Post-Week 3 CFB Top 25
I’ve always found preseason rankings to be, for the most part, useless. A preseason ranking is based purely on predictions and projections, and with that comes bias from the very beginning. If anything, those very preseason rankings should simply be identical to the previous seasons’ post-season rankings. So when should we start ranking teams? I’d say, right about now. Three weeks into the season, we are finally getting some sense of how good these teams are and how they project the rest of the way. So, I present to you my first Top-25 rankings off the season:
- Clemson Tigers (3–0)
The Tigers have taken care of business rather swimmingly early on. Blowouts over Georgia Tech and Syracuse plus a convincing win over a good Texas A&M team have proven that Clemson shows no signs of slowing down in hopes of building off of last year’s championship run.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (3–0)
Alabama was not tested in the first couple weeks this season so it was hard to see where they stand within the elites of college football. That is until they went into Columbia and dominated the South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina is not a team to scoff at, and they competed early but Alabama was simply too talented and too good, as they pulled away early in the second half.
3. LSU (3–0)
To me, this is the team that has proved the most in the early going of the season. Going into a hostile environment at Texas, LSU flexed their muscles. This could very easily be the best LSU team we’ve seen since that national championship loss to Alabama in 2012. Complete with their signature suffocating defense, the Tigers are equipped with a true Heisman candidate and proven winner Joe Burrow at quarterback, something LSU has lacked in recent memory.
4. Oklahoma (3–0)
A lot was made of the Sooners’ addition of Jalen Hurts in the offseason and he has exceeded all expectations to this point. The clear Heisman frontrunner, so far, has done nothing but put up incredible numbers in his first three games for Oklahoma. No opponent of theirs to this point will jump off the page but an 18 point win over a solid Dana Holgorsen-led Houston shows me all I need to know here early on.
5. Ohio State (3–0)
The Buckeyes are yet to be truly tested but sizable wins against Cincinnati and Indiana prove enough to me to include them in the top five. Justin Fields appears to be as advertised and first-year Head Coach Ryan Day appears to have Ohio State clicking on all cylinders.
6. Georgia (3–0)
The most recent AP Poll has the Bulldogs at #3 but they have not proven as much as the likes of LSU, Oklahoma and Ohio State to warrant being above them, in my opinion. I definitely see them as one of the elite teams in the nation, in the same category, but they just haven’t been forced to prove anything in wins against Vanderbilt, Murray State, and Arkansas State
7. Auburn Tigers (3–0)
The main driving force behind Auburn being so high is that resilient come from behind victory against Oregon in Week 1. True Freshman QB Bo Nix proved he belongs, overcoming a rough start to ultimately lead the Tigers to victory. Between that and a strong defense, led by one of the best defensive lines in the country, Auburn has a chance to wreak havoc in the SEC.
8. Michigan Wolverines (2–0)
Michigan has only played two games to this point and it’s hard to tell exactly where they stand. Their Week 2 matchup with Army was a polarizing one, in which the Wolverines and Black Knights battled throughout regulation and into OT, and ultimately Michigan came out on top. Beating Army is never an easy task, given the unique nature of their offensive attack, and Michigan overcame this to squeak by. Given that level of difficulty against what I see as a Top 25 team, Michigan hangs around in the Top 10.
9. Texas (3–0)
Matchups with Louisiana Tech and Rice don’t really tell us much but ultimately Texas hung tough with LSU, en route to losing by a touchdown. The score of that game appears closer than it was, but nonetheless, this is a great Longhorns team who has only lost to a Top 3 team. Texas is indeed back folks.
10. Wisconsin (2–0)
Another team that we’ve only seen twice this season, Wisconsin is fairly difficult to evaluate. What sticks out here, is that through those two games, the Badgers have not allowed a single point. USF may not be a great team, but they are certainly no cupcake. Jonathan Taylor continues to be one of the best players in the nation and with an elite offensive-line and signature stellar defense, Wisconsin will once again be a force to be reckoned with, as the clear favorite in the Big Ten West.
11. Notre Dame (2–0)
I have been an open doubter of the Fighting Irish, both early this year and all of last year. This team, to me, does not have what it takes to compete with the best college football has to offer. Notre Dame was not challenged by its schedule much if at all, last year but that won’t be the case this year. This upcoming weekend, the Irish will be tested and we will see who they really are as they travel to Athens and will take on Georgia. This is the type of game I just don’t see Notre Dame being able to compete in. Don’t expect to see them this high in the rankings beyond this week.
12. UCF (3–0)
When star QB Mackenzie Milton went down with that gruesome injury last season, everyone wrote off the Knights. However, Freshman QB Dillon Gabriel has filled Milton’s shoes nicely and has led UCF to a 3–0 start, highlighted by a convincing 45–27 victory over Stanford this past weekend. UCF has a chance to run the table yet again, and could very find themselves in a New Years’ 6 bowl game. It is important to note that due to the College Football Playoff bowl rotation, there is no automatic bid for the best Group of 5 team.
13. Oregon (2–1)
The Ducks are without a doubt, the best one-loss team in the nation. As previously noted, their one loss came to Auburn, in a game that saw Oregon outplay Auburn for much of the sixty minutes. Oregon’s late October matchup, at home, against Washington State may end up determining the Pac-12 North Division. If the Ducks can run the table through Wazzu, Washington and the Pac-12 South’s best in the championship game, they could very well end up in the College Football Playoff.
