Category: College Football Playoffs

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 5 As it Should Be. Finally some stability in the Top 10. It takes about 3-4 weeks for the rankings to settle in and we have a really good idea who the best teams in the country are. Last week saw a couple of Top 10 teams IDLE and a huge riser. This week, is separation Saturday. We will truly find out which teams are here for a good time, and which ones are here for a long time. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 5

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 5. 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 4 .

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

Top 10 College Football Rankings Week 5:

Next Up: Notre Dame, BYU, Oklahoma, Michigan, Fresno State

10. Michigan State (4-0)

Last Week: 23-20 (W) vs Nebraska

Some of the media was down on MSU because they didn’t earn enough “style points against Nebraska. The reality is Scott Frost has his team playing much better and they gave Oklahoma a real fight too. No team goes through the season without playing some close games. The Spartans are fast, well-coached, and have a few nice wins under their belt, while being dominant at times.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1)

Last Week: 59-7 (W) vs Akron

No CJ Stroud at QB, no problem for the Buckeyes. Fans have been displeased with the results on the field this season. But that is a result of fans being spoiled. They want to blow everyone out despite the opponent of circumstances surrounding their team. But life doesn’t work like that. Neither does football. OSU is still the most explosive offense in college football.

8. Ole Miss (3-0)

Last Week: IDLE

Lane Kiffin lives by the motto “all publicity is good publicity” model. He understands that Ole Miss is not demanding the national attention without him trolling USC fans, Nick Saban, or responding to Michael Wilbon. His team has looked extremely good through three games, but the rubber meets the road against Alabama this week.

7. Cincinnati (3-0)

Last Week: IDLE

Cinci believes they are a big dog and can compete with Power 5 teams week in and week out. Here is there opportunity. In their last game they beat Big Ten opponent Indiana. Now they follow that up with a visit to Notre Dame. If they can win this game and look good, they could be on their was to their first College Football Playoff.

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

6. Iowa (4-0)

Last Week: 24-14 (W) vs Colorado State

I appreciate watching Iowa play, and honestly at this point I believe the Hawkeyes will come back down to reality and will be a 10-2 or 9-3 team. Their future schedule doesn’t include Michigan, Michigan State, or Ohio State. That means if they can beat Penn State and Wisconsin and not lose to a lesser opponent, they could find themselves owning space in the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings all year.

5. Arkansas (4-0)

Last Week: 20-10 (W) vs Texas A&M @ AT&T Stadium

Wins over Texas and Texas A&M look real good right now. The Hogs dominated bothe football games. There are injury concerns about the Arkansas QB Jefferson. After he went out last week, their offense was essentially only able to hold on for dear life. If he is not available vs Georgia the Razorbacks has ZERO shot of winning. Georgia is more talented, so if Arkansas wins we know who the better coach is.

4. Penn State (4-0)

Last Week: 38-17 (W) vs Villanova

Penn State played Villanova. That is a basketball school. You would have expected the score to be a bit more lopsided than that, but it looked like a big win hangover, however, the Nittany Lions were never in any danger and were up 38-3 in the 4th quarter when the reserves gave up a couple of touchdowns.

3. Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)

Last Week: 62-0 (W) vs Vanderbilt

We finally get to see Georgia against a team that appears to be good offensively. Clemson is NOT a great team this year offensively. The Georgia defense looks phenomenal but are we sure they are the greatest thing since sliced bread when they haven’t played a great offense yet. That is the sole reason the Bulldogs sit at #3 instead of #1. THe criteria says they should be #3, but my gut says #1.

2. Oregon Ducks (4-0)

Last Week: 41-19 (W) vs Arizona

The Oregon Ducks are leading the nation is turnover margin. They have forced 13 turnovers on the season while only giving up one turnover. That is a recipe for winning games and dominating opponents. Now we wait for another signature offensive performance like we saw at Ohio State.

1. Alabama (4-0)

Last Week: 63-14 (W) vs So. Miss

Domination.Even though Nick Saban and everyone watching can see this team is not as good as last year, they still are dominating like the best team in college football. It appears they may get pushed to their defensive limit against Ole Miss. However, the real question is can this offense be stopped? We shall we.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4 As it Should Be. Apparently, only a few teams want to stay in the Top 10. I almost feel like I’m stacking Jenga blocks only to have my 2-year-old knock them down. Teams that we thought we could count on look suspect while others are consistent. I think we are in for a very chaotic 2021 season. There is NO team that looks unbeatable. This season is the exact reason we need playoff expansion to eight teams instead of 12. No team should get a first round bye. We would see all sorts of upsets. I cannot believe we are 25% done with the regular season already. Now I’m sad. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 3 in college football. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 4

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 4. 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 3 .

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

Top 10 College Football Rankings Week 4:

Next Up: Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Michigan, Clemson

10. Oklahoma (3-0)

Last Week: 23-16 (W) vs Nebraska

I have no clue what to truly make of this team. They are winning games but haven’t looked great at all. Spencer Rattler was touted as a Heisman hopeful in the preseason but has not lived up to the hype.

