Texas' Upset of Alabama Shakes up the Rankings

The Top 25 in college football heading into the third full week of the season. The titanic clash between Alabama and Texas has shaken up the rankings and bowl projections for the College Football Playoff this season.

Week 3 CFB Top 25 Rankings

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. LSU and Bama are out of the rankings after both suffered big losses. 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. Mine are different from the experts but there is a method to my madness.

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

The veteran Wolverines are on cruise control in this early season, but their veteran players give them an edge over Georgia. They’re practically 1a and 1b right now. It should be more of the same against Bowling Green this week.

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

Georgia will get a little more of a test this week with divisional foe South Carolina coming to town. The Gamecocks have struggled to protect their quarterback this year and Kirby Smart’s defense has to be excited about that. They have a good chance to stay in the top two in the rankings.

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

Florida State gets their first true road game as they visit Boston College. This game should be about even to their win over Southern Mississippi this past week. I know I don’t have LSU ranked right now, but Florida State is this highly ranked because of how much respect their win over a solid LSU earns them in the rankings.

4. Penn State (Last Week #5. Ranked #7 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Things are going well in Happy Valley with lots of scoring from Drew Allar and the Penn State offense. They did what they should against Delaware and now go on the road to Illinois. Illinois beat them two years ago in nine overtimes in 2021 so I don’t expect Penn State to take them lightly. While a blowout would surprise me, I see Penn State getting to 3-0.

5. Texas (Last Week #14. Ranked #4 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Longhorns have the win of the week, hands down. The last time a team beat Bama in Tuscaloosa was in 2019 when another guy who left Ohio State for the southwest came to town. I was a doubter about Texas this year until this win. They’ve made me a believer! And like LSU, while Alabama is out of my rankings, I still know they’re one of the 15 (at least) best teams in college football, and Texas is up here because of a hard-fought win over them.

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

The Buckeyes have improved from their first game to their second and Kyle McCord looked sharp at moments. Ohio State still struggled at points and will need a complete game against Western Kentucky before going to Notre Dame. Ohio State’s spot in the rankings will tremendously depend on how they do against the Irish in two weeks.

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

The best news for USC is that their defense came to life against Stanford, holding them to only 10 points. Caleb Williams and the offense haven’t missed a beat and they won’t. The Trojans’ success this season will depend on their defense having more games like this win over Stanford.

8. Notre Dame (Last Week #8. Ranked #9 and #11 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Notre Dame faced their first test against NC State. With weather delays, it was tight for a time with the Irish having a 24-17 lead at one point before pulling away for a 45-24 win. They are liking their matchup against the Buckeyes and that game will set the tone for the season for both of those teams.

9. Tennessee (Last Week #9. Ranked #11 and #9 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Vols surprisingly struggled a little with Austin Peay with their 30-13 win. They may have been looking ahead to traveling to Gainesville to visit one of their rivals, the Florida Gators. While Tennessee will be favored and should win, playing in the Swamp is never easy and especially not in this rivalry game. No matter what the rankings are.

10. Oregon (Last Week #10. Ranked #13 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Ducks struggled against a scrappy Texas Tech but got an important road win in Lubbock. A home game against Hawaii should be a good tune-up game. Especially with Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes coming to town the following week.

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

Michael Penix will return to the Big Ten and face a rival of his former school Indiana. Going to East Lansing will be a solid test of how good the Huskies and their Heisman hopeful quarterback are this season.

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

After Florida and Baylor, the Utes get an opponent they should have less trouble with. In-state FCS power Weber State shouldn’t upset the Utes but Utah can’t take the week off either.

13. North Carolina (Last Week #13. Ranked #20 and #18 in the AP and Coaches Polls)

No rest for the Tar Heels after border rival South Carolina and instate foe Appalachian State. The Minnesota Gophers are coming to town to test Drake Maye and North Carolina.

14. Colorado (Last Week #16. Ranked #18 and #21 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Colorado doesn’t get any rest either after defending national runner-up TCU and rival Nebraska. Now Coach Prime gets a taste of another rivalry with Colorado State in the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

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

The Beavers are also facing a tough opponent from the Mountain West as they host San Diego State.

16. Kansas State (Last Week #18. Ranked #15 and in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

K-State beat a tough Troy team by much more than I thought they would. Now they face SEC and border foe in Missouri on the road as they continue to climb the rankings.

17. Ole Miss (Last Week #20. Ranked #17 and #19 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Lane Kiffin’s crew had a good win over a good team on the road. Beating defending Cotton Bowl Champions in New Orleans was no small task. Now they get to welcome ACC opponent Georgia Tech to Oxford.

18. Iowa (Last Week #21. Ranked #25 and #24 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Winning the Cy-Hawk Trophy is always important for Iowa. Now they have to make sure there’s no hangover as they take on Western Michigan.

19. Oklahoma (Last Week #22. Ranked #19 and #16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Sooners go on the road but don’t leave the state of Oklahoma as they go north to Tulsa. Then they travel to Ohio and Cincinnati to start Big 12 play.

20. UCF (Last Week #23. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Knights won a tough road game on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho and now get a home game against Villanova before starting conference play in the Big 12.

21. Duke (Last Week #25. Ranked #21 and #20 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Blue Devils will welcome fellow academic powerhouse Northwestern to Durham after having crushed Lafayette this past Saturday.

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

Kansas travels to Reno to take on Nevada before welcoming BYU to Lawrence next week to start Big 12 play after their big home win against Illinois.

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

The Cardinals will drive north to Nap Town to take on the Indiana Hoosiers after their win over Murray State.

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

Chip Kelly’s Bruins look to stay undefeated against North Carolina Central after beating SDSU and before facing the Utes.

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

The Bearcats of Cincinnati, Ohio beat their river city rival Pitt and now will play their cross-county rival in the Miami Redhawks in their first week in the rankings.

Games of the Week

Texas 34 Alabama 24

Texas’ road upset of Alabama is the Game of the Week, the Win of the Week, and the Upset of the Week. Quinn Ewers made his presence known nationally by going 24 of 38 for 349 yards and three touchdowns as Texas upset Alabama on the road.

Close Game of the Week

Rice 43 Houston 41

We stick with another Texas team winning in this tight game. Behind 400 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback J.T. Daniels and 99 yards and two touchdowns from Receiver Luke McCaffery, Rice upset Houston in double overtime in a crosstown rivalry.

Rose Bowl (Semi-Final) – Michigan vs. Florida State