Navy beat Air Force to stay undefeated and highly ranked (Photo by Navy Athletics)
Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana lead the ranked Big Ten teams. BYU and Texas Tech lead the Big 12, Miami and Georgia Tech lead the ACC, and Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss lead the SEC. Navy, Memphis, UNLV, and North Texas are the top teams from the Group of Five conferences
1. Ohio State (5-0) (Last Week #1) (Ranked #1 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Two of the best opponents on Ohio State’s schedule took ugly losses yesterday. Critics will use that to say the defending champions don’t deserve to be where they are, but Ohio State is just winning and taking care of the business in front of them. Their offense is averaging 37.5 points per game and is improving every week, and surprisingly, the defense is playing even better than last year. They lead the nation in allowing only five points per game. They’ll have their toughest challenge to date next week when they play Illinois on the road.
2. Oregon (5-0) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #3 and #2 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ducks had the week off after their big road win over Penn State last week. They’ll have another top ten matchup next week when Fernand Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers come to Eugene for a visit.
3. BYU (5-0) (Last Week #3) (Ranked #18 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
BYU had a solid win on a rainy Friday night over West Virginia. The BYU offense is steadily improving every week, even though they had some ball security issues against West Virginia. Even more concerning was the injury to all-Big 12 linebacker Jack Kelly. Kelly’s injury will increase pressure on the offense to clean up those mistakes and test the defensive depth. BYU will be tested again next week with a road trip against Noah Fifita and Arizona.
4. Miami (5-0) (Last Week #4) (Ranked #2 and #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I was initially doubtful of the Hurricanes’ resurgence. But their wins have been undeniable. They beat Notre Dame (I wish Notre Dame were in the ACC to see this matchup in December), and then swept four straight in-state foes and rivals. Carson Beck and the U will have this week off before welcoming Jeff Brohm and Louisville to Miami on Friday, October 17th.
5. Indiana (5-0) (Last Week #6) (Ranked #7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Hoosiers also had this week off to prepare for their big road matchup against Oregon. Their crushing win over Illinois in September proved that Indiana has turned a corner and can not only compete but beat ranked teams. It would be another huge step forward to be able beat a top five team on the road in the Big Ten. No Big Ten team has done that yet against Oregon.
6. Navy (5-0) (Last Week #7) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It was closer than it should have been against a 1-4 team, but the Battle for the Commander-in-Chief Trophy is a rivalry series that follows the cliché of throwing out the records. It was a battle between Navy and Air Force that wasn’t decided until the very end. Blake Horvath and Eli Heidenreich were huge for Navy in the 34-31 win. Horvath was 20 of 26 for 339 yards and three touchdowns passing, with 17 carries for 130 yards and another touchdown rushing. Heidenreich had eight catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Navy will play at Temple next week.
7. Texas A&M (5-0) (Last Week #8) (Ranked #5 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It’s got to be crushing to Texas fans to have their three biggest rivals (A&M, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech) in the top ten while they’re struggling when they were supposed to be #1. The Aggies, however, are happily marching on. They welcomed a resurgent Mississippi State team to College Station. The Bulldogs brought an offense that had led them to victory over Arizona State and to overtime with Tennessee. Texas A&M shut them down, holding them to only nine points. They welcome Florida to Kyle Field next week to try and rub salt in Texas’ wounds by succeeding where the Longhorns failed and beating the Gators.
8. Georgia Tech (5-0) (Last Week #10) (Ranked #13 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Yellow Jackets had a bye this week. They’ll host Virginia Tech next week in Atlanta as they seek to stay at the top of the ACC standings and continue the budding Heisman campaign of quarterback Haynes King.
9. Texas Tech (5-0) (Last Week #11) (Ranked #9 and #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I have BYU ahead of them, but Texas Tech may be the team to beat in the Big 12. They are dominating every game. None of their five victories have been by less than 24 points this season. Their defense is smothering, and it looks like nothing will slow them down anytime soon. Kansas will travel to Lubbock to take a crack at the Red Raiders next Saturday.
10. Oklahoma (5-0) (Last Week #12) (Ranked #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Oklahoma got what they needed in their first game without John Mateer. Their next man up, Michael Hawkins Jr., did as much as a quarterback can off of the bench. He was 14 of 24 for 162 yards and three touchdown passes, with 33 yards and another touchdown rushing. His defense helped by shutting Kent State out in the Sooners’ 44-0 victory. Hawkins and OU will likely need more in the Red River Shootout next week, no matter how bad of shape Texas looks to be in.
11. Ole Miss (5-0) (Last Week #16) (Ranked #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Lane Kiffin’s squad had the week off. They’ll have a game next week that should be a layup as Pac-(1)2 team Washington State comes to Oxford. They’ll need the bye week and the tune-up against Washington State for their big matchup at Georgia on October 18th.
12. Missouri (5-0) (Last Week #17) (Ranked #14 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Mizzou had a bye this week, too, before their huge game at home against Alabama next week. That will be the last of their six straight home games to start the 2025 season and could be one of the biggest games in the history of Faurot Field.
13. Memphis (6-0) (Last Week #18) (Ranked #23 and #25 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Tigers’ high-octane offense is averaging 40.5 points per game in 2025. They’re also on a 10-game winning streak dating back to last season. They’re a team most people aren’t talking about, but a team that has a good chance to make the College Football Playoff. They’re showing why the Big 12 should have added them this offseason, and why they belong in a power conference. They have a week off before they go for win number seven against UAB.