9. Michigan State (3-0)

Last Week: 38-17 (W) @ Miami

This is not your father’s Michigan State team. Mel Tucker has rebuilt this roster and mentality in short order. They has speed at their skill positions and a good young QB in Payton Thorne. Through three games they have a ton of explosive plays and have the makings of a Big Ten contender.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1)

Last Week: 41-20 (W) vs Tulsa

This team is fascinating to watch. They have all the talent in the world and score a lot of points each week but something just isn’t clicking. Their young QB CJ Stroud is having an up and down start to the season much like this defense.

7. Ole Miss (3-0)

Last Week: 61-21 (W) vs Tulane

Lane Kiffin has Ole Miss rolling. Their defense may still be shaky but it’s much improved from last season. But this offense… sweet baby Jesus it is fun to watch. It is like watching Chip Kelly at Oregon. Fast, explosive, and efficient execution.

6. Cincinnati (3-0)

Last Week: 38-24 (W) vs Indiana

All three games this season the Bearcats have started slow, but end up blowing everybody out. They got their first real test this week in Indiana. We will find out if Cinci is a playoff contender or not in two weeks against Notre Dame.

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

5. Iowa (3-0)

Last Week: 30-7 (W) vs Kent State

The Hawkeyes deserve to be here because of what they have done on the field. I cannot envision a world in which they are top five to finish the season but up to now, this is where they belong. Other rankings have other teams ranked higher because of recruiting rankings or perceived strength when on field results are the only thing that should matter.

4. Penn State (3-0)

Last Week: 28-20 (W) vs Auburn

So much for the James Franklin to USC rumors being a distraction. Penn State got a huge win against Auburn at home. WIth Ohio State looking vulnerable on defense, could this be the year the Nittany Lions knock off the kings of the B1G?

3. Georgia Bulldogs (3-0)

Last Week: 40-13 (W) vs South Carolina

Georgia just might be the most complete team in the SEC. Their defense looks great but they have yet to play a good offense. Clemson is clearly on the struggle bus offensively, so the jury is still out on how good Georgia is… and the Tigers won’t even get another test until at least Oct. 9th against Auburn.

2. Oregon Ducks (3-0)

Last Week: 48-7 (W) vs Stony Brook

I know the little guys need the money for their athletic departments but I don’t have to like these games. But at least Oregon, unlike most SEC teams, only has one of these non-competitive games instead of two or three.

1. Alabama (3-0)

Last Week: 31-29 (W) @ Florida

What happened to the Crimson Tide at halftime? For two quarters they dominated Florida, but then came a lackluster 1.5 quarters. However, once Florida got close, the light came on for ‘Bama, and they did Bama things to close out the game. I will say this team is not an immovable object at #1 anymore.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 4.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 3 As it Should Be. Major shake ups in the rankings. We witnessed a heavyweight title fight in Columbus, a beatdown in Ames, and rock fight in Boulder that all impacted the rankings. Damn I love college football because we are reminded every weekend that the results on paper ≠ results on the field. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 3 in college football. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 3

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 3. 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 2 .

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

Top 10 College Football Rankings Week 3:

Next Up: Penn State, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, Florida

10. Notre Dame (2-0)

Last Week: 32-29 (W) vs Toledo

This Notre Dame team feels a lot like the 2012-13 team that played against Alabama in the National Championship. They won so many games by the hairs on their chinny chin chin. At the end of the season they were 12-0 but everyone knew 1-loss Oregon was a better team. But the BCS computers chose the undefeated team. People better start hoping they lose otherwise we will see them in the top 4 again.

9. Clemson (1-1)

Last Week: 49-3 (W) vs South Carolina State

Dabo Swinney got his team to rebound after the Georgia loss. We still have questions about the development of DJ Uiagalelei at quarterback. If he can be a premiere QB the sky is the limit for the Clemson team. However, they need to root for UNC, Virginia Tech, and Miami to win out until they play.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1)

Last Week: 28-35 (W) vs Oregon

The Buckeyes have to get their defense figured out. The bad news is Oregon exposed a flaw in their red zone defense. The good news is that few teams will be able to score with CJ Stroud, Chris Olave, and company. They will still have a chance to compete for the B1G championship and get into the college football playoff.

7. Cincinnati (2-0)

Last Week: 42-7 (W) vs Murray State

The Bearcats have outscored their opponents 91-21 through two games. I spent the most time figuring out where to rank them. Their dominance is clear but their schedule is not impressive. As more teams get into the meat of their schedule it will be extremely hard for Cinci to stay ranked above them unless they blow everyone out and beat Notre Dame.

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

6. Oklahoma (2-0)

Last Week: 76-0 (W) vs Western Carolina

The Sooners rebounded nicely after a scare against Tulane. I still give some grace in that game because everything was thrown off. Tulane had to travel to Norman to play a game that was relocated because of the hurricane Ida. There were so many emotions and inspired play by the Green Wave that Oklahoma just had to weather the storm and they did.