14. Penn State (3–0)
Penn State is another one of those teams that is hard to rank and project so early in the season. Now without Trace McSorley and Miles Sanders, the Nittany Lions find themselves in search of a true offensive identity. The defense has looked stellar and is likely the best we’ve seen in James Franklin’s tenure as Head Coach. The key here is a slim margin of victory of in-state rival Pittsburgh. This is a game in which Pitt appeared to be more motivated, and nearly willed themselves to victory, so I wouldn’t look too deeply into this result. After a bye this upcoming weekend, Penn State begins Big Ten play at pesky Maryland, before a tough stretch which includes Michigan and a pair of tough road games, in Iowa and Michigan State.
15. Utah (3–0)
The 2019 Utes have been a popular Cinderella pick early on to make a run in the Pac-12 and potentially into the College Football Playoff. They have certainly shown that on the field so far, with a 3–0 start, headlined by a 30–12 win over a good BYU team. Their schedule is quite favorable as it won’t kill them but does have a number of games where they will be challenged and can prove their ability (Cal, Arizona State, at Washington).
16. Texas A&M (2–1)
The Aggies are an interesting team early on. With two blowout victories, they have taken care of business in games they absolutely have to win, but it’s the loss to Clemson that is so peculiar. 24–10 was the final score of that matchup and it seemed as if Clemson had the game in control the whole way. To me, what this game showed was that even if they’re not among the nation’s elites, they are a very good team that could cause problems for some of those elites in the SEC. I could see this team finishing right around here or potentially as high as the Top 10.
17. Washington State (3–0)
A loss in snowy conditions in last year’s Apple Cup kept the Cougars from reaching the Pac-12 Championship Game and a potential trip to the College Football Playoff. This year QB Anthony Gordon has shown up big time, as he looks to fill the shoes of Heisman contender Gardner Minshew. After two blowouts to start the season, Wazzu took on and defeated a talented Houston team. The Cougars season will hinge on what they can do in Pac-12 play, amid one of the toughest road schedules you’ll see this season, as they will have to travel to Utah, Arizona State, Oregon, Cal, and Washington.
18. Florida (3–0)
This is the ranking that may surprise the most people, and what may surprise you more is that even without the injury to Felipe Franks, this is where I see the Gators. Florida is a good team, however, they are not Top 10 quality and I think that showed this past week against Kentucky. With games against Auburn and Georgia, and at LSU and South Carolina, I don’t see this team being able to contend in the SEC.
19. Iowa (3–0)
Under Kirk Ferentz, Iowa is always a pesky team to watch in the Big Ten, especially in the West division. Going into hostile territory and overcoming a seemingly endless weather delay, the Hawkeyes proved some of that signature grit and resilience in a victory over in-state rival Iowa State. Games against Penn State, at Michigan and at Wisconsin will go a long way in determining how we view the 2019 Iowa Hawkeyes. Getting past Wisconsin in that West division will not be easy, but if anyone can do it, it’s Iowa.
20. Oklahoma State
Left off this week’s AP Poll, the Cowboys have been somewhat overlooked during this young season. This is a team that has the nation’s leading rusher, Chuba Hubbard and leading receiver, Tylan Wallace. With wins over Oregon State, McNeese State, and Tulsa, they really haven’t had to prove much, but we will see who they really are as they travel to Texas this weekend to take on the Longhorns.
21. TCU (2–0)
This is another squad who garnered significant preseason hype, and they haven’t disappointed early. The Horned Frogs haven’t really been tested yet and through only two games, it’s hard to see exactly where they’re at but this is a legit Top 25 team.
22. Army (2–1)
I simply don’t get how the AP and College Football Playoff committee has neglected the Black Knights of West Point. This is a team that has taken Michigan and Oklahoma to overtime within the past two seasons and has suffered only one other loss. Not to mention having a Heisman QB at the helm. Watch out for these guys. As mentioned before, the CFP bowl rotation does not include an automatic bid for the best non-Power 5 team so it’ll be tough for Army to end up in a New Years’ 6 bowl but don’t rule out seeing them finish as one of the top 15 teams in the nation.
23. Boise State (3–0)
Led by Freshman QB Hank Bachmeier, the Broncos haven’t had the most convincing of wins in the early going but they are 3–0. Florida State, regardless of record, is still a talented Power 5 squad, and Marshall could be a sneaky Group of 5 team this season. Boise has beaten each by a possession each, which as mentioned is not very convincing but the Broncos have looked promising and look to be in great hands with the young Bachmeier at the helm.
24. Washington(2–1)
Pinpointing exactly where to rank these Huskies was one of my tougher decisions. The key here is their one loss, which came to California, who is currently ranked #23 by the AP. I, however, did not rank Cal, so this is where it becomes tough to rank Washington. Regardless of rank, Cal is a good team and a one-point loss to them, shouldn’t kill Washington. The Huskies winning out is not out of the question, but Oregon and Washington State will have something to say about that.
25. BYU (2–1)
BYU, to me, is a team that not enough people have talked about. Seeing a 2–1 record next to BYU may make you wonder why I am ranking them, but the Cougars one loss came against Utah, who I have ranked at 15 (AP #11), in week one. In addition to that somewhat acceptable loss, the Cougars have defeated Tennessee and USC. While both of these victories came in OT, and neither of the two has lived up to their name so far, these are impressive wins. This upcoming weekend, Washington will travel to Provo and take on BYU, and this will be BYU’s biggest test the rest of the way. If BYU can find a way to win this weekend, running the table is absolutely a possibility.
-Tyler Benenati
Sports Throne Blogger
