College Football Polls

The "cupcake" portion of the 2019 college football season is over. 

While the likes of Clemson and Alabama rampaged over lesser opponents, three Top 25 games and a handful of upsets got the ball rolling on what was the wildest weekend of the year so far. 

Clemson and Alabama remain the top two teams in the latest Associated Press poll and are followed by Georgia, which earned a narrow 23-17 prime-time win over Notre Dame. LSU and Ohio State round out the Top Five.

Here's a look at how the entire poll played out:

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. LSU

5. Ohio State

6. Oklahoma

7. Auburn

8. Wisconsin

9. Florida

10. Notre Dame

11. Texas

12. Penn State

13. Oregon

14. Iowa

15. Cal

16. Boise State

17. Washington

18. Virginia

19. Utah

20. Michigan

21. USC

22. UCF

23. Texas A&M

24. Kansas State

25. Michigan State 

Georgia got an early resume-boosting win in the week's best game against Notre Dame. The Bulldogs defense got a fourth-down stop on the Irish's potential game-winning drive and forced two Ian Book turnovers in the six-point win.

"That's what college football is all about, man," Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters. "I hate that somebody had to lose that game. I've got a lot of respect for the way they played, and all the negative things they've heard, and to come out and play the way they did. They played really physical as a team, and so did we. We persevered."

The other two games between Top 25 teams were...not so exciting.

Wisconsin moves up five spots to No. 8 after a 35-14 shellacking of Michigan. The Badgers scored the game's first 35 points, including 28 in the first half, to hand Jim Harbaugh one of his worst losses as a head coach. Jonathan Taylor finished with 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

Michigan's offense, an issue all season, continued to sputter. Three quarterbacks combined to complete just 17 of their 42 attempts, with starter Shea Patterson finishing 14-of-32 for 219 yards and two touchdowns against a pick. The running game did not fare any better, carrying the ball 19 times for 40 yards.

"I think we made [a statement]," Taylor told reporters. "It's going to be tough to come into Camp Randall [Stadium] and come out with an easy win. You have to play for 60 minutes. You have to play until the clock hits zero in the fourth quarter."

Auburn also got a strong 28-20 win over Texas A&M that was more lopsided than the final score indicated. 

On the other side, we saw five ranked teams go down against unranked opponents. USC got its second big win of the young season by taking down No. 10 Utah. It was the second time this season the Trojans have gotten a win on the back of a performance of a backup quarterback. This time it was Matt Fink, who threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns in place of an injured Kedon Slovis.

Elsewhere, UCF lost on a late trick play by Pitt, and Washington State blew a huge second-half lead to a previously winless UCLA. 

No. 21 USC, No. 24 Kansas State and No. 25 Michigan State moved into the Top 25. 

Week 4 was wild in college football. Between marquee matchups, shocking upsets and a game that featured a remarkable comeback and 130 total points, college football fans took a wild ride this weekend.  

So how did that impact the Amway Coaches Poll heading into Week 5? We'll take a look at the latest poll below along with breaking down the exciting week that was and previewing the top matchups in the week to come. 

Hopefully, they'll provide as many thrills as this week.

                

Rankings

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Oklahoma

5. LSU

6. Ohio State

7. Auburn

8. Florida

9. Wisconsin

10. Notre Dame

11. Penn State

12. Texas

13. Oregon

14. Iowa

15. Boise State

16. California

17. Washington

18. Virginia

19. Utah

20. Michigan

21. Texas A&M

22. Kansas State

23. UCF

24. Wake Forest

25. USC

Teams dropped from rankings: Washington State, Arizona State

                                   

Recap

The Georgia Bulldogs passed the first major test they'll face in their bid to win a national championship this season, beating Notre Dame 23-17 in a marquee matchup between two top-10 teams that lived up to the hype.

While Notre Dame was able to move the ball, accumulating 321 yards of total offense, Georgia's defense completely stymied its run game (just 46 yards on 14 attempts) and forced two turnovers.

That was enough for the Bulldogs trio of quarterback Jake Fromm (187 passing yards, one score), running back D'Andre Swift (100 yards from scrimmage, one touchdown) and wideout Lawrence Cager (five receptions for 82 yards and a score) to lead Georgia's offense to the win.

"That's what college football is all about, man," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the game, per the Associated Press. "I hate that somebody had to lose that game. I've got a lot of respect for the way they played, and all the negative things they've heard, and to come out and play the way they did. They played really physical as a team, and so did we. We persevered."

VICTORY MOOD#ATD #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/lDxopPSa83

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 22, 2019

For Notre Dame, the question will be how it responds. One loss won't automatically end its playoff hopes, but with matchups against Virginia, USC and Michigan still on the schedule, the road ahead of the program is hardly a cakewalk.

None of the other favorites to reach the College Football Playoff suffered setbacks this week, with Clemson, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State all cruising to wins. The race to the SEC Championship Game in the loaded SEC West had another question answered Saturday, meanwhile, when Auburn beat Texas A&M 28-20, handing the Aggies their second loss on the season.

That all but ended Texas A&M's playoff hopes.

"We don't have a bad football team, we've just got to get them to play better and that's my job," Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher told the AP.

