Week 8 College Football Top 25

Posted on by thefloorslap
  1. Ohio State (6-0); AP rank: 2
  2. Georgia (7-0); AP rank: 1
  3. Tennessee (6-0); AP rank: 3
    • I understand Tennessee fans’ insistence that they deserve the #1 spot. To be frank, any of the top 4 teams have a legitimate case. But as far as I’m concerned, Alabama was a deeply flawed team entering week 7. They were the 3rd best team in the country and – in my eyes – in a tier well below Ohio State and Georgia. What we saw on Saturday was a matchup of truly evenly matched teams. Had that game been played in Tuscaloosa, Alabama probably wins by a field goal. And apart from that game, Vol fans are hanging their hat over an OT win against a mediocre-at-best Pitt team and a 5-point home win against a tail-spinning Florida team. Tennessee narrowly beat the #3 team in the country, so they deserve to be #3. But with back-to-back games against Kentucky and Georgia in a couple weeks, they’ll have every opportunity to take the #1 spot.
  4. Michigan (7-0); AP rank: 4
  5. Clemson (7-0); AP rank: 5
  6. UCLA (6-0); AP rank: 9
    • UCLA is becoming criminally underrated in the public eye. Do I think they’ll run the table and finish as a top 6 team? No. But these rankings aren’t about predictions. The Bruins have a well-balanced yet lethal offense that is 12th nationally in yards per game and 8th in yards per play. Defensively, their numbers are a bit skewed because they’ve played ahead the majority of the year which has forced teams to pass a lot early. Nonetheless, they allow less than 3 yards per carry and are 10th nationally in turnovers forced. Although they have a big test to pass this week in Eugene, OR, their dominant win over Utah keeps them ranked amongst the country’s elite.
  7. Alabama (6-1); AP rank: 6
    • As I mentioned before, this Alabama team is deeply flawed. The penalties, drops, and defensive woes could have them easily sitting at 4-3 right now. Even though they lost to Tennessee by just the skin of their teeth, this team is way too reliant on Bryce Young to make absurd plays. But he really is good enough to carry this team back to the playoffs. The Tide will likely win out and face Georgia (or maybe even Tennessee again) in the SEC title.
  8. TCU (6-0); AP rank: 8
  9. Ole Miss (7-0); AP rank: 7
    • I have Ole Miss ranked a bit lower because I just haven’t been impressed with them. Their only key win was a 3-point win at home against Kentucky – a game that should have been a loss had it not been for a questionable targeting call. They’ve also made Vanderbilt and Auburn look like competent football teams in each of the past two weeks. Nonetheless, 7-0 speaks louder than their questionable play, so they are still deserving of a top 10 spot.
  10. Oregon (5-1); AP rank: 10
  11. Wake Forest (5-1); AP rank: 13
  12. USC (6-1); AP rank: 12
  13. Oklahoma State (5-1); AP rank: 11
  14. Syracuse (6-0); AP rank: 14
    • Syracuse is still the lone undefeated Power Five team to be ranked below a one-loss team. Although their 3-point win over Purdue looks better by the week, they were helped by two phantom unsportsmanlike penalties on Purdue which made them kick off from their own 10 with under a minute left. The Orange also barely squeaked out a win against Virginia – one of the worst Power Five teams. And their win against NC State doesn’t hold much merit in my mind now that Devin Leary is hurt. The travel to Clemson this week and I expect the Tigers to make quick work of Syracuse.
  15. Illinois (6-1); AP rank: 18
    • Illinois absolutely dominated Minnesota on Saturday, outgaining them 472-180. They were more well-balanced offensively than they have been all year and were stout as usual on defense, forcing 3 turnovers. It’s about time we consider the Illini are a legitimately good team. With maybe the country’s best defense, the nation’s leading rusher in Chase Brown, and a QB who is improving by the week, Illinois deserves respect.
  16. Penn State (5-1); AP rank: 16
  17. Kansas State (5-1); AP rank: 17
  18. Utah (5-2); AP rank: 15
  19. Cincinnati (5-1); AP rank: 21
  20. Texas (5-2) AP rank: 20
  21. Kentucky (5-2); AP rank: 19
  22. North Carolina (6-1); AP rank: 22
  23. Purdue (5-2); AP rank: unranked
    • After a 1-2 start, a hopeful season appeared to be going downhill quickly for Purdue. But thanks to a reinvented run game and a full health Aidan O’Connell, the Boilers have strung together four straight wins. Although their back-seven has gotten exposed the past two weeks against Maryland and Nebraska, Purdue can score with the best of them. Out of the other teams contending for a top-25 spot, I think Purdue is playing the best football.
  24. LSU (5-2); AP rank: unranked
    • The AP’s decision to rank Mississippi State is pretty bizarre to me, considering LSU beat Mississippi State 31-16 earlier this season. Mississippi State’s other loss was against Kentucky, while LSU’s was against Tennessee. Which one is more forgiving?
  25. Tulane (6-1); AP rank: unranked
    • Why the hell not?? They knocked off Kansas State 17-10 in week 3 and look primed to be 10-1 entering their season finale against Cincinnati. QB Michael Pratt has completed 72% of his passes for 655 yards, 4 TDs, and 0 turnovers over the past two weeks.

Number of Ranked Teams by Conference:

ACC: 4, Big 12: 4, Big Ten: 5, Pac 12: 4, SEC: 6, other: 2

Notable Unranked Teams

  1. NC State (5-2); AP rank: 23
    • As I mentioned before, QB Devin Leary is done for the year. And with him, goes the Wolfpack’s hope at relevance this year (especially considering the overall weakness of the ACC).
  2. Mississippi State (5-2); AP rank: 24
    • Again, how could you rank them above LSU after they lost by 15 points earlier this season? They don’t have a marquee win and have done nothing to merit being ranked.
  3. Liberty (6-1); AP rank: unranked
    • This was actually a tough call, as their only loss was by one point at Wake Forest. But they just haven’t been able to dominate any of their other, much weaker competition. Most recently, they edged out 2-5 Gardner-Webb 21-20. I’d rather wait to see how they do in their next two games against BYU and Arkansas before ranking them with confidence.
  4. Oregon State (5-2); AP rank: unranked
    • Their 17-14 loss to USC was as reasonable of a loss as you can find, but they followed that up with a 42-16 spanking against Utah and a tight 28-27 win against 2-4 Stanford. Their offense just is not good enough to merit ranking right now.
  5. Washington (5-2); AP rank: unranked
    • Not only have they lost 2 of 3, but their “big” win against Michigan State holds nothing now.