Joel Klatt isn’t buying the idea that Ohio State should coast near the top of the sport after one clean Saturday against Kent State. In his latest top-10 on “The Joel Klatt Show,” the Fox analyst slid the Buckeyes down again, putting them at No. 3 after last week’s No. 2 slot.
The move comes with Klatt still favoring Texas at No. 1 and Ole Miss surging all the way to No. 2 after its win over LSU. Ohio State’s place in the order is tied not just to what Ole Miss did, but to what Klatt sees as a Buckeye offense still searching for answers in the run game, in short-yardage situations and on third downs. That’s the kind of stuff that can hide against softer opponents and suddenly become a problem when the schedule tightens.
Texas held firm at the top thanks to its win over Ohio State, and Klatt wants to see more from Arch Manning as the Longhorns head into what he called a brutal stretch, beginning with Saturday’s trip to Tennessee. Ole Miss, meanwhile, earned its jump with the kind of statement win that forces a reshuffle.
Klatt pointed out that the Rebels may not own the best win in the country - that still belongs to Texas - but their victory over LSU was enough to claim the second-best one for now. Trinidad Chambliss is also making an early Heisman case, and the Rebels have a ranked Florida team waiting next.
Georgia slipped one spot to No. 4, though Klatt’s read on the Bulldogs is still bullish. He said they might be better than expected and haven’t really revealed many flaws through three nonconference games. The next test is whether Oklahoma’s defense can make life tougher for Gunner Stockton and the Georgia offense.
Miami fell from No. 4 to No. 5 after looking vulnerable at Wake Forest. The concern for Klatt was the pass defense, which allowed 312 yards through the air.
That may not have been fatal against a Demon Deacons team that did almost nothing on the ground, but he made it clear that formula could get dangerous against a more balanced attack. The Hurricanes also have a lighter ACC road ahead before their Oct. 7 game against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame stayed put at No. 7, though Klatt has been especially hard on the Irish for their inability to run the ball. He flagged that as a real issue if they run into a team that can force them into one-dimensional football, even if that matchup may not arrive until Miami on Oct. 7.
Indiana remained at No. 6, and Klatt’s tone there was simple: maybe the Hoosiers are too low, maybe not, but nobody really knows yet because their schedule hasn’t produced a true test. Wins over North Texas, Howard and Western Kentucky haven’t answered much, and Northwestern this weekend is unlikely to tell the whole story either.
LSU took the biggest tumble in the group, falling from No. 5 to No. 8 after Ole Miss outplayed and outcoached the Tigers. Klatt still sees talent there, but he also stressed that the coming stretch is back-loaded and that this week’s game against Texas A&M could go a long way toward deciding whether LSU remains in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Alabama moved down one spot to No. 9, though Klatt still views the Tide as a team with real postseason upside. The win at Kentucky looks stronger now than it did a few weeks ago, but the real judgment comes when Alabama gets deeper into SEC play.
Utah rounds out the list at No. 10, unchanged from last week. Klatt’s view is that the Utes keep handling business and winning convincingly against the teams on their schedule so far. The real question, as he put it, is how they look once they get into matchups with teams closer to their level in talent.
Here’s how Klatt’s top 10 looked: 1.
Texas 2.
Ole Miss 3.
Ohio State 4.
Georgia 5.
Miami 6.
Indiana 7.
Notre Dame 8.
LSU 9.
Alabama 10.
Utah
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