Graphic by the Author and Google AI
There is little rhyme and only some reason with where teams are ranked in Week 3!
1. Indiana (3-0) (Last Week #1) (Ranked #5 and #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ah, the joys of being the reigning, defending national champions. You crush an opponent 38-0, and people feel like it should have been more, and your team takes flak for it. Just in this decade alone, Indiana was the team getting beaten 38-0, and the teams that beat them were criticized for not doing it by enough. I think Indiana fans are enjoying this experience and being on the better side of those arguments. They can do so, being in this new territory and having Curt Cignetti, Josh Hoover, Charlie Becker, and company racking up wins.
2. Notre Dame (3-0) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Fighting Irish won their second game over a Big Ten team. It was good to see a rivalry with lots of respect, like Notre Dame-Michigan State (even if CJ Carr and his grandfather enjoyed beating MSU more than most folks), renewed. MSU lost, but you can tell they’re trending in the right direction under Pat Fitzgerald. Notre Dame’s 27-10 victory has a chance to age well this season. Their next game and final Big Ten opponent in the regular season is at Purdue. Barry Odom is trying to turn the Boilermakers around, but the Irish should have no trouble in this their second rivalry renewed in as many weeks.
3. Texas (3-0) (Last Week #3) (Ranked #1 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Texas and Indiana have the same problem: they didn’t win by enough. It’s a great problem to have when you’re a top-12 team. It may not be to the same level as Notre Dame and MSU, but Texas’ win over UTSA has the chance to age well this season. The 30-6 win may be just the wake-up call they need to put their victory over Ohio State behind them and focus on the Orange UT Bowl. Playing at Tennessee will be tough. There’s only one Manning they love on Rocky Top. Texas should win, but Tennessee is a very dangerous team in this situation.
4. Georgia (3-0) (Last Week #4) (Ranked #2 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Georgia is doing what they should against the less difficult stretch of their schedule. 45-17 in a road game at a rebuilding Arkansas is what is expected. It was their third straight beatdown this year for the Bulldogs. They should have a fourth this week when they host Oklahoma. Early in the year, this looked like a ranked matchup, but now, with how awful the Sooners’ offense has looked, it could be as easy for Georgia as Arkansas was.
5. Miami (3-0) (Last Week #5) (Ranked #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Miami’s fight with Wake Forest says more to me about Wake Forest rebuilding and finding some success than it does about Miami. Despite Wake’s spirited showing at home against the Canes, Miami was still strong. Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney continue to show why they’re Heisman candidates, and Miami’s defense was very strong in stopping the run, allowing only 22 yards on 16 Wake Forest carries. They should have no problem with CMU out of the MAC this week.
6. BYU (3-0) (Last Week #6) (Ranked #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
41-23 makes you think this was a much closer game than it was. With about 25 minutes of game clock left, BYU was up 38-7, took their foot off the gas on offense, and rode out the victory. Still, the Cougars have shown in their opening month of football that they are actually better than they were last year, in every facet of the game. Last year, they went 12-2 and only missed the College Football Playoff because of SEC bias. This should be the year they punch their first ticket to the CFP.
7. Texas Tech (3-0) (Last Week #7) (Ranked #11 and #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Right with BYU is Texas Tech. They both should have been in the CFP last year, and are both likely to make it this year. Texas Tech gritted out a tough win against a good Houston team at home. When the Red Raiders get their quarterback situation settled, they’ll be the force they were last year in their first year in making the College Football Playoff.
8. Washington (3-0) (Last Week #9) (Unranked and #23 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I’m still having a little buyer’s remorse for putting the Huskies this high, but part of the criteria I stick to in my rankings is not punishing a team that’s just won their games. And so far, that’s Washington. I don’t believe in teams with even records leapfrogging one another without a massive reason to. And while Ole Miss’ victory is great, it’s too early for it to justify them jumping a team I had ahead of them earlier.
9. Ole Miss (3-0) (Last Week #10) (Ranked #4 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Speaking of the Rebels, their 32-24 win was a thing of beauty. Their aggressiveness in going for two when they broke the 24-24 tie was interesting. They were so sure that if Kiffin’s team scored, he’d go for two that they did it preemptively. Ole Miss looks really, really strong right now. The way they played in the postseason last year, early in this season, and how awesome their Heisman candidate, Trinidad Chambliss, is playing, they may have gotten the better of LSU on and off the field. Ole Miss will get higher in these rankings; it seems to only be a matter of time. No rest for the men from Oxford as they go on the road to play a resurging Florida.
10. USC (4-0) (Last Week #11) (Ranked #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Trojans look to be the same old Trojans. Their offense is lethal; their defense is lacking. They’ll have an opportunity to prove it on the field this weekend against an old foe they’ve had some great matchups with. USC and Oregon will play in the Coliseum with both teams desperate for a win. It might be now or never for Lincoln Riley at USC.
11. Penn State (3-0) (Last Week #13) (Ranked #13 and #14 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Matt Campbell’s new program has been quietly playing pretty well, especially given a brand new head coach and a brand new quarterback. They have a huge home game this week against a Wisconsin team that is fighting for their coach’s job. Luke Fickell did wonders at Cincinnati but has struggled at Wisconsin, and this will be a game he desperately needs to win in Happy Valley.
