SEC Surprises Lead the Way in the Rankings

Georgia and Michigan are the two best teams so far this season and I’m not going to punish them for ugly wins.

Week 4 CFB Top 25 Rankings

1. Michigan (Last Week #1. Ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Every week I expect to see them do something to set themselves apart from everyone else but they just haven’t reached out and done it. A rough night for McCarthy didn’t help their cause this week in their win over Bowling Green.

2. Georgia (Last Week #2. Ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

It helps Michigan that Georgia is having the same kind of troubles as them. Just not quite doing like we expect them to. The difference for the Dawgs is that they have more new faces than Michigan, but don’t have their coach out. Still, Georgia and Michigan are the two best teams so far this season and I’m not going to punish them for ugly wins.

3. Florida State (Last Week #3. Ranked #4 and #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

Struggling with Southern Miss and Boston College and routing LSU leaves observers scratching their heads. Next up is their arguably biggest game of the season against a desperate Clemson. Before the season I said Clemson would win and assert their continued ACC dominance, now I’m not so sure.

4. Penn State (Last Week #4. Ranked #7 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

They dominated in the first two weeks and had some growing pains against Illinois but that’s to be expected. Illinois is better than their record and Penn State will have a chance to make noise with a tough Iowa coming to town next.

5. Texas (Last Week #5. Ranked #3 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

Texas looked rough against Wyoming. In their defense, the Cowboys could be the best team in the Mountain West. It’s also reasonable to have a bit of a big game hangover after beating Bama in their house. Plenty of others would drop some teams (like my Buckeyes) for a win that is perceived as this ugly. I think it will look a lot better come December.

6. Ohio State (Last Week #6. Ranked #6 and #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

Easily the best the Buckeyes have looked this season. This is what we expected from them. A balanced offense with swarming defense. They needed this game before playing Notre Dame. I view the Irish and the Buckeyes as tied at sixth. They are very well-matched teams.

6. Notre Dame (Last Week #8. Ranked #9 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

I feel like whoever wins this matchup will have an inside track to the College Football Playoff. The Irish will still have to play USC and Clemson and the Buckeyes Penn State and TTUN but the winner of this game could do like Ohio State did last year and make the CFP even with a loss.

8. USC (Last Week #7. Ranked #5 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

USC was idle this week and won’t have much of a chance to jump up in the polls this week when they take on struggling Arizona State. The Trojans control their own destiny though in a tough Pac-12 and Notre Dame still left to play.

9. Oregon (Last Week #10. Ranked #10 and #11 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Ducks are winning and I feel like they haven’t reached their ceiling yet. Bo Nix is playing well but can play better. He’ll have his chance to play at a high level, at home against the Sanders’ and Colorado.

10. Washington (Last Week #11. Ranked #8 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Michael Penix is a front-runner for the Heisman and rightly so. They get Cal and Arizona before a big time matchup with rival Oregon.

11. Utah (Last Week #12. Ranked #11 and #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Utes are playing really well and without their star quarterback Cam Rising. Even with him they get a stiff test from Chip Kelly’s UCLA next.

12. North Carolina (Last Week #13. Ranked #17 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

While Florida State and Clemson are getting the most attention in the ACC race, Drake Maye and the Tar Heels are right in the thick of things too.

13. Colorado (Last Week #14. Ranked #19 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

I’ve said that Deion Sanders and Colorado made a believer out of me after their first win this season and that remains true. They went from 1-11 to having a puncher’s chance against just about any team in the country.

14. Oregon State (Last Week #15. Ranked #14 and #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

One-half of the last of the Pac-12 is the best they’ve been in years and they have a top 25 matchup coming up with their conference chaos partner Washington State.

15. Ole Miss (Last Week #17. Ranked #15 and #16 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will vault even higher with a win over Alabama and Jaxon Dart would enter the chat of the Heisman race.

16. Iowa (Last Week #18. Ranked #24 and #22 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Hawkeyes have a tall test to prove that they are better on offense. They got to go to Penn State and play at the toughest place to visit in the nation.

17. Oklahoma (Last Week #19. Ranked #16 and #14 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Sooners are looking better but haven’t been tested yet. Cincinnati should be a solid one. They lost to their county-line rival maybe because they were looking ahead to Oklahoma.

18. UCF (Last Week #20. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

UCF hasn’t been as impressive as I thought they would be but I can’t punish them for winning. I still think Gus Malzahn will have his team make noise in the Big 12.

19. Duke (Last Week #21. Ranked #18 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Duke is among a few ‘basketball schools’ that is trying to do it on the hardwood and the gridiron this season.

20. Kansas (Last Week #22. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Jayhawks have a proven great player in Jalon Daniels at quarterback and they get a energetic BYU coming to town to open Big 12 play.

21. Louisville (Last Week #23. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Another team that is quiet in the ACC and should be doubted only at the peril of their opponent. Jeff Brohm is working hard at his alma matter.

22. UCLA (Last Week #24. Ranked #22 and #25 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

I’m excited to see what UCLA can do against the Utes. Chip Kelly’s spread to run has always been fun football and I love the fullback Carson Steele for the Bruins.

23. Washington State (Last Week Unranked. Ranked #21 and #24 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Cougars are a surprise Pac-12 team and will sneak up on some folks who may not pay attention because of the bigger names in the conference. They already beat Wisconsin and some other big name teams will be next.

24. Maryland (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Maryland is going to upset one of the Big Ten East’s big three. They came close to Ohio State last year and gave the wolverines a game too. I don’t know who but I think the turtles pull of a big upset somewhere this year.

25. BYU (Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

BYU had an energy and resilience against Arkansas that above and beyond the usual for them. Down 14, on the road, against an SEC West team, they fought back and won what could be trend setting game for them.

On the Radar

Undefeated:

Maimi (FL)

Syracuse

Mizzou

Kentucky

Auburn

Group of Five Contenders:

Memphis

Liberty

James Madison

Air Force

One-loss Teams Who Will be Back:

Alabama

LSU

Tennessee

Tulane

TCU

Kansas State

Game of the Week

BYU at Arkansas

I know I’m biased but this 38-31 shootout was as good as any game this weekend. The Cougars and Razorbacks brought the fire and the energy. Both programs seem to be on the rise in my view and I think this game will age well as the season goes on.