New Years' Six Bowls Graphic by the College Football Playoff
Week 9 CFB Top 25 Rankings
Rankings are becoming clearer and on more solid foundations every week. North Carolina and Penn State fell from the ranks of the unbeaten. This leaves only nine teams with a goose egg in the loss column. With only two of those nine on each other’s schedule for the rest of the season, we could have eight teams finish unbeaten. Can the 12-team playoff come early if that happens? Only the Big Ten has more than one unbeaten team left (three if you want to count future Big Ten member Washington to Ohio State and Michigan). This is the last weekend before the official College Football Playoff Rankings are out every week until the season ends.
The rankings are if the season ended today. But the bowl projections are how I think the future will shake out the rest of the season. In my rankings, wins, and losses count. I will try my best to be consistent about this and never rank a team with two losses above a team with one loss, unless head-to-head results say otherwise.
These rankings are how well a team is playing and how well they have played. Things like being undefeated count and will count all year. Plenty of one-loss teams who are top ten in talent and where they will finish aren’t here. There are certainly teams ranked that would lose to them, but those teams at the moment are having better seasons by having won all their games.
1. Michigan (8-0) (Last Week #1. Ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Their massive off-field issues aside the Wolverines have been dominant. Is it a schedule they should dominate? Absolutely. Their best wins are over 6-2 Rutgers and 6-1 UNLV. They get another game against a struggling Purdue before finishing with the three best teams on their schedule with Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State. The wolverines will have to earn it on the field and they are looking like they will.
2. Georgia (7-0) (Last Week #2. Ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The defending champs were idle this week ahead of the annual World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party against Florida in Jacksonville next week.
3. Ohio State (7-0) (Last Week #7. Ranked #3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Buckeyes are still an enigma and I bleed scarlet and gray. One thing is for sure, their defense is legitimate. After struggling the last two seasons they are the strength of the team this season and credit has to go to defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Marvin Harrison Jr. is in the Heisman race and as he goes, so goes the Ohio State offense. No rest for the Buckeyes though as they travel to Madison, Wisconsin next week to take on former Buckeye Luke Fickell’s Badgers.
4. Oklahoma (7-0) (Last Week #3. Ranked #6 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Sooners may have had a little bit of a hangover from beating Texas and the bye week. They beat Dillon Gabriel’s old team the UCF Knights by the tight score of 31-29. Winning is what matters in games like that and Oklahoma prevailed. Next is a road trip to Kansas and the scrappy Jayhawks.
5. Florida State (7-0) (Last Week #4. Ranked #4 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
FSU had a tough game against a tough team in Duke, but they pulled away late and with UNC’s loss they are the clearcut leader of the ACC with only rival Miami still on the schedule that could challenge this. Their win over Duke was their best game since their season opener against LSU.
6. Washington (7-0) (Last Week #5. Ranked #5 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Huskies ugly, struggling 15-7 win over reeling Arizona State is why they’re six out of six of the undefeated Power 5 teams. Penix was held in check and the Huskies had to hold on to escape with the win. Most championship teams have games like this that they should lose but do end up winning. Washington should learn from this and be okay.
7. Air Force (7-0) (Last Week #10. Ranked #19 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Falcons beat rival Navy 17-6 behind a 94-yard touchdown pass. That’s right, a touchdown pass led the way for Air Force. They now have a 12-game winning streak going and are my favorite to be the Group of Five’s representative in a New Years’ Six Bowl.
8. Liberty (7-0) (Last Week #9. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Liberty won a shootout with Middle Tennessee, 42-35. Their defense had a rough outing at first but forced some big turnovers late and their offense can score with the best of them. They are 7-0 and among the ever-thinning ranks of the undefeated.
9. James Madison (7-0) (Last Week #11. Ranked #25 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
I hope college football fans take away from the Dukes high level of play the same thing that I do. That is the fact that the NCAA rule keeping a team from post season play shortly after it moves from FCS to FBS is a garbage rule, and it needs to be overturned. I’ll keep rooting for this squad because with every win they’ll shine a light on a bogus rule.
10. Texas (6-1) (Last Week #11. Ranked #7 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Texas survives a scare from an in-state rival they hadn’t seen in a while. Houston was coming off a big home win and was ready for Texas and gave them a good game. The Longhorns are the best one-loss team in America. Next up for them is BYU 5-2 at home.
11. Alabama (7-1) (Last Week #12. Ranked #9 and #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Bama is just doing what they do under Nick Saban. Like in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021 they had an early loss and just come marching back from it to head toward an SEC Championship and a playoff berth. Next weekend is a week off followed by LUS coming to Tuscaloosa to essentially decide the SEC West on November 4th.
