What College Football Playoff rankings would look like today
Week 8 of the college football season, though it did not feature any highly ranked matchups, still provided its excitement.
Georgia was on a bye week. Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Alabama and Oregon all struggled against inferior, unranked programs. Ohio State and Michigan both cruised to big wins. And Penn State and Oklahoma State both suffered a loss to unranked teams.
Here we give a look at how we would rank the top 10 teams if the College Football Playoff rankings came out after Week 7.
The initial round of rankings will be released on Nov. 2.
10. Wake Forest (7-0)
Oct 23, 2021; West Point, New York, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Christian Beal-Smith (1) runs with the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
Wake is a 7-0 ACC team, it’s about time it starts getting some love. It just dropped 70 in a win over Army, but did give up 56 points.
The most impressive part of its 70 points? It only took Wake Forest 17 minutes of possession to do it.
9. Ole Miss (6-1)
Oct 23, 2021; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Jerrion Ealy (left) and Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Dontario Drummond (right) celebrate after a Ealy touchdown during the second half against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
The Rebels are 6-1 and their only loss is to Alabama. Give me Ole Miss at No. 9 because, unlike a lot of the other teams in the top-10, they’re fun to watch.
8. Kentucky (6-1)
Oct 16, 2021; Athens, Georgia, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis (7) passes against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Say what you want about the Wildcats but other than Clemson, Kentucky played Georgia better than anyone this year.
7. Michigan State (7-0)
Oct 16, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Jalen Nailor (8) sings with his team to the fans after the match against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Spartans win 20-15. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
This week is the big one. We’ll see how legit the Spartans are when they take on Michigan on Saturday.
6. Alabama (7-1)
Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. (4) escapes a tackle by Tennessee defensive back Kamal Hadden (13)during a football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
This just is not your typical Alabama team. Look at last night — the Tide were in a fight against Tennessee until blowing the door open late and winning by 28. But that was a close game for a long time and Alabama looked vulnerable.
But don’t get ahead of yourself. Alabama should still make the SEC Championship Game and if/when it does, expect Nick Saban to put up a great battle against Georgia.
5. Ohio State (6-1)
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) blows a kiss to the sky after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of a NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Quite honestly, I think the Buckeyes are the third best team in the nation, but they suffered a loss to Oregon so will have to continue climbing the rankings and hoping one of these undefeated teams ahead of them lose at some point.
Ohio State has the nation’s No. 1 offense and is averaging 559 yards per game. Think about that for a second.
The Buckeyes have the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation and quarterback CJ Stroud is passing for 340 yards per game and has thrown three interceptions all year. They’re running the ball extremely well, averaging 210 rushing yards per game.
4. Michigan (7-0)
Michigan Wolverines running back Hassan Haskins (25) runs by Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Trent Carrington (20) and linebacker Peter McIntyre (40) during second half action Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at Michigan Stadium. Syndication: Detroit Free Press
I almost put Michigan at No. 3, but I still want to see what happens this coming weekend against Michigan State before I do that. If the Wolverines beat the Spartans, heck, I’ll put Michigan at No. 2.
3. Cincinnati (7-0)
Oct 23, 2021; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Darrian Beavers (0) and linebacker Ty Van Fossen (13) upend Navy Midshipmen fullback Chance Warren (0) during the fourth quarter at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati, as a Group of Five team you need to avoid poor performances against far inferior programs. Yesterday, it did not do that and only beat a one-win Navy team by a touchdown.
More of those and the Bearcats will start to slide.
2. Oklahoma (8-0)
Oct 23, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams (13) talks with head coach Lincoln Riley during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma was as disappointing as Cincinnati yesterday. Sure, the Sooners are 8-0, but things are going to get really ugly for Oklahoma when it has to play a Georgia, Ohio State or Alabama in the College Football Playoff.
1. Georgia (7-0)
Oct 16, 2021; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) reacts with tight end John FitzPatrick (86) after scoring a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
No change here. A bye week does not change the fact that Georgia is easily the No. 1 team in America.
Teams that pose biggest threat to Georgia's title hopes
Who could stand in the way of Georgia winning it all?
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