Auburn remained undefeated, but the schedule won't do it any favors as the season progresses, with matchups against Florida, LSU, Georgia and Alabama yet to come. All four of those teams are currently ranked in the top 10, leaving Auburn with one of the most brutal schedules in the country.

Not every potential playoff contender left Week 4 unscathed, however. Utah was upset by USC on Friday 30-23, while Michigan was beat up by Wisconsin on Saturday 35-14, and UCF lost to Pittsburgh later that day 35-34.

Michigan has no juice, no identity and no hope after a humiliating loss to Wisconsin. Column on the pattern of big-game failures by Jim Harbuagh that's evolved to an expectation. https://t.co/w8bWOJEqPR

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 21, 2019

And Saturday night featured one of the wildest games in recent memory when UCLA overcame a 49-17 deficit early in the third quarter to shock Washington State 67-63.

Arizona State and Colorado also lost Saturday as the rankings saw a major shakeup this week.

They might again next week too with several fascinating matchups on tap. In the Pac-12, Arizona State will look to lick its wounds against California, Utah will try to do the same vs. Washington State, and USC will take on Washington. Notre Dame will look to get back on track against a tough Virginia side, while Ohio State will look to keep on rolling against Nebraska.

Following the first batch of major upsets this season, the Associated Press Top 25 poll has been shaken up outside of the usual teams at the top.  

Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Auburn maintained their positions as the top eight teams thanks to blowout wins. Florida stayed at No. 9 despite being given a scare from Kentucky before scoring 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to steal a 29-21 win.

Here's the AP Top 25 for Week 4: 

1. Clemson (3-0)

2. Alabama (3-0)

3. Georgia (3-0)

4. LSU (3-0)

5. Oklahoma (3-0)

6. Ohio State (3-0)

7. Notre Dame (2-0)

8. Auburn (3-0)

9. Florida (3-0)

10. Utah (3-0)

11. Michigan (2-0)

12. Texas (2-1)

T13. Penn State (3-0)

T13. Wisconsin (2-0) 

15. UCF (3-0)

16. Oregon (2-1)

17. Texas A&M (2-1)

18. Iowa (3-0)

19. Washington State (3-0)

20. Boise State (3-0)

21. Virginia (3-0)

22. Washington (2-1)

23. California (3-0)

24. Arizona State (3-0)

25. TCU (2-0)

   

Despite cruising to a 41-6 win over Syracuse, top-ranked Clemson still doesn't look quite right. Specifically, Trevor Lawrence continues to make mistakes that lead to turnovers. He finished the game 22-of-39 with 395 yards, four total touchdowns and two interceptions. 

The Tigers star quarterback now has five interceptions in 97 attempts this season. He had four in 397 attempts last season. 

ESPN NFL draft analyst Jim Nagy offered his assessment of Lawrence's game:

The anointing of Trevor Lawrence was so premature and, honestly, unfair to him. All the talk of him sitting out next year to avoid injury is utter nonsense. He certainly has all the tools, but as talented as he is, this kid needs plenty of development. He is pressing right now.

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) September 15, 2019

It would be almost impossible for any college player, especially a 19-year-old sophomore, to live up to the hype Lawrence had coming into 2019. He was the toast of the town as a true freshman after throwing for 674 yards and six touchdowns in playoff wins over Notre Dame and Alabama. 

Clemson also has so much talent depth all over the field that Lawrence doesn't have to be perfect each week for the defending national champs to keep winning.

The Tigers seem likely to cruise into the ACC Championship Game undefeated after making it out of this two-game stretch against Texas A&M and Syracuse. The rest of their schedule doesn't include an opponent currently ranked in the AP Top 25. 

The biggest upset from Week 3 saw Herm Edwards' Arizona State Sun Devils stun the Michigan State Spartans, who dropped from No. 18 to outside the top 25, in a 10-7 defensive battle. 

Michigan State had an opportunity to force overtime with a field goal, but its first attempt was negated by a penalty for having 12 men on the field. Matt Coghlin's second attempt was no good, sealing the Sun Devils' victory. 

Even though the Big Ten cost itself one game with a blunder, the conference was redeemed with a couple of wins that were gifted to them by opposing teams.

Penn State got an ugly 17-10 win against Pittsburgh when Pat Narduzzi opted to try a field goal on 4th-and-1 from the Nittany Lions' 1-yard line with five minutes remaining. Alex Kessman missed the attempt, and Penn State ran more than three minutes off the clock before Pitt got the ball back. 

The Panthers did drive down to Penn State's 26, but Kenny Pickett's pass to Taysir Mack as time expired was incomplete. 

Iowa remained undefeated by escaping Jack Trice Stadium with an 18-17 victory over Iowa State. 

The Cyclones looked like they were going to get the ball back with Deshaunte Jones ready to receive a punt with more than one minute remaining, but Datrone Young had the ball hit off his back after he ran into Jones, and Iowa recovered it to seal the win.

oh no

Iowa State ended their chances against Iowa with this muffed puntpic.twitter.com/nNgCFZo5ab

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) September 15, 2019

Maryland and USC were also bit by the upset bug Saturday in the first road games for both teams in 2019. The Terrapins offense, which scored 142 points in the first two weeks, could only muster 17 against Temple. 