5. Iowa (2-0)

Last Week: 27-17 (W) vs Iowa State

This was supposed to be the year Iowa State took the power from Iowa, but the Hawkeyes had other plans. They dominated and out executed a very well-coached football team. I am not sure if Iowa has the horses to be a legit contender, but we cannot discount their great play and quality wins through 2 games.

4. Georgia Bulldogs (2-0)

Last Week: 56-7 (W) vs UAB

Georgia took UAB behind the woodshed without JT Daniels. It is pretty easy for Kirby Smart to play the brand of football he likes against lesser competition. He went all conservative against Clemson. The Bulldogs did come away with the win, but until he goes full Bruce Arians “no risk it, no biscuit” there won’t be any championship banners hanging in Athens.

3. UCLA (2-0)

Last Week: IDLE

A week off didn’t change anything. They still have 2 dominating performances already this year. I can’t wait to see how they handle Fresno State this weekend. If they dominate it won’t be hard for the Bruins to continue to move up in the rankings.

2. Oregon Ducks (2-0)

Last Week: 35-28 (W) @ Ohio State

Oregon has put the nation on notice. They are back in the national championship conversation again after a 5 year absence .A lot of people outside of Oregon are calling their victory over Ohio State an upset. They were the better team and dominated the game. But… Ohio State is legit.

1. Alabama (2-0)

Last Week: 48-14 (W) vs Mercer

Where is Mercer located? I googled it so you didn’t have to. It is in Macon, Georgia. I had a tougher task locating Mercer than Bryce Young, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide had on the field this weekend. No schedule or quality wins points but the domination from the Miami game continued through week 2.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 3.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 2 As it Should Be. For those of you new here, I created these rankings to give fans a real Top 10, free from media and conference bias. I’ll tell you the rules of the rankings next, but first we need to celebrate the amazing week 1 in college football. We got big name brand matchups, upsets, and some feel good stories. But that wasn’t the most exciting part. Having fans back in the stands brought an energy through the screen that we hadn’t seen since the 2019 season. I pray that all you reading this stay healthy and enjoy this season. Now on the the rules.

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings Week 2

There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 2. 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 1.

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

Top 10 College Football Rankings Week 2:

Next Up: Clemson, Iowa State, USC, Florida

10. Oregon Ducks (1-0)

Last Week: 31-24 (W) vs Fresno State

The Ducks had a great first and fourth quarter against Fresno State. But the middle two quarters left a lot to be desired from the Oregon offense. We will ultimately see what this team is made of this week as they head to Columbus to take on Ohio State.

9. Cincinnati (1-0)

Last Week: 49-14 (W) vs Miami (OH)

Desmond Ridder showed out against Miami (OH). Cincinnati’s schedule doesn’t allow for them to get very many quality win, so it will be hard for them to climb very high in the poll. But they were dominant last week and should be this week against Murray State as well.

8. Oklahoma (1-0)

Last Week: 40-35 (W) vs Tulane

The Sooners were real close to being a victim last weekend. Tulane recovered an onside kick with about 2 minutes left in the game down five but couldn’t get the win. The reason OU is ranked even in the top 10 after that game is because of the emotions and situation surrounding the game. It was moved to norman because Tulane was displaced because of the hurricane. There won’t be a scare this week against Western Carolina.

7. Texas A&M (1-0)

Last Week: 41-10 (W) vs Kent State

In my rankings, you do not get credit for quality wins or schedule when you beat a bad teams. However, you do receive points for dominance when you blow them out of the water. This week will be a step up in competition as the Aggies head to Boulder, CO to play the Buffaloes.

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

6. Iowa (1-0)

Last Week: 34-6 (W) vs Indiana

I had to do a double take when I saw Iowa scored 34 points vs Indiana until I saw Riley Moss had two pick-six TDs. That was an extremely impressive performance by the Hawkeyes. Next up Iowa State.

5. Notre Dame (1-1)

Last Week: 41-38 (W) vs Florida State

FSU vs Notre Dame was the game of the year so far. The Irish offense looks more explosive than we have seen it in a long time. They have speed at key position and a physical defense. Playoffs again?

4. UCLA (2-0)

Last Week: 38-27 (W) vs LSU

There is no denying what this team has put on tape. Through 2 games, the Bruins defense and OL look physical and fast. Chip Kelly’s team harassed LSU all game on the way to a dominating performance.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0)

Last Week: 45-31 (W) @ Minnesota

It you want big plays, you showed up at the right place. The Buckeyes scored four TDs from 30+ against Minnesota. That sort of explosion keeps opposing coaches up at night. Huge matchup against Oregon this week.

2. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0)

Last Week: 10-3 (W) vs Clemson

We will have to wait until this weekend to see if the Bulldogs can score their first offensive touchdown. Their matchup against Clemson was an absolute rock fight offensively. However, the Georgia defense was fighting with a bazooka. They may be the fastest defense we saw in week 1.

1. Alabama (1-0)

Last Week: 44-13 (W) vs Miami

Alabama deserves the #1 spot of the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be. They dominated Miami in every way possible. Bryce Young is now the Crimson Tide QB and the offense looks just as good as when Mac Jones or Tua was QB.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 2.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 15 As it Should Be. I believe this season makes the best case for CFB Playoff expansion. The seasons when there are a bunch of 1-loss teams that don’t get in are compelling. However, in 2019, the teams from #4-10 can beat anybody on any given Saturday. Imagine a national championship tournament where there are upsets and the occasional “Cinderella” story like March Madness. Television ratings and bowl game interest would be significantly higher. The New Years Six Bowls would have no top NFL Draft picks sitting out. There would be so much more money flowing that the NCAA wouldn’t have to share with the players (who actually generate the revenue).

Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have an 8-team playoff? The five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 teams would get automatic bids. The two remaining spots would be at-large bids.

College Football Playoff

After two sets of CFB Playoff Committee rankings, we have more 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. Ohio State– The only thing that could mess up Ohio State’s season if 2-loss Wisconsin wins the Big Ten Championship.
2. SEC Champion- LSU and Georgia will play in the SEC championship. The conference could make a case for two teams if 1-loss UGA beats LSU.
3. Clemson– Just don’t lose. Dabo Swinney knows the committee would love to throw them out with a loss to Virginia.
4. Utah– Utah will get in if they can beat Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship and LSU beats Georgia in the SEC Championship.
5. Oklahoma/Baylor– The winner of the Big XII championship will have first dibs on a playoff spot if Utah loses to Oregon.

Watch Paul Finebaum still try to argue for Alabama to be in the #CFBPlayoff if UGA loses to LSU.

“Their only two losses are to top 15 teams”

Who did they beat Paul?

It doesn’t matter, if Bama were to play them 10 times they would win more.

— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) December 1, 2019

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 14.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 15:

Next Up: Wisconsin, Penn State, Minnesota, Alabama,

Alabama has not earned top 10 status. They have only played two top 25 teams and lost to them both. And they have ZERO quality wins and didn’t play Georgia or Florida. So, while they only have two losses, and are a crazy talented team, nothing about their resume says they 100% would beat any team on this list.

10. Oregon Ducks (10-2)

Last Week: 24-10 (W) vs Oregon State

A win is a win. Weirdly the Ducks offense has been inconsistent over the last three games. They have been stout defensively in two of the three so they were able to win those two games. Their dreams of the CFB Playoff are dead for 2019, but their Rose Bowl dreams are still alive. However, they are six-point underdogs heading into the Pac-12 Championship.

9. Auburn (9-3)

Last Week: 48-45 (W) vs Alabama

The only thing holding Auburn back all year has been Bo Nix. There is still hope for his future, but they have won more in spite of him more than because of him. The Tigers defense has been top tier all year despite the offense continuously putting them in bad spots against good teams. If Auburn had either true freshman QB Kedon Slovis (USC) or Jayden Daniels (ASU) they would be undefeated or at the very least in the top four.

A lot of Auburn fans are always calling for Gus Malzahn’s job but he and Dabo Swinney are the only two coaches to beat Nick Saban two of the last three times they faced him. The best part is that he outsmarted Nick Saban last week.

Auburn lined up the punter at wide receiver to try to keep Waddle on the sideline. Bama noticed it late and took a penalty in the confusion. So simple, but so smart by Malzahn. Took the game straight out of Bama's hands pic.twitter.com/u0g87fz7as

— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) December 1, 2019

8. Florida (10-2)

Last Week: 40-17 (W) vs Florida State

Slow and steady is winning the race for Florida. Dan Mullen has Florida back as a top 10 team. No one expected this team to be in the conversation for a national championship, but they will absolutely be in 2020. They also won the state of Florida. The Gators knocked off Miami and destroyed Florida State in the same season. Recruiting should be fun with all those bragging rights.

7. Baylor (11-1)

Last Week: 61-6 (W) Kansas

I really believed Baylor would finish 10-2 like Minnesota, but they have shown they are in it for the long haul. When you look at their CFB Playoff resume, their non-conference schedule leaves a lot to be desired ( SFA, UTSA, Rice). But if an 11-1 Alabama without a conference championship would have been in the conversation, why not Baylor and a Big XII Championship?

Name brands mean a lot in college football. It is hard for people outside of Waco, Tx to wrap their minds around the fact that Baylor may be one of the four best teams.

6. Oklahoma Sooners (11-1)

Last Week: 34-16 (W) at Oklahoma State

Oklahoma finally has a dominating performance against a good team. Better late than never, but never late is better. It might just be at the right time to impress the CFB Playoff committee. A dominating performance against Baylor in the Big XII championship might provide the Sooners the momentum to leapfrog Utah and Georgia if they lose the SEC Championship.

