College football’s final September weekend is loaded with ranked-on-ranked matchups, and the AP poll could look very different once the dust settles.
The SEC has put itself in the middle of the conversation in a big way, setting a national record with four games involving ranked teams in one week. Across the Power Four, there are six ranked-versus-ranked showdowns on the slate, which means AP voters are about to sort through a pile of results that could reshape the top 25.
Texas at Tennessee is one of the headliners, and it comes with the extra Manning family layer baked in. Arch Manning is heading into the same place Peyton Manning turned into legend, with Texas playing its first SEC game and first road game of the season.
Tennessee’s defense has not been seriously tested yet, but the Vols do have a strong home-field edge. On the other side, Tennessee has mostly handled lighter competition so far and now has to deal with Texas skill talent, while Faizon Brandon and the Vols’ own playmakers go up against a Longhorn defense that ranks 90th in FBS but has still limited opponents to 15 points per game.
Georgia keeps looking like a freight train, averaging more than 59 points per game and rolling through its SEC opener on the road at Arkansas. Still, Gunner Stockton is in for a much stiffer challenge at home against Oklahoma’s defensive front, even with the Bulldogs listed as two-touchdown favorites.
Ole Miss is also under the microscope after what could have been an emotional peak. Pete Golding has to get his team locked back in after the Rebels beat Lane Kiffin and LSU, because now they head into their SEC road opener against unbeaten Florida in the Swamp.
The Gators are coming off a major road win at Auburn that got them into the AP poll, and now they face a top-five Ole Miss team with a dangerous offense. One wrinkle: lead runner Kewan Lacy is a game-time decision because of a shoulder injury.
Iowa’s 3-0 start came against non-conference opponents, but Michigan is a different kind of test. The Hawkeyes will need their defensive front to keep Bryce Underwood in the pocket and stop him from gaining traction through the air if they want to leave the Big House with a win.
Michigan’s passing game still hasn’t fully come around, but Underwood has already rushed for 156 yards, and freshman back Savion Hiter is a name to watch in the Wolverine backfield. Even so, the lack of a consistent downfield threat leaves this one very much in doubt.
Texas A&M is already on shaky ground after losing at home to unranked Kentucky, a result that produced the biggest fall in the AP poll so far as the Aggies dropped from No. 9 to No. 23. Another poor showing on the road in Death Valley could send them tumbling even further, and pollsters will be ready to punish them again.
LSU is in a similar spot after losing at Ole Miss. The Tigers need to avoid back-to-back defeats if they want to stay relevant in the SEC race and keep building a case for playoff consideration. To do that, they need a quicker offensive start and a better answer for Texas A&M’s blue-chip receivers.
Oregon’s season has been hard to pin down. The Ducks nearly slipped against Boise State at home, then actually lost to Oklahoma State on the road, then turned around and hammered Portland State 84-0. This may not be a playoff elimination game yet, but it could become one if the loser stumbles again later in the season.
USC enters another week with its defense under the microscope. It looked better early with Gary Patterson involved, but even last week it still couldn’t really slow Rutgers. The Trojans won that game, yes, but now they draw a much tougher Oregon offense in another proving ground for Lincoln Riley.
And then there’s Mississippi State, which suddenly looks like a real factor in the SEC thanks to quarterback Kamario Taylor. The Bulldogs are one of only two teams in the country to win two road games against Power Four opponents, and they return home to face Missouri. The Tigers will be without Ahmad Hardy, though Jamal Roberts is coming off a 100-yard rushing game a week ago.
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Texas Just Gave SEC Fans A Debate Texas A&M Knows Well
Texas walked out of Knoxville with a 20-17 win over Tennessee, and the headline for SEC fans was easy to spot: pass rusher Colin Simmons was everywhere against freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. The Longhorns also got steady help from Raleek Brown, who ran for 67 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, while Texas handled the second half well enough to keep control after taking the lead.
For Texas A&M fans, the result lands as the kind of familiar conversation starter the SEC always seems to produce. Tennessee made things interesting late with a touchdown and an onside kick recovery, but could not find the final answer, and Texas' ability to close out a tough road game will only sharpen the talk around how the SEC race looks when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Gets A Huge Recruiting Sign With One Big Question Left
Donald Tabron IIs next step is suddenly a lot clearer for Texas A&M. The five-star quarterback commit from Cass Technical High School has canceled his planned visit to LSU for an upcoming game, a move that, according to reports, reads as a strong sign for the Aggies as they work to hold onto one of the top passers in the class. With multiple major programs having chased him, any shift in plans from a prospect of this caliber gets attention fast.
For Texas A&M, the development is encouraging because it suggests the Aggies still have momentum with a high-profile commitment who could have easily kept his options open. Even so, recruiting never really goes quiet this early, and Tabrons status could still change down the road. For now, though, the canceled visit gives A&M a useful update in a race where every decision matters. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Heads To LSU With Two Huge Questions Still Looming
Nick Saban is already looking ahead to Texas A&Ms trip to LSU, and he likes the Tigers chances at home after their recent loss to Ole Miss. The game is set for ABC and brings together two 2-1 teams, with the stage set for another test in a rivalry that tends to carry extra weight no matter where either team sits in the standings.
For the Aggies, the bigger issue is less about the name on the other sideline than the concerns surrounding their own play. Saban pointed to Texas A&Ms recent defensive performance and the uncertainty at quarterback as the reasons he sees trouble ahead, and those two areas will shape everything about how competitive this one looks when the lights come on in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]