BYU stunned USC 30-27 in overtime when Dayan Ghanwoloku picked off Kedon Slovis' third-down pass. 

Next week is guaranteed to feature at least one major shake-up in the top 10. Georgia hosts Notre Dame in the marquee matchup of Week 4. The last meeting between these two powerhouse programs came in 2017 when the Bulldogs got a 20-19 victory at Notre Dame Stadium. 

Coming off a close call against Army, Michigan will begin Big Ten play on the road at Wisconsin. Texas A&M will try to end its two-game losing streak against Auburn at Kyle Field in the SEC opener for both teams. 

The college football season rolled on this week with another batch of upsets and statement wins across the sport. While most of the top teams in the country remained unblemished, a number of teams below them in the rankings weren't so lucky.

Below, we'll take a look at how those results affected this week's Amway Coaches Poll.  

            

Rankings

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Oklahoma

5. LSU

6. Ohio State

7. Notre Dame

8. Florida

9. Auburn

10. Michigan

11. Utah

12. Penn State

13. Texas

14. Wisconsin

15. Texas A&M

16. UCF

17. Oregon

18. Iowa

19. Washington State 

20. Boise State

21. Washington

22. Virginia 

23. California

24. Arizona State

25. Kansas State

Dropped out: Michigan State, Mississippi State, USC, Maryland

                      

Analysis

Another week of college football, another batch of top-25 upsets.

Arizona State stunned the football world Saturday, beating Michigan State 10-7 in a game that wasn't without its drama. The Spartans appeared to have sent the game to overtime when Matt Coghlin hit a 42-yard field goal to tie the game only to have the conversion erased by a penalty for having too many men on the field.

The kick was retried, this time with the penalty yardage tacked on, and Coughlin missed—his third failed conversion of the day—giving the Sun Devils the tight win. 

It was a game marked by flags for the Spartans—they were penalized 10 times for 91 yards, and head coach Mark Dantonio was not happy about it.

"I'm not one to stand up here and criticize the officials, I never have," he said, per Chase Michaelson of the Detroit Free Press. "I'll let everybody take a look at those (calls). The people who should be looking at those can take a look at those. In other words, the officiating group themselves, I'll let them handle that, I'm not gonna go off about that."

Regardless, it's tough to blame the officials when your team only manages seven points at home. Back to the drawing board for the Spartans.

Ditto for another Big Ten team, Maryland, after it was upset by Temple 20-17. Temple's defense gave a heroic performance, stuffing Maryland at the goal line on two separate possessions to keep 14 points off the board. 

🦉@Temple_FB had not 1 but two HUGE goal line stands in the final 5 minutes of play to upset No. 21 Maryland 👊👊 pic.twitter.com/3dOE0tTnHs

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 14, 2019

"I'm disappointed in our ability to run the ball inside the goal line area," Maryland head coach Michael Locksley said after the loss, per the Associated Press. "Any team that I coach, we're going to be a team that has to have the ability to punch it in."

And then there was USC. Fresh off an upset win over Stanford last week, the Trojans fell in overtime against BYU on Saturday 30-27 after Dayan Ghanwoloku intercepted a tipped pass to seal the win.

https://twitter.com/BYUfootball/status/1173235017029279744

It's been a tough week for the school after USC athletic director Lynn Swann stepped down, and things are only about to get tougher, with games against Utah, Washington and Notre Dame in the next three weeks. How the Trojans fare in those tough tests will define their season. After Saturday's loss, their margin for error has grown thinner.

While the bottom of the rankings was shaken up by those results, the top teams in the nation all cruised, with Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Auburn winning without much drama. Florida also won, though the Gators' title hopes were dealt a tough blow after Feleipe Franks suffered a dislocated ankle in Saturday's 29-21 win over Kentucky, ending his season.

As for Week 4, a few contenders will face major tests. Along with the aforementioned USC vs. Utah showdown, Michigan will face Wisconsin in a key Big Ten battle, and Auburn will take on Texas A&M as the Aggies try to avoid picking up a second loss on the season.

But the game of the week will undoubtedly be Georgia hosting Notre Dame, a contest that could have major implications for the College Football Playoff and will absolutely impact the Amway Coaches Poll next week. For the winner, the game will be a major boon to their resume. For the loser, it will be a major uphill climb to return to playoff consideration will ensue. 

That's the beautiful thing about college football—the stakes are always immense.

Week 2 on the college football schedule didn't disappoint, with a number of high-profile games and close calls and the nation's top team continuing its impressive win streak. 

As always, the implications were felt on the Amway Coaches Poll.

                             

Rankings

1. Clemson

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Oklahoma

5. LSU

6. Ohio State

7. Notre Dame

8. Florida

9. Auburn

10. Michigan

11. Penn State

12. Utah

13. Texas

14. Wisconsin

15. Texas A&M

16. UCF

17. Oregon

18. Iowa

19. Michigan State

20. Washington State

21. Washington

22. Boise State

23. Mississippi State

24. USC

25. Maryland

Schools dropped out: Syracuse, Stanford and Nebraska

               

Analysis

Clemson's spot is secure after its dominant 24-10 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday. Save for a garbage-time touchdown, Clemson's defense was stifling, frustrating Kellen Mond and the Aggies offense all afternoon.