Lincoln Riley has the Sooners peaking at the right time. The only thing I’m sad about this season is that we won’t get to see Jalen Hurts and Tua play against each other. It would have been far and away the most-watched college football game this season.

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

5. Utah (11-1)

Last Week: 45-15 (W) vs Colorado

Utah has crushed every team in their path since their loss to USC. No team has been able to withstand the defensive onslaught that the Utes bring. They are physical, tough, and well-coached. If Utah makes it to the top four, whoever they play will underestimate them and be in for a rude awakening.

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 Utah play, Florida would be a really good comparison except UF has more explosive wide receivers.

4. Georgia Bulldogs (11-1)

Last Week: 52-7 (W) at Georgia Tech

UGA made Georgia Tech look more like a November cupcake game than a rivalry game. The Bulldogs got the win but suffered major damage in the process. D’Andre Swift was injured, Lawrence Cager is out, and George Pickens is suspended for the first half of the SEC Championship for fighting.

Not only does Georgia have to win to make the playoff, but they also have to do so short-handed. If they win, where do you seed them? Could LSU and Georgia play in the first round of the playoff, or could LSU get bounced out?

3. Clemson Tigers (12-0)

Last Week: 38-3 (W) at South Carolina

Clemson is ready and they are mad. Dabo timing was perfect for his rallying cry to his team. They feel like underdogs and like everyone is waiting for them to fail. In reality, Clemson has won 27 straight games. In past years the committee would have ranked them #1 because they were the reigning champs who hadn’t lost. I love that they are basing the rankings on this season and week to week like the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 15 As it Should Be.

I have long believed that the two best teams in the country are Ohio State and Clemson. But, if the best team didn’t earn their spot, they don’t get it.

2. LSU (12-0)

Last Week: 50-7 (W) vs Texas A&M

Joe Burrow, or should I call him Joe Burreaux? The man has cemented himself an LSU legend. He is the QB who turned the tide on Alabama, reshaped LSU’s offense, and will win the Heisman trophy. The Tigers’ defense clearly heard all the chirping from the outside about the amount of 30-point games they have surrendered. They put a hurting on Texas A&M. Jimbo Fisher’s team didn’t even look like they belonged on the same field. Had Ohio State not crushed a much better football team than LSU, the top spot would have been different.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0)

Last Week: 56-27 (W) at Michigan

The Ohio State faithful were nervous they had suffered the same fate as Alabama when Justin Fields went down grabbing his knee. But, then he rose from the ashes like a phoenix and threw a pinpoint touchdown pass. JK Dobbins looks unstoppable running the football. The pass rush is spectacular and deserving of all the praise and attention they receive. Now, they cannot let it slip against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game.

They deserve the #1 spot of the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 14.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 14 As it Should Be. Firstly, the SEC November cupcake scheduling is so ridiculous. In November, teams are competing for playoff spots and New Years Six Bowl games while SEC schools are playing East Tenn, Western Carolina, UT-Martin, Abilene Christian, New Mexico St., and Western Carolina. To make it even worse, their fans co-sign it which makes ZERO sense to me. Why do they want to waste their time or money watching that? When a team stacks a November cupcake on top of a poor schedule, there’s no way they should be in the CFB Playoff.

There is always a huge debate surrounding the CFB Playoffs. Should the four best teams be in or the four most deserving teams? I would argue those are one in the same. The best teams are the ones that jump through all the obstacles in their way. Teams should get what they earn. If you schedule poorly in the non-conference, don’t win your conference, and only have one ranked win then you should NOT be in the top four. The amount of talent on your team, who your coach is, and your playoff history should have no bearing the rankings.

Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have an 8-team playoff? The five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team would get automatic bids. The two remaining spots would be at-large bids.

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

I always talk about how big of an advantage playing eight conference games is for the ACC and SEC. In addition to the math that forces more losses within the conference, there is a grinding element to playing nine conference games. Injuries mount during the season and have a huge impact on a team’s record. Imagine if Alabama were playing Missouri, Miss St (again), or Florida this weekend instead of Western Carolina. All the injuries they have would affect the outcome. This is what happens in the Big Ten, Pac-12, and Big-12.

College Football Playoff

After two sets of CFB Playoff Committee rankings, we have more 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 will play in the SEC championship. The conference could make a case for two teams if 1-loss UGA beats LSU.
2. Undefeated or 1-loss Big Ten Winner– (Ohio State/Minnesota): The only thing that could mess up the Big Ten selection is if 2-loss Wisconsin wins the Big Ten Championship. But if Minnesota beats OSU in the Big Ten Championship they will have a case for two teams as well.
3. Clemson– They have no competition in the ACC so they will finish undefeated with a string of blowout victories.
4. Utah– Oregon hurt the Pac-12’s chances by messing up the battle of 1-loss top six teams in the Pac-12 championship. But Utah will get real consideration if they can beat Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship.
5. Oklahoma– Everybody canceled Oklahoma when they lost to K-State but three weeks later they are right back in the playoff mix. Beat OKSt and Baylor in the Big-12 Championship and have Georgia and Utah lose and they may be in.

