On Tuesday morning, the former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote on Twitter, “Today, we have the opportunity to exercise one of our most precious rights ... the right to vote. Go to your local polls and cast your ballot!”

Rice was casting another important ballot Tuesday, at the Gaylord Texan hotel near Dallas, for the second College Football Playoff rankings.

The selection committee, on which Rice is one of 12 active members, left Mississippi State, Florida State and Auburn in the top three spots and moved Oregon up one spot to round out the top four.

Unbeaten Mississippi State remained No. 1 after a late interception helped the host Bulldogs defeat Arkansas, 17-10. Florida State, whose No. 2 ranking last week drew skepticism from those who noted that its only two impressive wins had come in close games at home, rallied in the second half to beat Louisville, 42-31, on the road. Auburn maintained its standing by holding off Mississippi on the road, 35-31, while the Rebels fell to No. 11 from No. 4.