It was a far cry from the matchup last year, when Clemson survived a tight battle with Texas A&M, winning 28-26. "We wanted to leave no doubt this year," quarterback Trevor Lawrence said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "I think we did that."

The Tigers served notice to the rest of the country.

Like Clemson, several top teams cruised, including Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State, aka the usual suspects. But a number of teams found themselves in real battles, some more surprising than others.

Michigan, for example, needed double overtime to survive against Army 24-21. For a team with title aspirations, the Wolverines have a lot of work to do.

"The entire football game we made mistakes offensively—penalties, and turnovers, and turnovers on downs," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said, per the AP (h/t ESPN). "The defense was not in the best positions, but they played great."

LSU and Joe Burrow survived a shootout with Texas, meanwhile, showing composure and resilience in a back-and-forth slugfest. The Tigers quarterback finished 31-of-39 for 471 yards, four touchdowns and an interception, out-dueling the equally impressive Sam Ehlinger (401 yards, four passing scores, one rushing).

The new-look LSU offense seems like it will present major problems for opponents in 2019, especially if Burrow continues to play like a potential Heisman finalist.

In LSU's 45-38 win over Texas, Joe Burrow became the 1st LSU quarterback to throw for 400 passing yards against an AP-ranked opponent since Rohan Davey in the 2002 Sugar Bowl against Illinois.

He is also just the 3rd LSU player to throw for 400 passing yards in a game. pic.twitter.com/Jk3N1TPcQs

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 8, 2019

JOE BURROW HEISMAN HYPE TRAIN BEGINS BEHIND ME

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 8, 2019

Chalk mostly held Saturday, though a few ranked teams suffered losses, including Washington, Syracuse, Stanford and Nebraska. Add in Texas losing and Michigan struggling, and the rankings always seemed likely to look a lot different Sunday.

They could face a major shake-up next week as well when Stanford faces UCF, Iowa takes on Iowa State and Clemson matches up with Syracuse. Week 3 won't feature the premier matchups we saw in Week 2, but in college football, the upsets always come.

The first week of the 2019 college football season is in the books, and from a Top 25 standpoint at least, things went largely as expected to begin the year.

The only AP Top 25 team to lose its opening game was No. 11 Oregon, and the Ducks lost to No. 16 Auburn on the road in the marquee matchup of the week. In the Amway Coaches Poll, No. 25 Northwestern lost to No. 23 Stanford on the road, though the Wildcats were unranked in the AP poll.

Despite the lack of major upsets, there was still plenty of shuffling in the Week 2 polls relative to where things stood in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll and the preseason AP Top 25 poll.

Here's the updated Top 25 in each poll, with a look at how many spots each team climbed or fell:

     

AP Poll

1. Clemson (1-0)

2. Alabama (1-0)

3. Georgia (1-0)

4. Oklahoma (1-0)

5. Ohio State (1-0)

6. LSU (1-0)

7. Michigan (1-0)

8. Notre Dame (1-0) +1

9. Texas (1-0) +1

10. Auburn (1-0) +6

11. Florida (1-0) -3

12. Texas A&M (1-0)

13. Utah (1-0) +1

14. Washington (1-0) -1

15. Penn State (1-0)

16. Oregon (0-1) -5

17. Wisconsin (1-0) +2

18. UCF (1-0) -1

19. Michigan State (1-0) -1

20. Iowa (1-0)

21. Syracuse (1-0) +1

22. Washington State (1-0) +1

23. Stanford (1-0) +2

24. Boise State (1-0) NR

25. Nebraska (1-0) -1

      

Amway Coaches Poll

1. Clemson (1-0)

2. Alabama (1-0)

3. Georgia (1-0)

4. Oklahoma (1-0)

5. Ohio State (1-0)

6. LSU (1-0)

7. Michigan (1-0)

8. Notre Dame (1-0) +1

9. Texas (1-0) +1

10. Florida (1-0) -2

11. Texas A&M (1-0)

12. Washington (1-0)

13. Auburn (1-0) +3

14. Penn State (1-0)

15. Utah (1-0)

16. Wisconsin (1-0) +1

17. UCF (1-0)

18. Oregon (0-1) -5

19. Iowa (1-0)

20. Michigan State (1-0)

21. Washington State (1-0)

22. Syracuse (1-0)

23. Stanford (1-0)

24. Boise State (1-0) NR

25. Nebraska (1-0) NR

      

Biggest Risers

Auburn (+6 in AP, +3 in Amway): The Tigers were the biggest risers of Week 1 thanks to a 27-21 victory over a higher-ranked Oregon team. Freshman quarterback Bo Nix finished just 13-of-31 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his collegiate debut, but he stepped up when it mattered most. Facing a 21-6 deficit with five minutes to go in the third quarter, Nix led a spirited comeback and connected on the go-ahead touchdown pass with nine seconds left on the clock.      