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 12.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 13:

Next Up: Baylor, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Auburn

10. Oregon Ducks (9-2)

Last Week: 28-31 (L) at Arizona State

Horrible loss for Oregon, but still not worse than the loss Georgia suffered against South Carolina. Arizona State is going to a bowl game. Justin Herbert played awful and for the first time all season, the Ducks defense gave up big plays. After being down 24-7 in the fourth quarter, Oregon fought back and showed why they are a top tier college football team. Justin Herbert has easily the worst two interceptions of his career.

Their dreams of the CFB Playoff are dead for 2019, but their Rose Bowl dreams are still alive. However, going through Utah will NOT be easy.

9. Penn State (9-2)

Last Week: 17-28 (L) at Ohio State

It wasn’t pretty against Ohio State, but the Nittany Lions did put up a good fight. It’s hard to knock Penn State for an 11-point road loss to the best team in college football. There was a point in the 3rd quarter game where they were down one score with the football. The team was largely ineffective on drop-back passes because Chase Young had set up a campsite in the PSU backfield. However, after QB Sean Clifford went down with an injury, Will Levis stepped in an played well. Some of the Penn State fans and media wonder if he should be the starter for the remainder of the season.

This is still a very good football team, just not one of the top four. However, if there were an 8 team playoff, PSU would warrant serious consideration.

8. Minnesota (10-1)

Last Week: 38-22 (W) at Northwestern

Good thing we have the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 14 As it Should Be. It is inexplicable how the committee ranked Penn State in front of Minnesota last week. Minnesota literally beat them two weeks before. It would be different if the game had been played in September and there was a lot more information in between.

The Golden Gophers still control their own playoff destiny. Wins against Wisconsin this weekend and Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship with absolutely land them in the top four.

7. Oklahoma Sooners (10-1)

Last Week: 28-24 (W) vs TCU

This week Oklahoma remembered how to play football in the first half. Jalen Hurts didn’t pass the ball particularly well (11-21, 145 yds), but his legs more than made up for it (173 yds 2 TD).

A lot of people thought Oklahoma and the Big 12 were completely out of the playoffs but chaos is striking. If the Sooners can beat ranked Oklahoma State and Baylor in the next two weeks, Alabama loses to Auburn, and Oregon beat Utah in the Pac-12 Championship the path is clear.

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

6. Utah (10-1)

Last Week: 35-7 (W) vs Arizona

No team in the country is beating down opponents like Utah. This team is NASTY on defense. They are the boa constrictor that wraps around a team and just squeezes every bit of life out of them. It’s time to stop sleeping on Utah. No one is giving them the respect they deserve except the College Football Rankings Top 10 As It Should Be. They haven’t received 1/10 of the coverage as any team in the top 15. Whoever they play in the bowl game will be in for a rude awakening. Their defense has only allowed over 13 points three times this season and has held six opponents to single digits.

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 Utah play, Florida would be a really good comparison except UF has more explosive wide receivers.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1)

Last Week: 66-3 (W) vs Western Carolina

There was nothing to be learned about Alabama or gained from playing Western Carolina. It was a glorified bye week for the Crimson Tide. Nick Saban could have scheduled an intrasquad scrimmage that was more competitive. Mac Jones replaced Tua and averaged 27.5 yards per completion. Most of them were short passes that the army of 1st round receivers turned into big plays.

Good thing they schedule that “November Cupcake” game to get healthy before Iron Bowl. When will SEC fans grow tired of wasting their time and season ticket money on games like this?

4. Georgia Bulldogs (10-1)

Last Week: 19-13 (W) vs Texas A&M

The Bulldogs pulled out a close one against Texas A&M. It was not pretty but ultimately any win against a solid opponent in a good win. They are fully battle-tested and will give LSU a run for their money in the SEC Championship. At this point, there is no other team that could have an argument to be ahead of UGA. For their last trick, they must beat Georgia Tech this weekend.

Ultimately, Georgia’s undoing will be the same thing that has plagued them every year under Kirby Smart. They are too conservative. They won’t be able to run their way to an SEC championship or CFB Playoff Championship. Jake Fromm will have to show is elite and not just a game manager. The best teams won’t allow them to run the football at the level they are accustomed too. And the best opponents will score enough points to make the Bulldogs throw the ball more than 30 times.

3. Clemson Tigers (11-0)

Last Week: IDLE

Dabo Swinney had another week off to fine-tune his well-oiled machine. Everything I have seen this season tells me Clemson and Ohio State are in a class of their own. LSU is an elite team, but their defense is not up to the job of beating either one of them.