14. North Texas (5-0) (Last Week #19) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The undefeated Mean Green had the week off to open October. Next week, they’ll host South Florida in a game that will have implications not only for the American Conference championship crown, but for the Group of Five College Football Playoff berth.
15. UNLV (5-0) (Last Week #20) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Dan Mullen is still (unsurprisingly) a solid football coach. He did inherit a good team, but he and UNLV are the last unbeaten team in the Mountain West and have the best hope of following in Boise State’s footsteps from last year and be the Group of Five’s playoff team. Behind a good rushing attack led by Jai’Den Thomas, the Rebels will look to stay undefeated against Air Force next week.
16. Illinois (5-1) (Last Week #22) (Ranked #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Illinois continued their recovery from the Beatdown in Bloomington, this time winning in the state of Indiana. The Illini beat Purdue, 43-27. Behind 390 passing yards from quarterback Luke Altmyer, Illinois looked more like the top ten team they had been ranked as earlier in the year. They’ve regained their momentum heading home, where they will host the Ohio State Buckeyes next week, as Bret Bielema hopes to do in 2025 what he did in 2010 in Wisconsin.
17. Virginia (5-1) (Last Week #23) (Ranked #19 and #24 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Virginia followed up their big home win over Florida State with a big win over Louisville on the road. The Cavaliers defeated the Cardinals 30-27 in overtime. Virginia will have next week off before Washington State comes to Charlottesville.
18. Alabama (4-1) (Last Week #25) (Ranked #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Not this year, Vanderbilt! The Commodores gave them a good game in Tuscaloosa, but Alabama was too strong. They’re a team that looks completely different from game one of the season to game five. Ty Simpson is quickly becoming a Heisman candidate with 15 total touchdowns for the Tide. Bama travels to Missouri next week for a trap game before they play Tennessee.
19. Georgia (4-1) (Last Week Unranked ) (Ranked #10 and #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
A game against Kentucky was just what the doctor ordered for Georgia to rebound from losing to Alabama again. Despite a couple of turnovers, Georgia got 425 yards of total offense and won by three touchdowns, 35-14. The Dawgs will play at Auburn next week in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
20. Tennessee (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Ranked #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Vols had a week off this week before they welcome Arkansas and interim head coach Bobby Petrino to Neyland Stadium. Arkansas has a potent offense that the Volunteers will need to be ready for. A team that can score and has nothing to lose can be dangerous, even in a venue like Knoxville.
21. Arizona State (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Ranked #21 and #23 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
ASU had a bye this week. This coming week, ASU is going to be allied with BYU as they take on the Cougars’ rival, the Utah Utes, in Salt Lake City, and BYU takes on ASU’s rival, Arizona, in Tucson. Sam Leavitt and Devon Dampier should provide an entertaining quarterback battle in SLC, Utah.
22. TCU (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Sonny Dykes and TCU paid back the upset they suffered at the hands of Coach Prime and Colorado in 2023. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover was 23 of 33 for 275 yards and four touchdowns passing and a rushing touchdown for the Horned Frogs. They head to the Little Apple in Manhattan, Kansas, to play K-State next week.
23. Washington (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
UW looked to have a little bit of a hangover from their loss to Ohio State last week. They fell behind to Maryland, 20-0 in the third quarter. But the Huskies came howling back. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was 28 of 41 for 254 yards and two touchdowns passing and added another 54 yards of rushing. Williams and the Dawgs host Rutgers this Friday night.
24. Nebraska (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It’s still a little early to claim the Cornhuskers have turned a corner or that they’re ‘back.’ It’s undisputable though, that Nebraska is scoring more, and that their offense is much improved. They play their first road game this week against a young, but good Maryland team.
25. Cincinnati (4-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bearcats look nothing like the team that struggled and played sloppily against Nebraska to open the season. UC can score with anyone with Brendan Sorsby at quarterback and Evan Pryor at running back. They’ll welcome Scott Frost and UCF to Ohio next week.
Game of the Week
Playoff Projection
First Round
8. BYU vs. 9. Georgia Tech
Friday, December 18th, 2025 – Provo, Utah.
5. Texas Tech vs. 12. UNLV
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Lubbock, Texas.
6. Oklahoma vs. 11. Navy
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Norman, Oklahoma.
7. Indiana vs. 10. Ole Miss
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Bloomington, Indiana
Quarterfinals
1. Ohio State vs. 8. BYU
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Pasadena, California
2. Miami vs. 7. Indiana
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Miami, Florida
3. Texas A&M vs. 11. Navy
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – New Orleans, Louisiana
4. Oregon vs. 5. Texas Tech
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025 – Arlington, Texas
Semifinals
3. Texas A&M vs. 7. Indiana
Thursday, January 8th, 2026 – Glendale, Arizona
1. Ohio State vs. 5. Texas Tech
Friday, January 9th, 2026 – Atlanta, Georgia
National Championship
1. Ohio State vs. 3. Texas A&M
Monday, January 19th, 2026 – Miami, Florida
2025 National Champions
1. Ohio State repeats as your 2025 National Champions
