College basketball is a world in which nothing is safe. To re-assign Thomas Jefferson's famous quote about newspapers, one would be better off watching nothing than trying to figure out a single team's highs-and-lows.

Nobody has illustrated the point better than Florida State, which was 8-6 and coming off a 20-point loss to Clemson in its ACC opener exactly 20 days ago.

All the Seminoles have done since is give North Carolina a whooping it hadn't had it ages, ended Duke's 43-game winning streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium, simply taken care of three ACC teams and climbed to No. 23 in the AP Poll.

So, what can we decipher about the hottest team in college basketball?

First, it's hard to say they were underrated in the first place. The Seminoles were a Sweet 16 squad last year that was ranked No. 22 earlier this season, but after six easy out-of-conference victories, they lost six of their next eight, including losses to two to Ivy League schools at the blowout against Clemson. Their original ranking – as well as their subsequent free fall – were both fair.

Second, the turnaround was inevitable, though very few saw it coming as swiftly or steeply as it did. Florida State was simply too veteran to keep playing as poorly as it had been playing in December and early January. Of its 15 players, five are juniors, four are seniors and two are grad students, a decided advantage in a sport where high-pressure situations happen dozens of times every game.

Third, the statistics point toward the Seminoles being a team that can play into the second week of the NCAA Tournament and possibly further. Florida State has held its opponents to slightly under 37 percent shooting (third-best in the country), and is in the top ten in blocks. The Seminoles give up very few easy buckets.

Further, Florida State is difficult to defend. Eight Seminoles average seven or more points, and none of them average more than 14. Translation: Florida State isn't reliant on any one player. Teams that score from many places don't have an off night, even if a few players do.

Fourth, coach Leonard Hamilton deserves serious consideration for ACC Coach of the Year if the Seminoles finish in the ACC's top three. Hamilton doesn't receive quite the credit he deserves for turning around a woeful program. When Hamilton took over for Steve Robinson, the Seminoles were coming off a five-year stretch in which they had not won more than 14 games in a season.

Since the 2005-06 season – when Hamilton's first class of recruits were in their senior year – the Seminoles have failed to win 20 games only once, and have made the NCAA Tournament three times. They're only six away from 20 wins now, and barring a historic collapse, figure to make the field of 68.

Surely the Seminoles won't sweep the rest of their ACC schedule – this is clearly the high point of their regular season. The true measure of Florida State will be shown after it is beaten again.

In this conference, the champion is not the team that can play the best game, but rather the one that can consistently beat good teams. And with Florida State, the body of work isn't there quite yet.