Preseason rankings are often a fool’s errand, as it’s impossible to know how teams will play before they ever take the field.

Every year, teams surprise and others disappoint, leading to massive changes in the top-25 polls in the first few weeks of the season.

Though the country’s current No. 1 team — Alabama — has lived up to expectations, SB Nation’s Bill Connelly said on Sunday that the S&P+ rankings would actually have Mississippi State at No. 1 right now if there had been no preseason projections:

Since the Bulldogs weren’t ranked to start the season, they have to do a lot more work to climb in the current rankings than Alabama has to do to stay at No. 1.

However, coach Dan Mullen’s squad put an impressive beatdown on a ranked LSU team on Saturday night, and that would do a lot to sway the S&P+ rankings.

Granted, it’s not like the Crimson Tide have it easy, as they still need to take care of business to remain on top.

Fortunately for college football fans, the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will square off on Saturday, Nov. 11, in Starkville and can settle things on the field.

Whether one or both teams is still undefeated at that point remains to be seen, but it does appear as if the Bulldogs are for real this season.