15. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2)
Texas A&M’s undefeated run in the SEC came to an emphatic end two weekends ago in Columbia. A&M entered the week as one of the hottest teams in the country. A season-opening loss to Notre Dame was followed by seven wins — including two victories over Top 10 opponents in its last three games. However, the Aggies ran into a buzzsaw and were thoroughly outclassed by South Carolina. Entering the game, A&M hadn’t allowed an opponent to score more than 24 points. Not only did the Gamecocks put up 44, but they also generated 530 yards of offense.
14. Georgia Bulldogs (7-2)
The Bulldogs need to be perfect for the remainder of the regular season if they want a chance to reach the College Football Playoff. Following last week’s 18-point loss to Ole Miss, Georgia is 7-2 and has lost to two teams that will be challenging for spots in the CFP, as well. A win this weekend over Tennessee would likely give the Bulldogs enough of a boost to secure a spot — but a win is far from guaranteed. This is the most vulnerable Georgia has been in years.
13. Miami Hurricanes (9-1)
Well, that wasn’t the type of performance Miami was hoping for. While the Hurricanes are still in position to appear in the ACC Championship Game and potentially secure a top-4 seed in the College Football Playoff, they no longer have any room for error. A 10-7 lead after 15 minutes of action turned into a 28-16 deficit two minutes into the fourth quarter. Trailing by five with under two minutes on the clock, Heisman contender Cam Ward was sacked and fumbled the ball back to Georgia Tech. While the Canes finished with just one turnover, the offense also turned the ball over on downs three times on Tech’s side of the field.
12. SMU Mustangs (8-1)
Two weeks ago, SMU hosted the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers. While Pitt was the team that entered the game undefeated, SMU made sure the country knew that it was the superior team. Kevin Jennings threw for 306 yards and two scores and tailback Brashard Smith gashed the Panthers for 161 yards and two TDs on 23 carries. SMU took a 31-3 lead into halftime and led 48-11 deep into the fourth quarter before allowing two touchdowns in the final four minutes. With Miami’s loss to Georgia Tech last weekend, the Mustangs are suddenly alone atop the ACC.
11. Ole Miss Rebels (8-2)
Ole Miss greatly improved its chances of making the 12-team College Football Playoff last weekend. Entering the week at 7-2, the Rebels needed to win their last three games of the season to have any chance at reaching the CFP. The first team they needed to conquer? The Georgia Bulldogs. Lane Kiffin’s group controlled Georgia throughout the contest, despite what the 16-7 halftime score may suggest. After the intermission, the Rebels outscored Georgia 12-3 en route to an 18-point triumph. The team may need some help to secure a spot in the CFP, but it shouldn’t have trouble finishing with a 10-2 record (@ Florida, vs. Mississippi State).
10. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2)
In a de facto elimination game against the rival LSU Tigers, Alabama made an emphatic statement and saved its season. Playing a night game at Death Valley, the Tide destroyed LSU with ease. Jalen Milroe finished with a pedestrian line throwing the ball — 12-of-18 for 109 yards — but he was unstoppable on the ground. Milroe rushed for a career-high 185 yards and four TDs on just 12 carries. Alabama scored the opening touchdown and never saw its lead drop below four points. After facing Mercer this weekend, the Tide will finish the regular season with games against teams toward the bottom of the SEC standings — Oklahoma and Auburn, respectively.
9. Boise State Broncos (8-1)
Boise State continues to chug along toward the College Football Playoff. The Broncos improved to 8-1 with their win over Nevada, and their lone loss came against No. 1 Oregon — a 37-34 defeat in Eugene. Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty added another massive performance to his case. The nation’s leading rusher finished the night with 209 yards and three TDs and is now up to 1,734 yards and 23 TDs for the season.
