Sun Devils still have work to do before becoming one of the top teams in the Pac 12. Stanford's offense opened up a bit en route to another Pac 12 title and Rose Bowl trip.
6. Baylor (45 points)
Just when you thought Baylor may have been down for the count, they get some help from Oklahoma and take care of business against Texas to lay claim to their first Big 12 championship. Baylor's offense now takes center stage in the Fiesta Bowl as a result.
7. Ohio State (31 points)
The Buckeyes took an expected drop in our power rankings after Michigan State played the role of kryptonite to Ohio State's BCS dreams. Make no mistake though, Ohio State is still a pretty darn good team.
8. Missouri (29 points)
Missouri also took the expected drop in the power rankings this week after getting pounded by Auburn's running game. Missouri now faces old Big 12 foe Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl, which is one of the best bowl match-ups of the bowl season.
9. South Carolina (21 points)
Out of sight, but not exactly out of mind. South Carolina actually defeated Missouri this season as well as two teams heading to BCS bowls (Central Florida to Fiesta Bowl, Clemson to Orange Bowl). Not sure how often that happens without that team going to a BCS bowl themselves.
10. Oklahoma (6 points)
Oklahoma's victory in Stillwater was nothing short of exhilarating and it opened the door for a de factor Big 12 championship game later that afternoon in Waco, Texas. You never know what you're going to get with the Sooners it seems, but they will need to be on top of their game against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
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