College Football Rankings: Joel Klatt releases new top 10
College football has just one week to go in its regular season for 2023 before the tide turns to conference championship games and eventually bowl season.
Where has the fall gone? I swear it was like 3 weeks ago that Notre Dame was kicking off the season in Week 0 against Navy in Ireland.
A ton has happened along the way as the race is on for the College Football Playoff. Is the nation’s top-five as obvious putting the remaining unbeatens in some sort of order?
Not so fast, my friend.
Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt released his new top 10 following Week 12. Here is how Klatt has them lined up headed into rivalry week.
Penn State (9-2)
Analysis: Penn State won with relative ease against Rutgers this weekend to move to 9-2 overall. Just Michigan State sits between Penn State and a 10-win regular season, something they’ll likely get. Penn State’s defense is still very good despite not being able to slow Michigan’s running game a week ago. The Nittany Lions offense is going to need to make a major step in 2024 if they’re going to finally knock Michigan and Ohio State out of the league’s top spot.
Louisville (10-1)
Analysis: Louisville didn’t play their best game Saturday at Miami but were able to get away with it against a team that tends to shoot itself in the foot. It’s also worth noting that’s something Jeff Brohm’s teams don’t do as he’s in the conversation for national coach of the year after the Cardinals locked up their first appearance in the ACC Championship game with Saturday’s win.
Florida State (11-0)
Analysis: What did Florida State do to Klatt? I get that Jordan Travis went out with what looked like a bad injury Saturday but they’re 11-0 and have wins over LSU and at Clemson. You don’t get to 11-0 on the year simply by luck. I know they’re likely down their starting quarterback going forward but this feels like spitting in the face of Florida State.
Alabama (10-1)
Analysis: Remember back to mid-September when the sky was falling in Tuscaloosa? Alabama still has their path to the College Football Playoff ahead of them as Auburn and then the SEC Championship game against Georgia await. If the Tide win out do you really think the College Football Playoff committee isn’t going to overlook their loss to Texas earlier in the year?
Texas (10-1)
Analysis: Saturday’s win at Iowa State wasn’t the easiest of accomplishments for Texas but at the end of the day it was a 26-16 win. Texas still has a path to the College Football Playoff assuming they win out (Texas Tech and Big 12 Championship game remain) but will need some help to get there.
Oregon (10-1)
Analysis: Oregon’s only loss came by three at undefeated Washington. If the Ducks beat Oregon State next week and then avenge that loss in the Pac 12 championship game then do they stay ahead of Texas and Alabama, assuming both win out?
Washington (11-0)
Analysis: For the second time in program history, Washington is 11-0. It took a great effort against an upset-minded Oregon State on Saturday night but the Huskies, who just two years ago had their own home field stormed by visiting Washington State fans, are now a win over Washington State and again over Oregon from heading back to the CFP.
Ohio State (11-0)
Analysis: Is Ohio State’s 11-0 more impressive than Michigan’s 11-0? Who cares what the rankings say between the Buckeyes and Wolverines – this one will be decided on the field next week in one of the biggest meetings ever in series history.
Michigan (11-0)
Analysis: Are Michigan’s struggles to throw the ball the last two weeks reason for real concern or were the Wolverines just surviving back-to-back road games in order to ensure being undefeated with Ohio State coming to town next week?
Georgia (11-0)
Analysis: At times this year Georgia has struggled to look like their championship-standard selves but it certainly seems like Kirby Smart’s boys are peaking at the right time. If Carson Beck plays like he did in Georgia’s blowout win at Tennessee on Saturday then the Dawgs are going to be really tough to beat (not that they won’t be even on a bad day for Beck).
