The rankings were released on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, with MSU ranking as the highest Big Ten team. Rounding out the conference, Nebraska was ranked No. 15 and Ohio State was ranked No. 16.

The rest of the top ten went as followed: No. 1 Mississippi State, No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 Alabama, No. 7 TCU, No. 9 Kansas State and No. 10 Notre Dame.

If these were the final rankings, Mississippi State would face Ole Miss and Florida State would take on Auburn in the playoff semifinals. The two playoff games would be played in Pasadena, Calif. as the Rose Bowl and in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The National Championship game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The rankings will serve as the method for picking the teams that will compete in the inaugural College Football Playoff with the top four teams qualifying. The rankings were completed through a selection committee of former and current coaches, athletic directors, players and political figures.

The rankings will be released every Tuesday until the final rankings are released on Dec. 7.

Earlier on Tuesday during the Big Ten head coaches weekly teleconference, head coach Mark Dantonio said he didn’t plan on watching the initial rankings release with his biggest focus on the Spartans next challenge — Ohio State.

“It’s another poll and I’m sure they have their methods, methodology and will be interesting to watch as it moves through,” Dantonio said. “But I think the focus for our football team and myself has to be on the next challenge and we need to try to live in the present.”