Author: George Wrighster

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 12 As it Should Be. Saturday started with seven undefeated teams, and now we are down to five. Firstly, my head may explode if one more person says LSU has four top 10 wins. They don’t. Texas was severely over ranked in the preseason and isn’t even in the top 25 right now. Your wins count for where those teams are ranked now. Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings. I’m not sure why I have to explain this but clearly I do.

Secondly, LSU vs Alabama was a great football game. But, the media and fans acting like it was the “Game of the Century” was tiring. Truth be told, there were five other games this season that were just as good.

Texas v LSU, Penn St vs Michigan, Oregon vs Washington, UCLA vs Washington State, Notre Dame vs Georgia

Every year there is always talk about the potential for chaos. I believe we may actually get some wild finishes to the season.

The biggest debate this week will be the #4 spot. Will the committee reward quality wins and schedules or named brands?

College Football Playoff

After the first CFB Playoff Committee rankings, we have enough information to put playoff scenarios together. So here is how it should shake out at this point. Check back here on Tuesday for the Road to the Playoff series where we examine every team’s path to the top 4.

1. SEC Champion- LSU and Georgia have the inside track to play in the SEC championship. Ironically, Auburn could put the entire SEC out of the playoff by beating UGA and Alabama, then have 2-loss UGA win the SEC championship.
2. Undefeated or 1-loss Big Ten Winner– (Ohio State/Minnesota/Penn State): The only thing that could mess up the Big Ten selection is if 2-loss Wisconsin wins the Big Ten Championship.
3. Clemson– They have no competition in the ACC so they will finish undefeated with a string of blowout victories.
4. Pac-12 Champion– (Oregon/Utah) If both teams finish the season 11-1 the conference championship game will feature a top 10 showdown. And both teams are playing exceptional football right now.

The Big 12 is in trouble. Baylor can’t score and Oklahoma can’t play defense and there are no signature wins possible to jump other teams.

The way this season is shaping up, everyone may be on board with an 8 team playoff. There will be so many 1 loss teams who will be deserving of a chance to play for a championship. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have the five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team to get automatic bids? There would still be two spots left for at-large bids. You would always get the best and most deserving teams in the tournament. That might actually cause teams to schedule better non-conference games because they would know they could still get in the CFB Playoffs with 1-2 losses. Fans would then get better games.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. These rankings are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.

I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 11.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10:

Next Up: Florida, Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan

Baylor has looked awful offensively in back-to-back weeks. Nothing about this team makes me believe they can beat any of the top 10 teams. They were #9 last week but can’t crack the CFTAISB this week.

10. Penn State (8-1)

Last Week: 26-31 (L) at Minnesota

PSU drank the “rat poison”. They showed up to Minnesota thinking they were all that and got punched in the mouth. The Nittany Lions tried to fight back but came up short. It was troubling to see their secondary have so many miscommunications and leave receivers wide open. And it was a very inopportune time for quarterback Sean Clifford to throw three interceptions.

All is not lost though. Penn State can still get to the Big Ten Championship by knocking off Ohio State.

9. Oklahoma Sooners (8-1)

Last Week: at 42-41 (W) vs Iowa State

Oklahoma’s defense is a real problem. No lead is safe because they cannot stop anyone. Part of the reason things got so bad against Iowa State is that injuries have caused them to be extremely thin in the secondary. The defense has struggled against Kansas State and Iowa State. So, imagine what Clemson, LSU, or Ohio State would do to Oklahoma.

Jalen Hurts had another great performance with over 330 total yards and five total touchdowns. But that was almost not enough. I would be surprised if the Sooners finish the rest of the season undefeated because they are playing with fire.

8. Minnesota (9-0)

Last Week: 31-26 (W) vs Penn State

Minnesota made a believer out of all the doubters. They clearly felt disrespected by the CFB Playoff committee ranking them #17.

It was a good thing that Minnesota signed PJ Fleck to that huge contract extension before the Penn State game. It would have cost more after Saturday. The Golden Gophers are for real. They have a humongous offensive line. I’m not sure I have ever seen a line this big. The secondary is extremely opportunistic. They can’t beat Iowa, Wisconsin, then Ohio State… right?

The name of the name is “win and you are in” for the Golden Gophers.

7. Georgia Bulldogs (8-1)

Last Week: 27-0 (W) vs Missouri

Georgia won 27-0 but it was not a very impressive win. The defense looked very good against an average Missouri offense. But, the offense was pretty pedestrian. The Bulldogs only managed 339 yards of total offense and wasn’t very explosive.

Their loss to South Carolina looks even worse this week after the Gamecocks lost to Appalachian State. Georgia is a very talented team but I can see a scenario where they drop another game before the SEC championship. Kirby Smart plays much too conservative to win anything.

Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:

6. Utah (8-1)

Last Week: IDLE

The Utes are by far the most underrated team in college football. If they mess around and sneak in the playoff, they can shock the world. Their defense is experienced and physical. Utah’s quarterback, Tyler Huntley may be having the best season of any quarterback in the Pac-12. 

Some are even arguing they are better than the Oregon Ducks. If you haven’t watched them play, Florida would be a really good comparison except UF has more explosive wide receivers.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1)

Last Week: 41-46 (L) vs LSU

Bama hadn’t played anybody with a pulse all year. When they finally did play their first top 25 team (TAMU is currently unranked), or team with a pulse, they lost. The Crimson Tide were not battle-tested while LSU had played Texas, Florida, and Auburn.

Tua fought hard and showed a lot of heart, but LSU was just too much. Most of the second half defensive stops had more to do with Joe Burrow missing throws than Alabama’s defense. It is clear that Bama is supremely talented offensively, but their defense is not what we are accustomed to. It would take a lot of chaos for Alabama to be deserving of a playoff spot.

They would need LSU to lose twice to make it to the SEC championship game. And if Bama were to beat Auburn, it would be their only quality win.

4. Oregon Ducks (8-1)

Last Week: IDLE

I would be pissed if I were Oregon. All week most of the national media debated their CFB Playoff chances and dismissed their defense and ability to compete with their preseason darlings. Expect Mario Cristobal to try and run up the score on their next three opponents before the Pac-12 championship to make a statement..

This is Oregon’s best team since the 2015 team that went to the CFB Championship in 2015. East coast bias will try and dismiss the Ducks, but this is a complete football team. They are one of the few teams in the nation who are tops in the nation in scoring offense and scoring defense.

People thought the Pac-12 was out of the CFB Playoff conversation. But eleven weeks into the season Oregon and Utah are squarely back in the conversation.

3. Clemson Tigers (10-0)

Last Week: 55-10 (W) at NC State

This game was over after Clemson scored 28 points int he first quarter. How is the ACC so bad?

What Clemson is missing schedule, they make up for with dominance. It’s crazy to me that so many people knock Clemson’s schedule while barely mentioning Alabama’s weak schedule. At least the Tigers tried to have a good schedule. They play their conference games plus South Carolina and Texas A&M to bring them to ten Power 5 games. Bama scheduled Duke, NMST, So. Miss, and WCU.

Clemson doesn’t have any obvious opportunities for quality wins on the schedule, so it is crucial they finish the season undefeated.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0)

Last Week: 73-14 (W) vs Maryland

The suspension to Chase Young and people questioning their #1 ranking only made Ohio State mad. They put a hurting on Maryland. If this where high school football in Arizona or New York, OSU head coach Ryan Day would be fired for running up the score. Not only did they score 73 points, but they also racked up 705 yards of total offense, and held Maryland to 139 yards.

We are a week away from the meat of the Buckeyes schedule. They play Penn State and Michigan after they destroy Rutgers this upcoming weekend.

Chase Young being suspended over a loan he says he repaid only makes the #NIL situation worse for the NCAA.
They will already be trying to push whatever “collegiate model” means as meaningful change but people and the states won’t be going for it.https://t.co/dPiwPEgyMi

— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) November 8, 2019

1. LSU (9-0)

Last Week: 46-41 (W) at Alabama

LSU looks so unstoppable on offense. They can throw the ball downfield or run teams over. Joe Burrow cemented himself at the very least a Heisman finalist, if not sewing up the win. My biggest concern is this defense that has given up 38 points or more three times this season. But the good news is the offense is so potent LSU can win a shootout. Make no mistake, this is not an Oklahoma defense situation.

It is impossible to deny the Tigers’ body of work up to this point. Overtaking the #1 team in the College Football Top 10 As It Should Be Week 12 when the #1 team has been as dominant as Ohio State is a difficult task. But, LSU’s schedule played so far has been better and they knocked off Alabama last week.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 12.

In back to back weeks we have a major upset that affects the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9 As it Should Be team. Wisconsin fell to Illinois a week after Georgia got stunned by South Carolina. UGA fell to #10 in the AP poll despite losing at home to a team with a 2-3 record. But, watch how far Wisconsin falls down the polls after losing on the road. This is the entire reason the CFB rankings As It Should Be was created. Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

The way this season is shaping up, everyone may be on board with an 8 team playoff. There will be so many 1 loss teams who will be deserving of a chance to play for a championship. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have the five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team to get automatic bids? There would still be two spots left for at-large bids. You would always get the best and most deserving teams in the tournament. That might actually cause teams to schedule better non-conference games because they would know they could still get in the CFB Playoffs with 1-2 losses. Fans would then get better games.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. These rankings are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.

