A funny thing happened for the ACC in the final AP poll that will matter for the remainder of the regular season.

Florida State had the week off and yet it gained a little ground on No. 1 Mississippi State. The Seminoles are still No. 2, but the difference between first and second is slim.

Duke took the week off, too, but for the first time this season the Blue Devils snuck into the poll. They check in at No. 24.

But Clemson, which actually played and won on the back of a stellar defensive effort, took a step back in the poll from 21 to 22.

It was hardly a major shake-up for any of the three, and of course, the College Football Playoff committee will release its first rankings of the season on Tuesday, making all of this a moot point.

It will be interesting, however, to see how the committee evaluates the ACC’s few remaining contenders.

Does Florida State get credit for close wins over good teams, or does the national narrative of a flawed team carry sway with the committee?

Will the longtime perceptions of Duke as a second-tier program mean the Blue Devils, even at 6-1, are a long way from playoff consideration, or will last year’s success and this year’s strong start give the ACC a legitimate second option for the playoff?

And will the committee reward Clemson for two relatively close losses to top-10 teams or consider the eventual return of star QB Deshaun Watson? Or will the struggling offense and close game against Syracuse define the Tigers?

In other words, even in a league where there’s a clear favorite for the playoff, the release of the first committee poll still has some serious drama to it.

For what it’s worth, ESPN projects Florida State as the team best positioned for a playoff bid, while our FPI rankings have the Seminoles at No. 6 -- behind five SEC teams.

A few more links for your Monday reading pleasure…

The continued emergence of Boston College running back Jon Hilliman was one of the big bright spots of Saturday’s win over Wake Forest, writes BC Interruption.

Before the Clemson game, there was a QB controversy brewing at Syracuse. But against that Tigers’ D, A.J. Long looked like a true freshman, writes Syracuse.com.

The running backs played a big role in Georgia Tech righting the ship against Pitt, writes From the Rumble Seat.

Virginia’s late loss to North Carolina may have erased whatever safety net was left in Mike London’s quest to save his job, writes the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Former Clemson quarterback Chad Kelly is on Virginia Tech’s radar, writes the Fighting Gobbler.