Greg McElroy’s latest Top 15 comes with a familiar name at the top, but the real conversation starts once you get past the first few spots.
Georgia sits at No. 1 after its road win over Alabama, a result McElroy called out as one of the best of the season at the midway point. The Bulldogs also landed in the top spot in the AP Top 25 by a wide margin, so there’s little debate right now about who owns the top line.
Indiana checks in at No. 2 after opening 6-0 and following up last year’s undefeated run. McElroy made sure to note how long it has been since Curt Cignetti’s team last lost.
The Hoosiers have not been as overwhelming as they were late last season, but they keep getting the job done. Josh Hoover, the quarterback transfer from TCU, has settled in well, and now comes the biggest measuring stick yet with Ohio State on deck.
Miami lands at No. 3, and that placement says plenty about how much McElroy believes in the Hurricanes’ offensive firepower. The schedule has not been loaded with elite opponents, but Miami already handled Wake Forest, which he described as perhaps one of the ACC’s best teams.
Florida State is next, and McElroy said it would be surprising to see anyone go punch-for-punch with Miami because of how dangerous the offense is. The question, as he framed it, is whether the defense keeps progressing enough to make the Hurricanes truly complete.
Notre Dame comes in at No. 4 after surviving the kind of early-season trouble that has tripped up Marcus Freeman teams before. Road wins over North Carolina and Wisconsin both look better with time, but the stretch ahead is the part that will define the Irish.
BYU on the road this weekend is the first major test, and Miami visits on Nov. 7.
McElroy’s point was clear: those two games could shape Notre Dame’s playoff path.
Alabama takes a hit after the loss to Georgia, dropping to No. 5, but McElroy didn’t treat it like some kind of disaster. The Tide are still very much alive in the SEC title race and the playoff picture. Tennessee is the next hurdle, and LSU is the only other major roadblock McElroy really singled out from the back half of the schedule.
Texas is right behind at No. 6 after suffering its first loss of the year against Oklahoma. McElroy leaned into the “what if” angle there - what if Arch Manning’s two interceptions don’t happen, what if a few more plays break differently.
Even with that loss, Texas still owns one of the sport’s best résumés, thanks in large part to the win over Ohio State and the earlier victory over Tennessee. The problem is what comes next: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, at Missouri, at LSU.
That is a brutal four-game stretch.
Ohio State slots in at No. 7, and McElroy pointed out that the Buckeyes’ only loss is a respectable one on the road at a top-five opponent. Still, the margin for error has shrunk.
Indiana comes to town this weekend, and McElroy made it plain that the outcome matters a lot for how the rest of the season looks. Win it, and the playoff picture stays comfortable.
Lose, and everything gets messy fast.
UCLA is the surprise of the bunch at No. 8.
McElroy has clearly bought in after what the Bruins have done so far, and the Oregon win last week gave that ranking some real backbone. Bob Chesney has been compared to Curt Cignetti for how quickly he has changed the program’s trajectory.
The schedule has been relatively light, but there are still tests ahead with Wisconsin this weekend, plus trips to Minnesota and Michigan, and USC at home in the finale.
Utah lands at No. 9 after a first half that has been as efficient as it has been dominant. The Utes have won every game by at least two touchdowns, and even the sloppy moments haven’t changed the final outcome much.
Houston and BYU both stand out on the remaining slate, though both are at home. Four road games remain, and McElroy clearly sees those as the main variable.
BYU rounds out McElroy’s top 10 at No. 10.
The Cougars are 5-0, and only one game - the 17-10 win over TCU - has been decided by single digits. That kind of start has earned them respect, and now comes the chance to prove it further.
Notre Dame visits this week, giving BYU one of the biggest games on its schedule and a chance to make a real statement in McElroy’s eyes.
McElroy’s Top 15 continues with spots 11 through 15 still to come.
In Other News...
Michigan Defense Gets A Big Opening Against Penn State
Penn State will head into its meeting with Michigan without wide receiver Koby Howard, who is set to miss the game because of injury and will sit out for a fourth straight week. For a Michigan defense that has been steady all season and has kept opponents at 20 points or fewer, the absence only sharpens the focus on a unit already built to control a game at the line of scrimmage and on the back end.
Without Howard available, the Wolverines have a chance to make life even more difficult for Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, especially if their defensive line can win early and the secondary can limit easy answers downfield. It is the kind of setup Michigan likes, with the defense able to squeeze space, force longer drives and put the pressure on Penn State to find production from elsewhere before the game can get away from it. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan May Have Found An Immediate Answer At Cornerback
Michigan football appears to have found a late-season boost for its roster plans, as former Cal and Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby is expected to join the Wolverines for 2026 after being granted a fifth year of eligibility by the Washtenaw County Circuit Court. The move gives Michigan a veteran defensive back with real game experience, and it also brings in a player who already knows coach Tyler Stockton from their time together at Boise State.
For a secondary that can always use more proven depth, Earbys addition carries obvious appeal because he arrives with familiarity built in and a path to help sooner rather than later. Michigan is also set to add former Tulane and Miami tight end Alex Bauman under the same ruling, but the bigger intrigue here is whether Earby can give the Wolverines an immediate answer at cornerback once he gets settled into the program. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Got Midseason Help For A Stretch Run Question
Michigan picked up an unusual midseason boost this week, adding two transfer portal newcomers who could become available right away after a Washtenaw County Circuit Court granted them a preliminary injunction for a fifth year of eligibility. Former Miami tight end Alex Bauman and former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby both bring the kind of experience that can matter most in November, when depth starts to get tested and every available piece becomes a little more valuable.
For Michigan, the timing is the real story here. Bauman gives the offense another option at tight end, while Earby adds needed depth to the secondary, two areas where extra bodies can help keep a stretch run from getting thin. The next question is how quickly they can be folded into the rotation, and whether Michigan can turn this late addition into something more than just emergency insurance. [Read more 🡒]