12. Oregon (6-1) (Last Week #13. Ranked #8 and #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ducks bounced back from their heart breaking loss to Washington with an emphatic win over Washington State. Bo Nix made an NCAA record his 54th start. He and Bucky Irving are carrying the Ducks and next wek they carry them into Salt Lake City to play the Utes.
13. Oregon State (6-1) (Last Week #15. Ranked #11 and #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Oregon State was idle this week. Next up for the Beavers is a road trip to Tucson to take on the Arizona Wildcats.
14. Utah (6-1) (Last Week #15. Ranked #13 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Utah has USC’s number. While Cam Rising isn’t returning this year, the Utes can’t be mad at having Bryson Barnes lead them in their efforts for a third straight Pac-12 title before they bounce to the Big 12 next year. The Utes are still alive out in the wild west of football.
15. Ole Miss (6-1) (Last Week #16. Ranked #12 and #11 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Rebels defeated SEC West foe Auburn 28-21. The trouble for Ole Miss is not only do they need LSU to beat Alabama next week to get back in the SEC West race, they need either Kentucky or Auburn to beat Bama in November AND you have to beat Georgia in their house. Still, 6-1 isn’t a bad place to be right now.
16. Missouri (7-1) (Last Week #19. Ranked #16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Mizzou will have next week off and they will need before they roll into Athens, Georgia on November 4th to take on the two time defending champs. After that, they get Tennessee and Florida back-to-back in rough three game stretch.
17. Penn State (6-1) (Last Week #4. Ranked #10 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Penn State has been a great team for a long time under James Franklin but they just can’t seem to get by Ohio State and Michigan. Last year at 11-2 and Rose Bowl Champions is nothing bad, but the Penn State faithful want more. They are still a great team and have a chance to get by the other half of the Big Ten’s big two against the Wolverines in November.
18. Louisville (6-1) (Last Week #23. Ranked #18 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Cards were idle and have the week off before welcoming Duke to Louisville next weekend.
19. Tulane (6-1) (Last Week #22. Ranked #22 and #23 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Green Wave have Rice up next. The American Athletic Conference is up for grabs this year with plenty of teams still in the race and the two currently at the top, Tulane and SMU will not meet in the regular season. Still a fun conference to watch.
20. Notre Dame (6-2) Last Week #24. Ranked #14 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The best two-loss team in the nation, Notre Dame finally had a week off and get a rest after eight straight games. Next, they welcome Pitt to South Bend.
21. LSU (6-2) Last Week Unranked. Ranked #15 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Tigers beat Army to set up their biggest game of the season in two weeks when they travel to Alabama. Their goals from Jayden Daniels for Heisman, to the SEC West crown and beyond will hang on beating rival Alabama two years in a row.
22. Toledo (7-1) (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Rockets are so close to being in the ranks of the undefeated. Still, after their big win over Miami (OH) they are in a position to win the MAC and finish their season 12-1. They put their seven game winning streak on the line next against Buffalo on Halloween.
23. Georgia State (6-1) (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Panthers are leading their division even though they trail James Madison. They had a big win against Louisiana and play instate rival Georgia Southern on Thursday.
24. North Carolina (6-1) (Last Week #7. Ranked #17 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
UNC had one of the worst losses of the weekend by falling to a Virginia team that started the season with five straight losses and got their only previous win over FCS William and Mary. Still, the Heels have their ACC fate in their hands and it starts with Georgia Tech next week.
25. UNLV (6-1) (Last Week Unranked.) Fresno State (6-1) (Last Week Unranked. Both unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
UNLV and Fresno will play this weekend, and since Fresno is the favorite I wanted to mention both them and UNLV. Jeff Tedford has had Fresno as the class of the conference last year and despite their loss are in a good spot this year. UNLV on the other hand just got their first non-losing season in 10 years. Hat tip to them and Barry Odom for being 6-1 and bowl eligible before November.
Games of the Week
Ohio State vs. Penn State
If you love defense, this was the game for you. In a matchup of undefeated rivals the Buckeyes prevailed 20-12. This was the seventh straight win for the Buckeyes over the Nittany Lions.
USC vs. Utah
Poor Caleb Williams will probably never have another shot at the Utes. Their three matchups were classics that came down to the wire but Utah is 3-0 in those and have Caleb Williams’ number.
Rose Bowl (Semi-Final) – Michigan vs Florida Sate
Sugar Bowl (Semi-Final) – Georgia vs Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl – Ohio State vs. Alabama
Orange Bowl – Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Fiesta Bowl – Texas vs. Washington
Peach Bowl – Penn State vs. Air Force
National Championship – Georgia over Michigan