There is no way South Carolina, who beat Georgia, stays within three touchdowns of Clemson this weekend. This team just feels like a veteran NBA team that coasts throughout the regular season but starts getting prepared for a championship push late in the season.

As a college football fan, I’m hoping Clemson and Ohio State is not one of the semi-final matchups in the CFB Playoff. It would suck for the two teams I believe are the best to play each other first. Wouldn’t Ohio State vs Clemson be a helluva national championship game?

2. LSU (11-0)

Last Week: 56-20 (W) vs Arkansas

Not only did LSU beat Alabama, but they scheduled better too. No November cupcake for the Tigers. Even though Arkansas is awful, it was still an SEC opponent. Joe Burrow added another 300+ yard, three touchdown performance to his Heisman Trophy campaign. At this point, why would anyone else even be invited to the ceremony? Tua is hurt, Chase Young missed two games, Justin Herbert was awful last weekend. There is no one else who could possibly win.

Coach O has a very tough job in front of him now. It is national championship or bust for LSU now. So, he has to find a way to keep his team focused and away from reading their headlines. Any stumble from here on out will ruin their great season.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0)

Last Week: 28-17 (W) vs Penn State

The Buckeyes check all the boxes: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance.

The most complete team in college football is back the #1 team in college football. Ohio State actually helped Penn State stay in the ball game with three lost fumbles. Justin Fields only threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns but there were a couple throws he made that NFL scouts were salivating over. After watching this season Fields is clearly better than Jake Fromm at Georgia. Chase Young came back from his suspension against Penn State and was still the best player on the field.

No matter who you can a fan of, an honest man can’t tell you he’s seen a better team than O-H-I-O State in 2019?

They deserve the #1 spot of the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 14.

Welcome to the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 13 As it Should Be. Every year there is always talk about the potential for chaos. This season looks like it might just happen. What happens if Georgia beats LSU in the SEC championship, Minnesota beats Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, Oregon dominates Utah in the Pac-12 championship, Oklahoma finishes 12-1, and Alabama looks good with Mac Jones at QB? How can the committee possibly figure out who the four best/most deserving teams are?

Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have an 8-team playoff? The five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team would get automatic bids. The two remaining spots would be at-large bids.

Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.

I always talk about how big of an advantage playing eight conference games is for the ACC and SEC. In addition to the math that forces more losses within the conference, there is a grinding element to playing nine conference games. Injuries mount during the season and have a huge impact on a team’s record. Imagine if Alabama were playing Missouri, Miss St (again), or Florida this weekend instead of Western Carolina. All the injuries they have would affect the outcome. This is what happens in the Big Ten, Pac-12, and Big-12.

College Football Playoff

After two sets of CFB Playoff Committee rankings, we have more 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. The conference could make a case for two teams if 1-loss UGA beats LSU.
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. Oklahoma can’t play offense or defense in the first-half for the last three weeks and there are no signature wins possible to jump other teams.

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 12.

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 13:

Next Up: Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Auburn

10. Penn State (9-1)

Last Week: 34-27 (W) vs Indiana

James Franklin’s team bounced back from the Minnesota loss with a win, but they got ZERO style points. Indiana is a good football team at 7-3, but Ohio State beat them 52-10. They received low marks for dominance but got a solid win. The Nittany Lions are just too limited offensively to compete for a national championship. Sean Clifford has only thrown for over 200 yards once in the last five games. That just won’t cut it against the elite teams.

Everything is on the line for Penn State this week at Ohio State. Might they shock the world?

It’s hard to move up the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 13 As it Should Be when you have a dog fight against an unranked team, everyone who was looked at as better dominated, and the team that beat you lost a close game against a ranked team.

9. Minnesota (9-1)

Last Week: 19-23 (L) at Iowa

Playing against Iowa’s defense will make any offense look like a shell of itself. The Golden Gophers found themselves down 20-3 before they could get their feet underneath them. This game felt like the complete opposite of their game against Penn State. Iowa jumped out big, Minnesota came roaring back but didn’t have enough in the tank to get it done.

Minnesota has games against Northwestern and Wisconsin left. Both have turned into must-wins if they are to keep their CFB Playoff hopes alive.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (9-1)

Last Week: 34-31 (W) vs Baylor

Oklahoma forgot how to start football games. The Sooners have nine lives. I wish Oklahoma had a difference mascot so I could call them the “cardiac cats”. For the second week in a row, the Sooners have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. There is a finite number of times you can successfully execute big second-half comebacks. Two Saturdays ago, they barely outlasted Iowa State. Last Saturday they broke Baylor fans’ hearts after coming back from a 31-3 hole.

If it weren’t for UCLA coming back from a 32-point late 3rd quarter deficit to win, OU’s comeback would have been by far the best of the year.

Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch are playing with fire with their defense. Over the last three weeks, second-half Oklahoma looks like a playoff team. First-half Oklahoma shouldn’t even be a top 25 team.