Wisconsin (+2 in AP, +1 in Amway): The Badgers climbed two spots in the AP poll and one position in the Amway poll thanks to a dominant 49-0 shutout of South Florida. Led by Heisman candidate Jonathan Taylor, who had 135 years and two touchdowns on 16 carries, Wisconsin rumbled for 234 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Meanwhile, the defense held the Bulls to just 157 total yards and nine first downs.

     

Biggest Fallers

Oregon (-5 in AP, -5 in Amway): The Ducks allowed 21 unanswered points to close out their 27-21 loss to Auburn. While the defense deserves its fair share of blame for the loss, the running game was also limited to just 2.7 yards per carry on the ground, and that inability to pick up first downs opened the door for the Tigers.

Florida (-3 in AP, -2 in Amway): While the Gators won their opening game 24-20 against Miami, it took a fourth-quarter touchdown to secure the victory over an unranked Hurricanes squad. They managed just 50 rushing yards on 28 carries, and quarterback Feleipe Franks was picked off twice to go along with his two touchdown passes. Convincing wins by Notre Dame (35-17 vs. Louisville) and Texas (45-14 over Louisiana Tech) were enough for them to leapfrog the Gators.

      

New to the Rankings

Boise State: After starting the season on the fringe of the rankings, Boise State quickly entered both polls with a 36-31 victory on the road against Florida State. The Broncos outscored the Seminoles 17-0 in the second half to steal the win. Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier threw for 407 yards and one touchdown, while running back Robert Mahone had 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Nebraska: While Nebraska began the season at No. 24 in the AP poll, the team was unranked in the Amway poll. With Iowa State and Northwestern both dropping out, a 35-21 victory over South Alabama was enough for the Cornhuskers to move into the No. 25 spot in the Amway poll.

     

No Longer Ranked

Iowa State (No. 21 in AP, No. 24 in Amway): It took the Cyclones three overtimes to knock off Northern Iowa in a 29-26 victory. While the Iowa State defense was largely as advertised, allowing just 262 total yards while limiting the Panthers to 34 rushing yards on 31 attempts, the offense was forced to settle for a field-goal attempt on four of its six trips to the red zone. A much tougher test awaits on Sept. 14 in the form of in-state rival Iowa.

Northwestern (No. 25 in Amway): The Wildcats held their own against a ranked Stanford team, but they were bound to slide after suffering a 17-7 loss in their opener. It was a tough road game to start the season and they can still be a factor in the Big Ten this season, starting with a matchup against ranked Michigan State on Sept. 21.

Just 23 days from the start of the 2019 College Football season, the first polls provide a road map for what a select group of coaches and reporters expect to happen when games kick off.

On Thursday, the preseason Amway Coaches Top 25 poll was released with Clemson and Alabama—the two teams that met in January's College Football Playoff Championship Game—in the top two spots.

Here is the full list of 25 teams that make up the initial Amway Coaches Poll:

   

Amway Coaches Poll (First Place Votes)

1. Clemson (59)

2. Alabama (6)

3. Georgia

4. Oklahoma

5. Ohio State

6. LSU

7. Michigan

8. Florida

9. Notre Dame

10. Texas

11. Texas A&M

12. Washington

13. Oregon

14. Penn State

15. Utah

16. Auburn

T17. Wisconsin

T17. Central Florida

19. Iowa

20. Michigan State

21. Washington State

22. Syracuse

23. Stanford

24. Iowa State

25. Northwestern

  

Projected AP Top 25 Poll

1. Clemson 

2. Alabama 

3. Georgia

4. Ohio State

5. LSU

6. Texas

7. Oklahoma

8. Florida 

9. Notre Dame

10. Michigan

11. Texas A&M

12. Oregon

13. Penn State

14. Utah 

15. Washington

16. Auburn

17. Wisconsin

18. Iowa

19. Michigan State

20. Washington State 

21. Central Florida

22. Syracuse

23. Stanford

24. Iowa State

25. Nebraska

It would be hard to argue against Clemson and Alabama as the top two teams in the nation. 

This season will be a unique task for Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney, who has to replace all four starters from his 2018 defensive line. The quartet of Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence combined for 56 tackles for loss and 27 sacks last year. 

Even without that group, sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence is tied with Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa as the preseason betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The 19-year-old threw for 674 yards and six touchdowns in playoff wins over Notre Dame and Alabama. 

Alabama has only been ranked lower than second in an AP preseason poll once since 2010 (No. 3 in 2015). 

The biggest potential difference between the two polls inside the top 10 is Texas. The coaches put the Longhorns at No. 10, just one spot below their position in the final rankings last season. 

Sam Ehlinger has a message for Texas fans 🤘 pic.twitter.com/zWmYYHCV5V

— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2019

Head coach Tom Herman had an excellent second year at Texas, leading the program to 10 wins and a 28-21 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 

One pessimistic outlook for Texas in 2019 came from SB Nation's Bill Connelly, who noted the team ranks 121st nationally in returning production. 