8. Tennessee Volunteers (8-1)
The Vols are 8-1 and could all but guarantee a place in the College Football Playoff with a win this weekend. Tennessee has won four games in a row following its ugly 19-14 loss at Arkansas. Last week, running back Dylan Sampson had more carries (30) than the Vols had pass attempts (21). Sampson rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown, while Nico Iamaleava tossed two TD passes and finished 8-of-13 for 174 yards. In addition to being in a good spot to reach the CFP with a win this weekend, the Vols will reach the SEC Championship if they win their last three games.
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-1)
Thanks for showing up, Florida State. The Seminoles are awful and Notre Dame didn’t mind running up the score on its old rival. Riley Leonard contributed two touchdowns before halftime, including a 34-yard rushing score, while Jadarian Price gashed FSU for a 65-yard TD run of his own. The second half featured a pick-six and 31 unanswered points for the Irish. Overall, the Irish outgained FSU 453-208 and allowed just three points.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1)
On the heels of their loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions laid the smackdown on Washington to improve to 8-1. State was unstoppable on the ground as it rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns — led by Kaytron Allen (98 yards and one TD) and Corey Smith (95 yards on five carries). A 28-0 lead at halftime was insurmountable for the Huskies as they finished the night with 193 total yards. If Penn State wins out, it will be in the College Football Playoff. James Franklin’s crew finishes the regular season with three very winnable games — @ Purdue, @ Minnesota, vs. Maryland.
5. BYU Cougars (9-0)
BYU nearly suffered its first loss of the season last weekend. Facing their rival, Utah, the Cougars struggled to find their footing offensively as they played a sloppy brand of football. A 10-7 lead in the second quarter quickly turned into a 21-10 deficit as Utah ended the half with two touchdowns in the final 5:30. Following the break, BYU’s defense shut out the Utes and gave the offense numerous opportunities to win the game. Trailing 21-19 with less than two minutes to play, BYU capitalized on some iffy officiating and drove 65 yards to win the game. With three seconds on the clock, Will Ferrin drilled a 44-yard field goal to steal the victory.
4. Indiana Hoosiers (10-0)
All it took for the AP voters to move Indiana from No. 8 to No. 5 was a win over a very average Michigan team. The Hoosiers dominated their first nine opponents — winning every game by at least 14 points — and appeared to be on their way to a convincing win over the Wolverines. IU scored touchdowns on two of its first three drives and went on a 17-0 run following a Michigan field goal to open the scoring. However, the second half was a different story. Indiana’s offense sputtered after the break and finished the second half with less than 20 total yards. The defense came through when it mattered most, turning Michigan over on downs with 1:41 remaining to preserve a 20-15 lead. Next, in two weeks, Indiana heads to Columbus for a massive showdown with the Buckeyes.
3. Texas Longhorns (8-1)
Florida may have challenged Georgia for nearly 60 minutes, but the Gators were no match for Texas. The Longhorns secured their second win in a row following their loss to Georgia. Quinn Ewers carved up Florida’s defense to the tune of 333 yards and five touchdowns. As a team, Texas averaged 6.8 yards per carry and finished with 210 yards and two scores. The CFP contenders built a 42-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half before taking their foot off the gas.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1)
The Buckeyes are back on track following two so-so performances. A four-point win over Nebraska followed their loss to Oregon, and then the Buckeyes knocked off Penn State in Happy Valley with a decent performance. However, last week’s thrashing of Purdue looked much more like the team many pegged as the National Championship favorite in the offseason. Quarterback Will Howard finished with three passing TDs and one rushing score. Defensively, Ohio State held Hudson Card to 108 passing yards and forced two turnovers — including a scoop-and-score.
1. Oregon Ducks (10-0)
At 10-0, the Oregon Ducks have likely done enough to secure a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, no matter how they finish the regular season. Oregon defeated Maryland by three touchdowns last weekend — its fourth victory in a row by at least 21 points — and remains tied atop the Big Ten with Indiana. This week, Oregon travels to Wisconsin to take on a Badgers team that has lost their last two games by a combined 47 points. A Bye Week follows this weekend’s game, and then Oregon will face Washington in its last game of the regular season.
