2023 Postseason New Years' Six Schedule Graphic by the College Football Playoff
My Week 5 CFB Top 25 Rankings
Plenty more rankings shakeups with more top-25 matchups now complete. 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 (Last Week #1. Ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The boys from Ann Arbor played much better in a solid win over an underrated Rutgers. The biggest thing was no turnovers on offense. While the score wasn’t a blowout, they just looked a little better with Harbaugh back. Next is a road trip to Nebraska which should be no problem.
2. Georgia (Last Week #2. Ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Georgia is playing like they did last year. They’re not flashy. They’re not producing Heisman contenders. They’re just winning. Winning as a team and getting the job done. It’s really their identity as a team and a culture under Kirby Smart. The Bulldog faithful (and anyone else for that matter) would happily ride with it all the way to a three-peat.
3. Florida State (Last Week #3. Ranked #5 and #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Florida State got into a fight on the road against Clemson. They had trouble running the ball and got taken to overtime. Then they did what’s worked for them this season and that was Jordan Travis to Keon Coleman. Next, the Noles face a reeling Virginia Tech.
4. Penn State (Last Week #4. Ranked #6 and #7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
A ranked win for PSU and then the next big game on the schedule is going to Columbus next month. They have another road trip to the Land of Lincoln to take on Northwestern, at home against UMass, a bye week, and then the Buckeyes. The race for the Big Ten East will reach full speed that weekend.
5. Texas (Last Week #5. Ranked #3 and #5 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
No rest for the Longhorns with Kansas coming to town after their win over in-state rival Baylor. The Jayhawks upset the Longhorns 57-56 in overtime when they last visited Austin in 2021. Lance Leipold and Steve Sarkisian look to have the rubber match next week.
6. Ohio State (Last Week #6. Ranked #4 and #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Buckeyes gutted out a big win. The rankings don’t really matter to them right now though with that big win and two top five teams left for them to play on their schedule. They have a huge confidence booster and foundation game as they head into their bye week.
7. USC (Last Week #8. Ranked #8 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I’ve been on the case of the USC defense and while they gave up too many points to ASU (28) they had a lot of good plays. They forced two turnovers, had eight sacks, and 14 tackles for a loss. They’ll need that next week against an offense much better than ASU’s as they travel to Boulder to take on Coach Prime and Colorado.
8. Oregon (Last Week #9. Ranked #9 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ducks dominated the Buffaloes. They shut down Colorado’s high-powered passing offense by sacking Shedeur Sanders all day long to the tune of seven sacks. Up next for the Ducks is Stanford before their big rivalry game with the Washington Huskies.
9. Washington (Last Week #10. Ranked #7 and #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Washington is like Ohio State when it comes to the rankings. They have enough highly ranked teams ahead of them that they control their own destiny. No one had a better quarterback and Michael Penix is the Heisman front-runner right now.
10. Utah (Last Week #11. Ranked #10 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Utah just keeps winning against solid competition. They do it their old-school, defense-first style too. The Utes have done it all without Cam Rising too. Things don’t get any easier though as they go on the road to Oregon State next week.
11. North Carolina (Last Week #12. Ranked #15 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Drake Maye and Mack Brown have North Carolina as one of six 4-0 teams in the ACC and they play another one in two weeks when they take on Syracuse.
12. Oklahoma (Last Week #17. Ranked #14 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Sooners won on the road in a tough environment against a team who is a 25% redzone offense away from being 4-0. The Sooners would have lost this game last year. Their improvement is showing with Iowa State up next before the big one against Texas.
13. Duke (Last Week #19. Ranked #17 and #16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
One of the surprise teams of the season, the Blue Devils are red hot, and 4-0. They already pulled the upset when they hosted Clemson, next week they welcome a Notre Dame team that could have it’s guard down after having hosted Ohio State.
14. Kansas (Last Week #20. Ranked #24 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Jayhawks beat a solid BYU team to have their first back-to-back 4-0 starts to their seasons since 1913-1915. Rock Chalk Jayhawk has to go deep in the heart of Texas next week to try and keep their unbeaten streak going this season.
15. Louisville (Last Week #21. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Another basketball school who is making noise in football season. The Cardinals led by alumni head coach Jeff Brohm and quarterback Jack Plummer crushed Boston College and get N.C. State on the road next week.
16. Washington State (Last Week #23. Ranked #16 and #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Cougars won the Pac-2 Bowl and are making a good case as the top school in the last year of the Pac-12 as we know it. They have a bye week before they take on UCLA in Los Angeles.
17. Maryland (Last Week #24. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Maryland is a sneaky good Big Ten team. After beating Michigan State they’ll have a good chance to be 5-0 (they get Indiana at home next) before going to Ohio State next month.
18. Missouri (Last Week Unranked. Ranked #23 and #22 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Missouri, Kentucky, and Georgia are the only undefeated teams left in the SEC. They have solid out of conference wins over Kansas State and Memphis and should move to 5-0 with Vanderbilt coming up next.
19. Miami (Last Week Unranked. Ranked #18 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Another one of those six undefeated ACC teams, the U is off to their best start since 2017. They have a bye week before taking on Georgia Tech.
20. Syracuse (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Orange are 4-0 with wins over Army and Purdue, but open ACC play with a visit from a two-loss and therefore wounded and desperate Clemson.
21. Kentucky (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Wildcats get a chance to show they for real in the SEC with the Florida Gators coming to Lexington on Saturday for a big SEC East showdown.
22. Fresno State (Last Week Unranked. Ranked #25 and Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bulldogs are the best Group of 5 team in America. They’re on a 13-game winning streak dating back to last year and look to be New Years’ Six bound.
23. Liberty (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Liberty is off to a good start and Jamey Chadwell and Kadon Salter have their offense flying high in their first year in Conference USA.
24. Air Force (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Air Force is working to keep the fullback position alive and well in college football and is 4-0.
25. Marshall (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Thundering Herd are leading the way in their first season in the Sun Belt.
Games of the Week
Ohio State at Notre Dame
Florida State at Clemson
Oregon State at Washington State
New Years’ Six
Rose Bowl (Semi-Final) – Michigan vs. Florida State
Sugar Bowl (Semi-Final) – Georgia vs. Texas
Cotton Bowl – Washington vs. Notre Dame
Orange Bowl – Alabama vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl – Oregon vs. Oklahoma
Peach Bowl – Ohio State vs. Fresno State
National Championship – Georgia over Michigan
On the Radar:
Undefeated and Group of Five Contenders:
James Madison
Georgia State
One-loss Teams Who Will be Back:
Alabama
LSU
Tennessee
Tulane
TCU
Kansas State
Texas A&M
Colorado
Ole Miss
UCLA
West Virginia
Oregon State
Notre Dame