Per Wescott Eberts of Burnt Orange Nation, one area Texas will have to figure out quickly is the secondary: 

"After all, Texas lost three longtime starters in the defensive backfield—cornerbacks Kris Boyd and Davante Davis and nickel back PJ Locke III. Together, those three produced 186 tackles just as seniors and 27 of 49 passes defensed (55 percent). The fact that Boyd was the fifth-leading tackler on the team with 67 stops showed just how valuable he was in run support and how solid he was in space. For all of his faults, Boyd was an excellent, physical tackler."

Texas' showdown with LSU on Sept. 7 will go a long way toward showing if the program, as quarterback Sam Ehlinger says in the clip above, really is back to being a national powerhouse. 

Despite Urban Meyer's retirement, there's no reason to think Ohio State will suddenly fall off a cliff. First-year head coach Ryan Day did a fine job in his three-game trial run at the start of last year when Meyer was serving a suspension. 

The loss of Dwayne Haskins at quarterback would hurt most offenses, but Georgia transfer Justin Fields is going to soften the blow. 

Brad Crawford of 247Sports already has Fields ranked as the best quarterback in the Big Ten before he's even taken a snap with the Buckeyes:

"Fields' place in any preseason quarterback ranking is based on upside and will be subject to criticism from the non-believers, but the Georgia transfer is supremely talented and should excel in an offense that caters to his strengths under Ryan Day.

"Ohio State has impressive depth when it comes to high-end talent at the skill spots despite losing Mike Weber, Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin. Fields keeps defenses honest with his running ability, but is still a pass-first quarterback. Don't be surprised if Fields warrants a ton of Heisman attention if the Buckeyes stay inside the Top 10 throughout the season."

One team that could sneak into the bottom of the preseason AP Top 25 after being left out of the coaches poll is Nebraska. The program is coming off back-to-back seasons with a 4-8 record, but there seems to be a lot of optimism as head coach Scott Frost heads into his second year. 

A lot of the Cornhuskers' hype revolves around quarterback Adrian Martinez after he accounted for 3,235 combined rushing and passing yards and 25 total touchdowns in 11 games as a freshman. 

Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg highlighted ways that Nebraska's defense, which allowed 31.2 points per game last season, did improve from 2017 to 2018: "The Huskers gave up fewer yards per carry (5.0), fewer yards per play (5.8), allowed quarterbacks to complete just 56 percent of their passes and had 11 more sacks (25) than in 2017."

No one is going to confuse Nebraska for Alabama with defensive stats like that, but it was a step forward from when it allowed 5.7 yards per carry and 6.4 yards per play in 2017. 

Frost and the Cornhuskers will be able to showcase their talent on Sept. 28 when they host Ohio State.

Oregon is a potential sleeper in the College Football Playoff race. The coaches placed the Ducks at No. 13 to start the season. They quietly won nine games last year for the first time since 2015. 

Expectations are high for quarterback Justin Herbert, who returns to school after being considered a potential top-10 pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

If Herbert vaults himself into Heisman contention, with running back CJ Verdell and tight end Jacob Breeland returning, the Ducks figure to have a potent offense. Head coach Mario Cristobal has the program on the rise in a wide-open Pac-12. 

With a 44-16 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff title game Monday night, the Clemson Tigers earned the No. 1 spot in the final 2018-19 Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Clemson garnered all 61 first-place votes, and the Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners and Notre Dame Fighting Irish rounded out the Top Five:

1. Clemson Tigers (15-0)

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (14-1)

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (13-1)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (12-2)

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1)

6. LSU Tigers (10-3)

T7. Georgia Bulldogs (11-3)

T7. Florida (10-3)

9. Texas (10-4)

10. Washington State (11-2)

*Full Top 25 can be viewed on the Associated Press' official website.

Unlike last year, there's no argument over the No. 1 spot. Clemson was the lone FBS squad to run the table and became the first team since 1897 to go 15-0, according to SportsCenter. The Tigers had just two games decided by one possession, winning by an average of 31.1 points per contest.

After earning a spot in the College Football Playoff, Clemson made it clear it was the nation's best team with a 27-point route of then-No. 3 Notre Dame and a 28-point blowout of then-No. 1 Alabama.

That earned the Tigers their second championship in three seasons.

The next-most notable jump came from the Buckeyes, who rose two spots to No. 3. Ohio State narrowly missed the CFP field after it went 12-1, took the Big Ten title and finished sixth in the committee's rankings. However, Urban Meyer's squad seized a 25-point lead over the Pac-12 champion Washington Huskies in the Rose Bowl before it hung on for a 28-23 victory.

Notre Dame fell out of the Top Four despite participating in the CFP. The Fighting Irish's dreams of a perfect season ended with a 30-3 loss to the eventual national champs in the Cotton Bowl.

The UCF Knights (12-1) finished at No. 11 after they saw their 25-game winning streak end against LSU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Also of note, the Texas Longhorns finished in the Top 10 for the first time since 2009. In their second season under Tom Herman, the Longhorns went 10-4 with an appearance in the Big 12 title game and a 28-21 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Of note, the SEC finished with four teams in the final Top 10 and six in the Top 25.

Alabama is the No. 1 team in the nation, and the Crimson Tide earned that position by blowing out opponents on a weekly basis.