I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 8.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9:

Next Up: Auburn, Georgia, SMU, Baylor, Wisconsin

Before you even ask: Auburn led Oregon for :09 of that game and Bo Nix has been awful passing the ball against any team with a pulse. Georgia has to play their way back in the mix after losing to 2-3 South Carolina at home.

10. Utah (6-1)

Last Week: Arizona State

Utah has really good players, but they also have grown men playing. Behind BYU, they may have the oldest average age in college football. I have tried to doubt this team offensively but Zack Moss and Tyler Huntley just keep getting it done. The best thing Utah has going is their defense. They are physical, stout, and stingy. Through seven games they are barely giving up over 10 points per game in a conference known for scoring points.

9. Notre Dame (5-1)

Last Week: IDLE

A week off won’t hurt the Fighting Irish. Their body of work is solid so far. But they will need to be dominant to finish the season to have any chance at the CFB top 4 with one loss. Notre Dame doesn’t face another team that will be ranked for the rest of the season (maybe Virginia Tech).

8. Florida Gators (6-1)

Last Week: 38-27 (W) at South Carolina

If this team is nothing, they are resilient. The Florida Gators fight till the end. They are a 4th quarter team. They seem to make plays on defense and offense when it matters the most. Kyle Trask has been the best thing to happen to this team offensively. He is not the runner that we are used to seeing on Dan Mullen led teams, but he is a good passer.

This team seems to have the inside track to the SEC East right now. But a November 2nd date with Georgia will be the deciding factor.

7. Oregon Ducks (6-1)

Last Week: 35-31 (W) vs at Washington

The Ducks marched into Husky Stadium to play their biggest rival Washington and walked out with a win. Washington threw everything except the kitchen sink at the Ducks and they responded in a major way. The biggest concern for Oregon at this point is injuries. They have to keep their key players healthy if they want to finish the season 12-1 and have a legit shot at the CFB Playoff.

This is not the same Oregon team that got conservative and lost to Auburn in the second half of week one. Their defense has been one of the best in the country and they have hit their stride offensively.

6. Penn State (7-0)

Last Week: 28-21 (W) vs Michigan

I have mixed feelings about their win against Michigan. They jumped out early 21-0 early in the 1st half, but couldn’t put the Wolverines away. Their offense was largely ineffective after that. Their defense allowed multiple big plays as well. But at the end of the day, a win is a win. Michigan is not a great football team, but they are a good football team. A quality win for the Nittany Lions. It was very tight decision between PSU at #6 and #4 ahead of Bama and Clemson because of their schedules.

The winner of the Big Ten is 100% getting in the CFB Playoff if they are undefeated. Penn State is more than halfway home and has earned their way into the #6 spot of College Football Rankings Week 9.

Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:

5. Clemson Tigers (7-0)

Last Week: 45-10 (W) at Louisville

The Tigers’ defense is so good, and they might be even better than last year. Good thing because Trevor Lawrence is having a real sophomore slump. He now leads the ACC in interceptions thrown. But he finished the game with a solid stat line, 20-29 233 yards, and 3TD, 2ints. This team is still dominating everyone so how can you dock them too many points. Florida and Georgia have offensive struggles too, but nobody seems to discount them for that. Weird right… SEC bias?

The only thing separating Alabama and Clemson right now is that Clemson struggled against UNC. Neither team has played anybody worth talking about.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0)

Last Week: vs 35-13 (W) at Texas A&M

Alabama has not played one team that is currently ranked in the top 25. The fact they have been #1 in the AP poll makes ZERO sense.

Alabama is vulnerable this year. This is not the same team we are accustomed to seeing. They aren’t running the ball dominantly and their defense is young and inexperienced. Tua Tagoviloa is the engine that makes this team go. His leadership, accuracy getting the ball to their talented WRs is what makes this 2019 team special. He left the Tennessee game in the second half and everything changed.

If he has to miss any time Bama could be in trouble. They should be able to get past Arkansas next week, but LSU on November 9th won’t go well.

3. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0)

Last Week: 52-14 (W) vs West Virginia

The numbers for Jalen Hurts are just getting silly at this point. He added another nearly 394 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns. He now has 25 total touchdowns through seven games. It is hard to believe that Oklahoma’s offense is better than it was last year with Kyler Murray at QB, but they are.To make Oklahoma even more absurd, their defense is finally decent. They aren’t good yet, but are MUCH improved from the Swiss cheese defense last year.

2. LSU (7-0)

Last Week: 36-13 (W) at Miss State

LSU is destroying everyone in their way. Joe Burrow looks like not only an NFL quarterback, but he may be a franchise QB. I cannot wait to see this team play over the next three weeks against Auburn and Alabama. If they can win those two games, the path is clear to the College Football Playoff.