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

7. Utah (9-1)

Last Week: 49-3 (W) vs UCLA

Every college football analyst in the country is sleeping on Utah. No one is giving them the respect they deserve except the College Football Rankings Top 10 As It Should Be. They haven’t received 1/10 of the coverage as even Minnesota who doesn’t get a lot. Whoever they play in the bowl game will be in for a rude awakening. Their defense has only allowed over 13 points three times this season and has held five opponents to single digits.

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 Utah play, Florida would be a really good comparison except UF has more explosive wide receivers.

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-1)

Last Week: 38-7 (W) at Mississippi State

I believe Bama is better than UGA and maybe Oregon, but how would I know? They have only played one good team, LSU, and they lost to them. Don’t even start with that “close game” nonsense. North Carolina played a close game with Clemon. Those two teams aren’t even in the same stratosphere.

Alabama won the game but it feels like they lost the war. Went Tua Tagovailoa was laying on the ground it was evident that this injury was not like his ankle injury. This was extremely serious. It turns out he has a dislocated hip. The injury is similar to the one that ended Bo Jackson’s career.

Stop with the “Tua should have never played” nonsense, it’s his hip, not his ankle.

It’s football, bad things happen to good people sometimes.

We always want to blame somebody. Just stop. Its not Saban’s fault. It does suck though. pic.twitter.com/ffBBpjurzQ

— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) November 16, 2019

There were at least three other Alabama players who were injured in the game and didn’t return. Good thing they schedule that “November Cupcake” game to get healthy before Iron Bowl.

It will be interesting to see how Bama plays with Mac Jones at quarterback. Can they keep up the momentum to be in the final top four?

5. Georgia Bulldogs (9-1)

Last Week: 21-14 (W) at Auburn

Ultimately, Georgia’s undoing will be the same thing that has plagued them every year under Kirby Smart. They are too conservative. They won’t be able to run their way to an SEC championship or CFB Playoff Championship. Jake Fromm will have to show is elite and not just a game manager. The best teams won’t allow them to run the football at the level they are accustomed too. And the best opponents will score enough points to make the Bulldogs throw the ball more than 30 times.

It is difficult to look past UGA’s loss to South Carolina. It is inexplicable. And the committee has a president for holding a top team out of the top four with an awful loss (see Ohio State 2018). I know this is a new committee, which clearly believes that two quality wins is greater than an ugly loss at home.

4. Oregon Ducks (9-1)

Last Week: 34-6 (W) vs Arizona

The bar for Oregon is set extremely high. They didn’t allow a touchdown and under 300 yards of total offense to a team averaging over 32 ppg and 400+ yards. When a team covers a 27.5 point spread without allowing a TD against a conference opponent and fans say you played “just ok” the team has arrived. The Ducks are still as physical and nasty as they were at the beginning of the season.

This team dominated Auburn only to have conservative play-calling keep the game within striking range which ultimately got them beat.

Oregon fans, players, and coaching staff know they are playing for style points even more than they are playing for wins. They need to be able to pass the media’s “eye test” to generate enough momentum to power through the SEC Alabama, or two-loss team to the playoff hype train.

3. Clemson Tigers (10-0)

Last Week: 52-3 (W) vs Wake Forest

Maybe Clemson is like Roy Jones. Remember he said, “They say I don’t fight nobody, I just make them look like nobody, y’all must have forgot”. Wake Forest was the #19 ranked team a week ago and Dabo’s crew blew the doors off them.

This season feels a lot like last year for Clemson. They started out the season slow, had a scare, then demolished everyone in their wake including Alabama. I’m hoping Clemson and Ohio State is not one of the semi-final matchups in the CFB Playoff. It would suck for the two teams I believe are the best to play each other first. Wouldn’t Ohio State vs Clemson be a helluva national championship game?

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

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 (10-0)

Last Week: 56-21 (W) at Rutgers

The Buckeyes look like the most complete team in college football. But, there was nothing to be learned in a game the 2^nd string could have won. If they put together dominating performances against Penn State and Michigan over the next two weeks, they may creep back into the #1 spot. SEC fans will say no way, but sometimes fans won’t let common sense get in the way of their argument.

No matter who you can a fan of, can you honestly say you have seen a better team than O-H-I-O State? And they get Chase Young back from his suspension this week. If OSU puts together a dominating performance against Penn State, they may move back into the #1 spot of the College Football Top 10 Rankings As It Should Be.

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 (10-0)

Last Week: 58-37 (W) at Ole Miss

Joe Burrow and company were like a hot knife through butter. A lot of people will tell you they aren’t concerned about their defense but I am. They aren’t Oklahoma bad, but they do give up a lot of points. I don’t want to hear about “garbage time” points. Those are the same players that have to go in when injuries happen or players get tired.

LSU has earned the #1 spot in the College Football Top 10 As It Should Be, but I don’t think they are the best team in the country. Ohio State is. It is impossible to deny the Tigers’ body of work up to this point.

Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 13.