That scenario held up until Saturday's SEC Championship Game, when the Crimson Tide was pushed to the limit by the Georgia Bulldogs.

The situation was fairly grim for Alabama in the second half, as they trailed 28-14 and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was struggling after suffering a right foot injury.

Head coach Nick Saban inserted backup Jalen Hurts in place of Tagovailoa after the score had reached 28-21, and that turned out to be the key move in the game.

Hurts, who was replaced by Tagovailoa in last year's CFP National Championship victory over Georgia, demonstrated that he was capable in a huge spot.

Hurts threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy to tie the score and ran 15 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:11 remaining.

The Bulldogs could not respond, and the Crimson Tide came away with a 35-28 triumph.

As a result of that win, Alabama (13-0) will hold on to its No. 1 ranking. The unbeaten Clemson Tigers (13-0) kept their record unblemished with a 42-10 victory over Pittsburgh in the ACC title game. Notre Dame (12-0), also unbeaten, completed its perfect regular season with a victory over USC on Nov. 24.

There should be no doubt that the Crimson Tide, Tigers and Fighting Irish hold the top three spots in the College Football Playoff rankings.

The No. 4 spot is the only position that is in question. Four teams appear to have a chance to gain that last spot.

Georgia (11-2) played Alabama better than any other opponent, and quarterback Jake Fromm was brilliant in defeat. He completed 25 of 39 passes for 301 yards with three TDs. The Bulldogs clearly belonged on the same field with the Crimson Tide and looked like the better team for at least three quarters. However, they let the game slip away, and that's troubling.

Oklahoma (12-1) avenged its only defeat of the season with a 39-27 victory over Texas. The Sooners were pushed hard by the Longhorns, but star quarterback Kyler Murray made the big plays for Oklahoma and threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns. The Sooners struggle on defense, but they may be the best offensive team in the nation.

Ohio State (12-1) has struggled in many games this season, and that includes the Big Ten title game against Northwestern on Saturday. The Buckeyes built a 24-7 halftime lead, but they gave up two third-quarter touchdowns and allowed the Wildcats to get to within three points. Ohio State responded to the challenge and picked up the 45-24 victory.

Undefeated UCF (12-0) is also deserving of strong consideration. The Knights lost quarterback McKenzie Milton to a severe leg injury in Week 12, and they trailed Memphis by 17 points in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.

However, instead of succumbing to the loss of their star quarterback and the deficit, UCF came all the way back and earned a 56-41 victory. Backup quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. stepped in for Milton and threw for 348 yards, two touchdowns and did not throw an interception.

With @UCF_Football Coach Heupel hyped after Knights repeat as @AmericanConf Champs. Believes team deserves chance to prove how good they are in playoff...but will they get that chance? I’ll be with team when they find out tomorrow pic.twitter.com/STZZMWWvRx

— Allison Williams (@AllisonW_Sports) December 2, 2018

One of those four teams will get in, and UCF can check off the boxes of undefeated and overcoming adversity. This is the second straight year the Knights are unbeaten, but they were not given the opportunity to compete in the playoffs last year.

The CFP committee is not going to officially consider last year's situation, but it may linger beneath the surface. Throw in the comeback victory in the conference title game with a backup quarterback, and UCF's argument is strong.

Based on their performance against the Crimson Tide, the Georgia Bulldogs may be the best of the four teams, but they have two losses on their resume.

Oklahoma may have avenged its only loss by beating Texans on Saturday, but the Sooners' defense is an undeniable weak spot. Head coach Lincoln Riley knows that the decision is out of his team's hands. "There's no doubt we have a playoff-worthy team, but I understand that there's other factors there too that we can't control," Riley said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

Ohio State is the 1st team to win the Big Ten Championship Game 3 times and the first repeat conference champion since Wisconsin from 2010-12.

Dwayne Haskins had his 5th career game with 5 Pass TD, surpassing J.T. Barrett for the most in Buckeyes history. pic.twitter.com/WngFmRLGnX

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 2, 2018

Ohio State has been on the precipice of defeat a number of times this year, but Urban Meyer's team has come through every time, with the exception of their 49-20 defeat at the hands of Purdue. The margin of that defeat to a 6-6 team is difficult to understand.

The prediction here is that the committee will go with Oklahoma in the No. 4 position. The idea of Alabama and Tagovailoa (if healthy) meeting Oklahoma and Murray is too enticing to pass up.

Here's how we see the CFP committee ranking its Top 25 Sunday.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma

5. UCF
6. Georgia
7. Ohio State
8. Washington
9. Michigan
10. Florida

11. LSU
12. Penn State
13. Washington State
14. Texas
15. Kentucky
16. West Virginia
17. Utah
18. Mississippi State
19. Texas A&M
20. Syracuse
21. Northwestern
22. Iowa State
23. Missouri
24. Fresno State
25. Boise State

             

RED RIVER REVENGE!

Oklahoma wasn't letting Texas get them this time. pic.twitter.com/KPolQLBS3t

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 1, 2018

Ohio State is the 1st team to win the Big Ten Championship Game 3 times and the first repeat conference champion since Wisconsin from 2010-12.

