Greg McElroy’s latest Top 15 has a familiar name sitting at the very top, but the real intrigue starts once you get past the first few spots.
Georgia checks in at No. 1 after its road win over Alabama, a result McElroy called a defining one at the midway point of the season. The Bulldogs also landed No. 1 in the AP Top 25 by a wide margin, so there’s not much debate right now about who sits atop the sport.
Indiana follows at No. 2, and McElroy pointed to just how long it has been since Curt Cignetti’s team last tasted defeat. The Hoosiers are 6-0 after also running the table a year ago, and quarterback Josh Hoover has settled in well after transferring from TCU. Their next test is a major one: Ohio State.
Miami comes in at No. 3, helped by a win over Wake Forest, which McElroy views as one of the ACC’s better teams. The Hurricanes also get Florida State this weekend, and McElroy’s view is clear: Miami’s offense is dangerous enough to keep it in every game. The question he leaves hanging is whether the defense keeps progressing into something more complete.
Notre Dame sits fourth after weathering the early-season issues that have bothered Marcus Freeman teams in recent years. McElroy highlighted the road win at North Carolina and the victory over Wisconsin, but he also made it clear the real measuring-stick stretch is here now.
The Fighting Irish go to BYU this weekend in a showdown of unbeaten teams, then host Miami on Nov. 7.
Alabama drops to No. 5 after the loss to Georgia, though McElroy did not treat that defeat like a season-wrecker. The Crimson Tide are still alive in the SEC title chase and playoff race. Tennessee is up next, and LSU is the main challenge after that.
Texas lands at No. 6 after its first loss, a setback against Oklahoma that left plenty of “what if” attached to Arch Manning’s two interceptions and a few missed chances. Still, McElroy emphasized the strength of the Longhorns’ résumé, built around the win over Ohio State and the victory over Tennessee. The problem now is the road ahead: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, at Missouri and at LSU.
Ohio State is seventh, and McElroy called the Buckeyes’ only loss a respectable one, especially given how strong Texas looked before its own upcoming gauntlet. The opener at Ohio State’s level matters less than what comes next, and this week’s game against Indiana is the one that could really shape how the rest of the season looks.
UCLA is the surprise at No. 8.
McElroy has the Bruins inside the top 10 after what he sees as a rapid rise under Bob Chesney, drawing comparisons to Curt Cignetti for the speed of the turnaround. The schedule has been manageable, but the Oregon win last week gave the ranking extra weight.
Wisconsin is next, followed by potentially tricky trips to Minnesota and Michigan before USC comes to town to close the regular season.
Utah checks in at No. 9 after rolling through the first half of the season with every win by at least two touchdowns. Even when the Utes have been messy, the final margin has stayed comfortable. Houston and BYU stand out on the remaining slate, though both are at home, and there are still four road games to navigate.
BYU rounds out McElroy’s top 10. The Cougars are 5-0 and have only had one game decided by single digits, a 17-10 win over TCU.
McElroy clearly likes what he’s seen so far, but the real challenge arrives now with No. 2 Notre Dame coming to town.
A win there would send a loud message, and McElroy has BYU positioned to make that kind of statement.
McElroy’s rankings continue with Nos. 11-15.
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