A lot of attention is placed toward the initial rankings, as the top four teams at the end of the season qualify for the College Football Playoff.

However, when the rankings were being announced, head coach Mark Dantonio was preparing for Nebraska. At least that's what he told the media he would be doing in his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

"I'll be watching film. I think the end game is what's important, what happens four and a half weeks or so from now, that is the bottom line," Dantonio said. "There are a lot of big games that are going to impact those playoff or those four teams or however people are ranked, that's going to impact those as we move forward.

"So can't control what happens tonight. Past is behind us. We need to move forward. I'm sure I'll hear about it tomorrow or late tonight. Does't have that much of an impact on us."

Senior linebacker Darien Harris said it would be hard to avoid seeing the rankings, but it's not something the team can control right now.

"I'm sure we'll see it," Harris said. "We're going to know the rankings regardless, but those don't matter right now we can only control what we can control and that's how we play on Saturdays."

Much like Harris, junior linebacker Riley Bullough acknowledged that it is not in their hands, but he believes that the Spartans control their own destiny.

"I'm sure some people will watch it," Bullough said. "I'm just not interested, because I know if we take care of business, we win all of our games (then) there's no way they can keep us out of it in my mind. That's how we feel."

It's hard to argue with Bullough, because going undefeated would mean the Spartans have victories over Ohio State, who is No. 3 in the initial rankings and what will likely be an undefeated Iowa team in the Big Ten Championship who is No. 9.