Dwayne Haskins had his 5th career game with 5 Pass TD, surpassing J.T. Barrett for the most in Buckeyes history. pic.twitter.com/WngFmRLGnX

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 2, 2018

With @UCF_Football Coach Heupel hyped after Knights repeat as @AmericanConf Champs. Believes team deserves chance to prove how good they are in playoff...but will they get that chance? I’ll be with team when they find out tomorrow pic.twitter.com/STZZMWWvRx

— Allison Williams (@AllisonW_Sports) December 2, 2018

The final rankings and all bowl pairings, including the College Football Playoff semifinals, will be announced Sunday. Those announcements will be made on ESPN at noon ET and can also be viewed be viewed on FuboTV.

Is this the week there is finally some movement of the teams inside the Top Four of the College Football Playoff structure?

Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame are all undefeated and in the top three spots. Alabama and Clemson are heavy favorites over Auburn and South Carolina, respectively, while the Fighting Irish are also in a strong position to beat traditional rival USC Saturday.

However, while the Crimson Tide and Tigers are playing at home, Notre Dame has to go to the West Coast, where it will play the Trojans in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

The Irish have had some success on the road against the Trojans over the years, but they have also suffered some painful defeats on USC's home turf.

     

CFP Rankings (record include Nov. 23 games)

1. Alabama, 11-0
2. Clemson, 11-0
3. Notre Dame, 11-0
4. Michigan, 10-1
5. Georgia, 10-1
6. Oklahoma, 11-1
7. LSU, 9-2
8. Washington State, 10-2
9. UCF, 11-0
10. Ohio State, 10-1

     

Alabama is a 24.5-point favorite over Auburn, per OddsShark, while Clemson is a 26-point choice to finish the regular season with an undefeated record. The Fighting Irish are 12.5-point favorites over the 5-6 Trojans, who are coming off a loss to UCLA.

It would be shocking if Alabama or Clemson lost, and it would be somewhat surprising if quarterback Ian Book and Notre Dame lost, but it would not be as seismic an upset as games involving the top two teams.

No. 4 Michigan is clearly in danger this week as the Wolverines go to Columbus to play Ohio State. Both teams take 10-1 records into this game, but the Wolverines appear to be the stronger and more well-rounded team. They can play a devastating defensive game, and that's where the Buckeyes have struggled this year.

They were overwhelmed in their only loss of the season at Purdue, but they were pushed hard by a struggling Nebraska team. They gave up 51 points to Maryland last week before surviving the game in overtime.

Michigan dropped its season opener at Notre Dame, but it has not lost since. The Wolverines have dominated most weeks, but they could have been looking ahead to the Buckeyes in a 31-20 victory over Indiana last week.

The big issue for the Wolverines against the Buckeyes may be mental. Ohio State has won six straight games against Michigan, and 13 of the last 14 in the series. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has never lost to Michigan, while Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has never beaten Ohio State as Michigan's head coach.

It was a different story for Harbaugh as a player, as he led Michigan to a 3-1 record when he wore his No. 4 maize-and-blue uniform.

If Michigan can beat Ohio State, it should be able to hold on to the No. 4 ranking, at least for the time being.

The Wolverines would move on to the Big Ten title game against Northwestern, and while the Wildcats would present a challenge, the big issue could come if Georgia beats Alabama in the SEC title game.

Week 13 Trailer | This Is Georgia Football#ATD #GeorgiaFootball pic.twitter.com/QbN77HYjr0

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 23, 2018

If that happens, Georgia would likely deserve a spot in college football's Final Four, and so would Clemson and Notre Dame.

Would the CFP decision-makers simply abandon Alabama as a result of one loss? This appears to be Nick Saban's strongest team, and even if the Crimson Tide were to lose to Georgia, or Auburn in the regular-season finale, a great argument can be made that they still deserve to be in the playoffs.

If Michigan beats Ohio State, we see the College Football playoffs retaining the same four teams at the top of the rankings.

However, if Ohio State beats Michigan at home as 4.5-point underdogs, look for Georgia to move into the No. 4 spot.

The pressure on the Wolverines will be huge, and while the Ohio State defense has not been stellar, the Buckeyes are capable of playing one good game in that area. Add in the prolific passing of Dwayne Haskins (3,685 passing yards and 36 TD passes) and we see Ohio State winning on its home turf and causing even more pain for Michigan.

Here's what the bowl picture will look like after Saturday's action:

     

Bowl Projections

College Football Playoff

Cotton Bowl (December 29): No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Georgia

Orange Bowl (December 29): No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame 

                

New Year's Six

Peach Bowl (December 29): Texas vs. Michigan

Fiesta Bowl (January 1): Oklahoma vs. Florida 

Rose Bowl (January 1): Ohio State vs. Washington

Sugar Bowl (January 1): UCF vs. LSU

     

But even if Georgia moves into that No. 4 spot, the only way it will stay there is if the Bulldogs can beat the Crimson Tide in the SEC title game.

If not, Oklahoma, UCF and Ohio State will all have a shot. Washington State would have been in that same position with its explosive offense, but the Cougars dropped a 28-15 decision at home to archrival Washington in their Apple Cup confrontation Friday night.