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Postseason #CFBrank: 71-80

College Football, Florida State Seminoles, Michigan State Spartans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

We're wrapping up the 2014 season by ranking the top 100 players in college football, just like we did before the season. As the rankings are announced, you can also find them here on the pages of ESPN.com.

What is #CFBrank?

#CFBrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.

How did we rank the players?

We asked 32 of ESPN's college football writers and editors to rate players on a scale of 0-10 based on their performance during the 2014 season.

T-71. QB Connor Cook, Michigan State Spartans
Score: 6.97
Before the Ohio State QB explosion, Cook was a front-runner for the Big Ten's best passer. He was the difference-maker in a Michigan State offense that averaged 43 points per game (7th nationally) this season, a 23-point improvement over the 2012 Spartans. He returns next fall with a handful of MSU passing records within reach.

T-71. LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Score: 6.97
He doesn't post eye-popping stats, but McKinney was the leader of Mississippi State's "Psycho Defense" and easily one of the nation's top inside linebackers. He led the Bulldogs with 71 tackles and three fumble recoveries as a junior and should be an early-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

T-71. QB Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Score: 6.97
Thomas proved to be the best quarterback of the Paul Johnson era with the Yellow Jackets, leading Tech to the Coastal Division title and a surprising 11-3 finish, capped with a Capital One Orange Bowl win. Thrust into the starter's role after the surprising offseason transfer of Vad Lee, Thomas threw for 1,719 yards with 18 touchdowns and six picks, while rushing for 1,086 yards and eight more scores.

T-71. CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State Spartans
Score: 6.97
Michigan State leaves its cornerbacks on an island more often than not and Waynes held his own on his own for the Spartans this season. His physical style helped him pick off three passes and break up eight more. Waynes is expected to be the top cornerback in this spring's NFL draft.

75. OT Taylor Decker, Ohio State Buckeyes
Score: 6.94
Decker was the cornerstone of a vastly improved Ohio State offensive line. The left tackle was the Buckeyes' only returning starter for a group that finished the year by dominating the line of scrimmage in its national championship win over Oregon. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound junior will be back again next fall.

76. RB Jeremy Langford, Michigan State Spartans
Score: 6.91
Langford rushed for at least 100 yards in 17 consecutive Big Ten games during the last two seasons. He ended the year with three touchdowns against Baylor, which brought his season total to 22. Amid a plethora of talented conference backs this year, Langford was often overlooked despite 1,522 yards in a balance offense.

T-77. CB Doran Grant, Ohio State Buckeyes
Score: 6.88
The senior cornerback made 63 tackles and five interceptions in his final season with the Buckeyes. He helped keep the Ohio State secondary stiff after losing Bradley Roby and C.J. Barnett last year. He made 12 tackles during the Buckeyes' playoff run this season.

T-77. WR Tony Lippett, Michigan State Spartans
Score: 6.88
The Big Ten's top wide receiver was much more than that for the Spartans this season. Along with being Connor Cook's favorite target, Lippett contributed to the run game with long rushes in key situations and started two games at cornerback, including Michigan State's Cotton Bowl win against Baylor.

79. DT Eddie Goldman, Florida State Seminoles
Score: 6.84
Regardless of any statistics, Goldman's impact can be summed up by one play. With Clemson salting away a win late in the fourth quarter in Tallahassee in September, the junior defensive tackle forced a crucial fumble that allowed the Seminoles to come back and win in overtime, preserving their winning streak and setting the stage for an ACC championship season. If you want to talk stats, he led FSU in sacks with four and was one of the top run-stuffers in the conference.

80. OG Tre Jackson, Florida State Seminoles
Score: 6.81
With so many returning stars on offense, it may have been overlooked just how big a job FSU's interior linemen had in 2014. Jackson helped lead the charge despite the Seminoles losing their top two runners and starting center from 2013, and the revolving door at both positions proved a big obstacle throughout the season. Still, Jackson was as consistent at opening holes as any guard in the nation, and his work as a pass blocker helped cut Jameis Winston's sack rate in half from a year ago.

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