12. Utah (3-0) (Last Week #14) (Ranked #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Utes look like they did last year, and they went 11-2, so that’s not a bad thing at all. Devon Dampier is still a dual threat, but he’s a better passer than he’s ever been. Their Holy War rivalry game against BYU looms larger than ever this year. It likely eliminates the loser from the Big 12 Championship game and the College Football Playoff. Utah hasn’t beaten BYU since 2019, but right now they’re focused on a road trip to Ames, Iowa, to play the Iowa State Cyclones.
13. Iowa (3-0) (Last Week #16) (Ranked #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Speaking of the state of Iowa. The Hawkeyes are at the toughest stretch of their schedule. They have to go on the road to the cheatingest town in America to play UM. They then host Ohio State, and after that go back on the road to Washington. The rest of their schedule currently looks very manageable. Meaning one win in that three-game stretch (and I hope it’s not over my Buckeyes) and finishing their season with a 10-2 record, and they may be in line for a playoff berth. First things first, gotta win in the dirty town of Ann Arbor.
14. Alabama (3-0) (Last Week #17) (Ranked #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Struggling early with Kentucky (that looks a lot better now) and early with Florida State is rough, but finishing strong with offensive explosions shows Alabama’s potential. The Tide will need that firepower Saturday as they take on a South Carolina who is fresh off a loss. Things don’t get easier as they have to go to a program on the rise in Mississippi State, and then host Georgia.
15. UCLA (3-0) (Last Week #19) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bob Chesney Era is off to a good start in Pasadena. They beat Cal in an old rivalry game to open the season, then beat San Diego State, a Group of Six team expected to make waves this season, and then beat Purdue this past Saturday night. Wayne Knight is one of the best running backs in the nation at the moment, but now they have to go to the East Coast to play Maryland before coming back to the West to play at Oregon.
16. North Dakota State (4-0) (Last Week #20) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bison couldn’t have asked for a better start to their first year in the FBS. The former FCS powerhouse hit the ground running in the Mountain West. They had a big road win over Air Force a couple of weeks ago and have this week off. Next, they’ll play Wyoming in the Craig Bohl Bowl. Both teams had the legendary coach lead them for many successful seasons.
17. Virginia Tech (3-0) (Last Week #22) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
James Franklin has his time in Blacksburg off to a good start. They beat a program that has given Virginia Tech fits in Old Dominion, then beat Franklin’s old Big Ten foe, Maryland. Now they have a road trip to Boston College to play Bill O’Brien, the man he took over for at Penn State. Then, they’ll play Pittsburgh at home. Franklin would love to get a win against a team from Pennsylvania, but mostly he’s out to prove himself worthy of the fresh start the Hokies gave him.
18. Cincinnati (3-0) (Last Week #24) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I may have been in a hurry to put the Southwest Ohio team in the rankings. They struggled to beat MAC foe and rival Miami. The difference is this is a game that Scott Satterfield’s Bearcats wouldn’t have come back in. Not when down 28-7. Now they have to keep it going against another undefeated team this Saturday when they start Big 12 play in Cincy.
19. Tennessee (3-0) (Last Week #25) (Ranked #14 and #13 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I wasn’t a big believer in Tennessee coming into this season, but they’ve been playing well early this year. They’ve run the ball well, and their win over Georgia Tech was a good one. But the first big game is this Saturday, and it’s got all the stories. A Manning in orange, in Knoxville, wearing #16, playing for a UT, but playing AGAINST the Volunteers! Vols fans, you better watch out for Arch and the Texas offense making big plays on Saturday; your new defensive coordinator was notorious for giving them up in his first two seasons at Ohio State.
20. Pitt (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Pitt has had a solid start and already beat two Power Four opponents. They play their fourth straight home game against FCS Bucknell on Saturday. Then they have to go on the road and get into the teeth of ACC play. They’ll have to beat a coach their program is familiar with, James Franklin, but at Virginia Tech now instead of in the same state.
21. Mississippi State (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Ranked #24 and unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls.
If I had to pick one surprise team of this season so far, it would be Mississippi State. This is the best they’ve looked since the late, great Mike Leach passed away. Kamario Taylor is a great quarterback who seems to have come out of nowhere. Beating Minnesota (who has one of their more talented teams in the PJ Fleck Era) and South Carolina, both on the road, is a big deal for the Bulldogs. Taylor has been huge, being responsible for 12 total touchdowns. No rest for the successful, though, as MSU will need him to be big again this week against Missouri at home.
22. Kansas State (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Colin Klein Era is off to a good start at 3-0, but all three wins have been in the friendly atmosphere of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. This week they’ll have to be on the road at Cincinnati, and Nippert Stadium will be loud for this Big 12 opener for both teams.
23. West Virginia (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Michael Hawkins Jr. may be the next great dual-threat quarterback at West Virginia under coach Rich Rodriguez. Hawkins huge game in their upset of Virginia was a big step for both the quarterback and the team. This weekend they’ll battle Eric Morris, Drew Mestemaker, and Oklahoma State.
24. Tulsa (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Speaking of Oklahoma State, that’s a big win for Tulsa. It was even before Oklahoma State upset Oregon. It’s only gotten bigger because of that, but also because of Tulsa’s own success. The Golden Hurricane have an opportunity this weekend to cement themselves as one of this year’s best Group of Six teams, but they have to beat Arkansas in Fayetteville first.
25. Western Michigan (3-0) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Even the most deluded UM fans know Western Michigan won that game. Fans, journalists, and even most small-time commentators need to recognize that, since the Big Ten and NCAA refuse to do so and refuse to do the job they exist for. Western Michigan will have a chance to further prove their worth this Saturday in the Bronco Bowl against Boise State.
Playoff Projection