The only question is can their defense keep up when they get into a shootout.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)

Last Week: 52-3 (W) at Northwestern

Ohio State chewed Northwestern up and spit them out. This team looks incredible. Their offense and defense have cut through any resistance like a hot knife through butter. Justin Fields clearly made the right move by leaving Georgia. He looks better than Jake Fromm, and his team does too.

The Buckeyes will breeze to the CFB Playoff top four if they beat Penn State on November 23rd.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings

Week 6 in college football provided a necessary shakeup in the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 7 As it Should Be. So many times reigning national champions and College Football Playoff teams get automatically put in the top spots the next season. However, every season is different, so last season’s results should have no bearing on this season. The idea that these teams can only fall in the rankings if they lose is flawed. We are supposed to be getting the best teams in the playoff for this season alone. Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Florida cannot be ignored for their body of work while we fawn over LSU, Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson.

At this point in the season, there are eight teams that can make a legitimate argument for inclusion in the College Football Playoff.

The Rules: No Bias, No BS, No Agenda

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. These rankings are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.

I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 6.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7:

Next Up: Penn State, Notre Dame,

10. Texas Longhorns (4-1)

Last Week: at 42-31 (W) West Virginia

I do not question the Longhorns offense and their ability to put up points. They have done it against everyone including LSU. I am very much concerned about this defense. They have given up 30 or more points in three of their five games. The rubber will meet the road on Saturday against Oklahoma.

9. Oregon Ducks (4-1)

Last Week: 17-7 (W) Cal

The Oregon Ducks have a real defense. This is not a drill. Oregon just gave up their first touchdown since week one of the season. The Ducks are the only team from the Pac-12 with any hope to make the CFB Playoff. Justin Herbert continued his consecutive games with a touchdown pass streak (33). Oregon’s running game ws operating on a high level. I do need to see the Ducks score more points.

8. Florida Gators (5-0)

Last Week: 24-13 Auburn

I have been very outspoken about what I think the ceiling is for this Florida Gators team. But they have earned their right in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7 as it should be. They are a flawed team, but they play hard and have a fast, talented, and well-coached defense. The offense turns the ball over too much, they commit too many penalties, with a shaky offensive line. At the end of the day, winning matters, and quality wins count double. So, the Gators belong here.

7. Wisconsin Badgers (5-0)

Last Week: vs 48-0 (W) vs Kent State

It is time to give Wisconsin the respect they deserve. Their defense and running game are special, to say the least. Junior running back Jonathan Taylor is cementing his spot on the Wisconsin football Mt. Rushmore. He added another 186 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 19 carries. The Big Ten better buckle those chinstraps tight because the Badgers at coming in fast, and physical.

Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:

6. Oklahoma Sooners (5-0)

Last Week: vs Kansas

Jalen Hurts took it light on Kansas. He only accounted for four total touchdowns and under 300 yards of total offense. This Oklahoma offense still looks incredible and unstoppable. Is there anything college football fans want more than to see Jalen Hurts and Oklahoma play in the College Football Playoff? That would be the greatest possible storyline in the 2019-20 season.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0)

Last Week: IDLE

Alabama’s schedule has been a cakewalk. I am just unsure how this team gets battle-tested to handle the stress of playing top competition. This same problem came back to bite them in the ass against Georgia in the SEC championship, and against Clemson in the national championship.

I am still extremely frustrated that Bama is so good and so talented but we have to watch them play four games they could roll their helmets out and win.

4. Clemson Tigers (5-0)

Last Week: IDLE

Clemson has not looked as dominant as they did last year. However, that is often typical of national championship teams. The goal this season is, continue to improve and finish undefeated to get into the tournament. The only reason the Tigers are ranked higher than Alabama is because of the schedule played. Through 5 games, they have played and beat four Power 5 teams.

3. LSU (5-0)

Last Week: vs 42-6 (W) Utah State

I thought LSU might have a little trouble easy with Utah State and pull away late. But, these are not your father’s Tigers. This offense is explosive and efficient. Joe Burrow threw for another 5 touchdowns. We will see what LSU’s offense is really about next week against Florida’s tough defense.

2. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0)

Last Week: 43-14 (W) at Tennessee

Georgia took whatever they wanted and did whatever they wanted against Tennessee. The Vols have been a doormat for the SEC and UGA rubbed all sorts of mud and dirt on them. Fromm was nearly perfect throwing the football and the running game averaged nearly 6 yards per carry. Dominance on max. That Notre Dame win keeps looking better and better each week.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0)

Last Week: 34-10 (W) vs Michigan State

Ohio State’s dominance has been unmatched this season. Their defense has only given up a grand total of 52 points in six games. Justin Fields cam back down to earth from his stratospheric numbers, but it didn’t matter against Michigan State. The Buckeyes rushed for 323 yards. Based upon what the teams have done from this season alone, I cannot keep OSU out of the #1 spot.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 7.