Texas may have grabbed the No. 1 spot in the latest college football rankings after that wild comeback over Ohio State, but the early read on the College Football Playoff picture points somewhere else for the top seed.
Based on how the season is shaping up, Miami looks like the team sitting in the best position to claim No. 1 when the committee eventually sorts out the bracket. The Hurricanes have the kind of résumé that jumps off the page in this format: ACC champion, a scorching offense with Darian Mensah under center, and a schedule that should keep testing them all the way to the finish, including Notre Dame. The gap between Miami and the rest of the ACC is described as a wide one, and right now that matters.
Georgia also has a strong argument in the SEC lane. The Bulldogs’ offense has rolled through overmatched opponents, and while the tougher conference games will reveal more, they still look like the team to beat at the top of the league. If the committee is sorting champions and weighing depth, that profile carries plenty of weight.
In the Big Ten, Ohio State’s case only gets stronger with Oregon slipping. Even with defensive losses and some difficult road trips still ahead, the Buckeyes are emerging as the clearest pick to win the conference.
Notre Dame remains very much in the mix, though the schedule debate isn’t going away. Critics may say the Irish caught a break, but they still have BYU, Miami, and SMU coming up, and those games should tell the real story about whether this is the playoff team it has been billed as.
Texas, meanwhile, has the profile of an SEC runner-up that the selection committee would likely favor over the Big Ten’s second-place team. That win over Ohio State gives the Longhorns more room to breathe as they head into a stretch that includes as many as six ranked opponents.
Elsewhere in the projected field, Texas Tech gets the nod as the Big 12 champion. It is not being framed as a true two-quarterback offense, but the addition of Tommy Castellanos gives the Red Raiders another wrinkle to throw at opponents.
Indiana sits as the projected Big Ten runner-up after blasting its first two opponents and, according to this early read, should keep rolling until mid-October when it heads to Nebraska.
Arizona State has the pieces to make noise too. Sam Leavitt runs a dynamic offense that can attack downfield, and the defense can bring pressure up front, but there are still questions about how that group will hold up physically against SEC fronts when it comes to running the ball. That uncertainty could keep the Tigers out of the conference title race.
SMU is another ACC contender worth watching. The Mustangs will get a serious test this weekend on the road against ranked Louisville, but quarterback Kevin Jennings and the defense have looked like a team capable of contending for the conference crown.
Alabama’s defense has shown some encouraging signs, and dual-threat quarterback Keelon Russell has added real explosiveness to the offense. Even so, the Crimson Tide still need to prove they can move people around up front and run the ball with more force.
USC is also in the conversation as a team that could push Oregon out of the playoff picture from the Big Ten. With Jayden Maiava at quarterback, the Trojans have started to tighten things up on offense, and Gary Patterson’s presence on defense is helping them take early steps toward becoming more cohesive.
As for the highest-ranked Group of Six champion, that spot belongs to a team that already made noise with a seven-point loss at Oregon. That result still carries real value, especially after the Ducks lost the following week, and the latest win over previously unbeaten Memphis only strengthens the case.
In Other News...
Alabama's Running Back Picture Just Got More Complicated
Daniel Hill gave Alabama a clear answer in the run game against Kentucky, handling the bulk of the work and finishing with 104 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The performance stood out not just because of the production, but because it came with the kind of steady, dependable feel the Crimson Tide have been looking for as the backfield sorts itself out.
Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBoer both praised Hills work ethic and the way he seized the moment, but the bigger picture is still taking shape behind him. EJ Crowell and Traeshawn Brown continue to develop, and AK Dear is expected back from injury, leaving Alabama with a backfield that suddenly looks deeper and more interesting than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Answered One Doubt Critics Kept Pushing
Kirk Herbstreits pick of Kentucky over Alabama had plenty of company from people still waiting to see whether Kalen DeBoers team could absorb a few early hiccups and still impose itself. The skepticism made some sense after Alabamas uneven stretches, but the Crimson Tide showed a different edge once the game settled in, turning a shaky start into a decisive win with a strong second half.
For Alabama, the bigger takeaway was not just the result but the way it arrived. A team that had been questioned for its resilience answered by staying composed after its early mistakes, and that matters as much as any pregame forecast. Herbstreit leaned on past performances, but this group is starting to look more like a DeBoer team than a snapshot from what came before. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Kentucky Win Didnt End The Tides Biggest Debate
A 45-17 win over Kentucky should have been the kind of afternoon that settles a few things early in September, and in some ways it did for Alabama. The Crimson Tide rolled past the Wildcats in Week 2, then climbed to No. 10 in the AP Poll, a nice boost after opening the season with some uncertainty still hanging around the program.
Keelon Russells second career start, though, kept the biggest conversation alive. The quarterback threw for 188 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, a line that showed both the promise and the rough edges that come with a young passer trying to find his footing. Alabama got the result it wanted, but the question of how steady the offense can be when the competition gets tougher is still very much open. [Read more 🡒]