Each week, before the college football rankings come out, we at The Comeback will give you a look at our predictions for upcoming rankings. These aren’t just based on our opinion of what the Top 25 will look like. It’s also based on trends regarding how the voters have treated similar teams in the past.
Here’s a look at college football’s rankings after Week 3 action.
Biggest risers
Miami (No. 25 to No. 17)
This isn’t because Miami had the most impressive win of the week, but rather because so many other teams in the middle of the rankings lost. However, the Canes looked very impressive in a 45-10 road dismantling of Appalachian State, which had already nearly beaten Tennessee this year. Could this team be the best in Florida this year? That’s starting to look like a possibility.
Louisville (No. 10 to No. 3)
Louisville would be the biggest riser if it had anywhere else to go, but it only really has the opportunity to move up seven spots, from No. 10 to No. 3, after dominating Florida State, 63-20. The Cardinals looked like a College Football Playoff-caliber team in that win, behind do-everything star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Michigan State (No. 12 to No. 6)
A number of teams moved up six spots, but Michigan State is the one that did so based on its own success, not others’ failures. The Spartans looked shaky in week one against Furman, but proved in a 36-28 win at Notre Dame that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten East, along with Ohio State and Michigan. The offense that had Spartans fans worried sure didn’t look concerning on Saturday.
Biggest fallers
Iowa (No. 13 to unranked)
Lose to an FCS team, even a really good one like North Dakota State, and you’re probably going to fall out of the rankings. People were already skeptical about the Hawkeyes after last year’s lucky run to 12-0, and this loss might serve to validate voters’ skepticism. Iowa will have ample opportunities to get back into the rankings, thanks to an easy schedule, but Kirk Ferentz’s team is out for now.
Oklahoma (No. 14 to unranked)
Oklahoma still might have one of the 25 best teams in the country, especially considering its offensive talent, but at some point you have to show it on the field to stay ranked. In two opportunities this year, the Sooners have fallen flat, first on the road against Houston, and most recently at home against Ohio State. Expect the voters to punish the Sooners.
Texas (No. 11 to No. 21)
Texas is lucky so many others struggled this week, or else it could have dropped even more. The Longhorns were hurt by not only their loss to a mediocre Cal team, but also the quality of their win over Notre Dame dropping. Texas still probably has a good team, but this doesn’t look like the year it jumps back into the “elite” conversation.
Projected rankings
- Alabama (no change from previous AP poll)
- Ohio State (+1)
- Louisville (+7)
- Michigan (no change)
- Clemson (no change)
- Michigan State (+6)
- Houston (-1)
- Stanford (-1)
- Washington (-1)
- Wisconsin (-1)
- Texas A&M (+6)
- Florida State (-10)
- Tennessee (+2)
- Georgia (+2)
- LSU (+5)
- Baylor (+5)
- Miami (+8)
- Arkansas (+6)
- Florida (+4)
- Nebraska (+6)
- Texas (-11)
- Utah (+4)
- Notre Dame (-5)
- Ole Miss (-5)
- UCLA (+1)
5 games to watch next week
No. 10 Wisconsin at No. 6 Michigan State
Wisconsin made a massive jump in the rankings after beating LSU on opening weekend, but that win looks less impressive as the Tigers continue to flounder on offense. If the Badgers are for real, they’ll have to prove it this weekend in the start of a brutal conference schedule that includes games against MSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska.
No. 19 Florida at No. 13 Tennessee
This is definitely not going to be the best game you’ve ever seen, as neither of these teams is that great on offense. However, we’ll learn a lot about these teams and the SEC East pecking order in what should be a sloppy slugfest between two so-far-underwhelming rivals.
No. 18 Arkansas vs. No. 11 Texas A&M
Neither of these teams were ranked at the start of the season, and both have to be a little surprised to be here right now. This game will determine which of these two is truly an SEC West dark horse, and which might have to settle for merely a nice season. As a bonus, the past two games between these teams have gone to overtime, with Texas A&M winning both.
No. 8 Stanford at No. 25 UCLA
UCLA was written off after losing at Texas A&M in week one, but the Bruins staged a late comeback before losing in overtime and might actually have been the better team, were it not for some early sloppy play. Stanford has had more consistent success in recent years, resulting in a lofty ranking, and the Cardinal have wins against Kansas State and USC. This is a chance for UCLA to change the tune surrounding the program.
No. 14 Georgia at No. 24 Ole Miss
Georgia is 3-0 but could very easily be 0-3, with close wins against North Carolina (makes sense), Mizzou (what?) and Nicholls State (eww). For the first time in three weeks, the Bulldogs actually have to show up. Ole Miss has shown it can play with the best in the country, building double-digit leads on both Florida State and Alabama, but the Rebels blew both of those big leads in the second half. It can use a game against Georgia — a good, not-quite-Alabama-level team — to get back on track.
