There will be five matchups involving college football’s Top 25 co-combatants this weekend, four involving members of the Top 10.
This Week’s Voters: Geoff Magliocchetti, Louis Sklenarik, Justin Weiss
(All Times ET.)
#1. Alabama (4-0)
- Last Week: W 45-23 vs. Texas A&M
- Top Performer: QB Tua Tagovailoa (22-30, 387 yards, 4 carries, 10 yards, 5 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Louisiana (12:00 p.m., SEC Network)
Nick Saban has flat out asked the media to say bad things about his team, so we guess we’ll use this space to point out the fact that the Aggies, a work in progress in the SEC, put up 393 yards on the Crimson Tide’s vaunted defense, while the Tide themselves gave 82 yards on nine penalties.
#2. Clemson (4-0)
- Last Week: W 49-21 @ Georgia Tech
- Top Performer: RB Travis Etienne (11 carries, 122 yards, 1 reception, 3 yards, 2 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. #24 Syracuse (12:00 p.m., ABC)
The Tigers’ quarterback battle is officially over, with the reigns turned over to the touted freshman Trevor Lawrence, and it comes just as they face off with Syracuse, who shocked them and the rest of the college football world with a win at the Carrier Dome in last season’s meeting.
#3. Georgia (4-0)
- Last Week: W 43-29 @ Missouri
- Top Performer: QB Jake Fromm (13-23, 260 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Tennessee (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Kirby Smart was likewise critical of his Bulldogs have a roller coaster game in Columbia, but, after passing a big test, relief comes in the form of the woebegone Volunteers, who enter Athens as 32.5-point underdogs.
#4. LSU (4-0)
- Last Week: W 38-21 vs. Louisiana Tech
- Top Performer: LB Devin White (11 tackles, 3 PD’s, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Ole Miss (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
A potential trap game against an SEC foe awaits in Baton Rouge this weekend, a task further exacerbated by an injury to starting guard Garrett Brumfield in the previous win over Louisiana Tech that was closer than expected.
#5. Ohio State (4-0)
- Last Week: W 49-6 vs Tulane
- Top Performer: QB Dwayne Haskins (21-24, 304 yards, 5 TD)
- This Week: Saturday @ #9 Penn State (7:30 p.m., ABC)
The first big test of Urban Meyer’s return comes on Saturday in Happy Valley, the winner gaining a significant surge of momentum in the Big Ten East.
NEXT: 6 Through 10
#6. Stanford (4-0)
- Last Week: W 38-31 @ #19 Oregon (OT)
- Top Performer: QB KJ Costello (19-26, 327 yards, 3 TD)
- This Week: Saturday @ #7 Notre Dame (7:30 p.m., NBC)
The Cardinal’s reward for topping a strong Oregon team, where Costello kept pace with the touted Justin Herbert with Bryce Love still struggling, is traveling to South Bend to play a Fighting Irish team riding all kinds of momentum after a quarterback change.
#7. Notre Dame (4-0)
- Last Week: W 56-27 @ Wake Forest
- Top Performer: QB Ian Book (25-34, 325 yards, 10 carries, 43 yards, 5 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. #6 Stanford (7:30 p.m., NBC)
A quarterback change worked wonders, namely to the tune of 28 unanswered second-half points that helped put the game away, for the Fighting Irish, who passed a potential trap game with flying colors under the guidance of Book.
#8. Oklahoma (4-0)
- Last Week: W 28-21 vs. Army (OT)
- Top Performer: QB Kyler Murray (11-15, 165 yards, 1 INT 7 carries, 71 yards, 4 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Baylor (3:30 p.m., ABC)
The Sooners have survived back-to-back close calls, and need a strong tune-up against the Bears before facing resurgent Texas at the State Fair in two weeks.
#9. Penn State (4-0)
- Last Week: W 63-24 @ Illinois
- Top Performer: RB Miles Sanders (22 carries, 200 yards, 3 TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. #5 Ohio State (7:30 p.m., ABC)
The Nittany Lions have scored at least 45 in each of their opening quartet (including 42 unanswered in the second half in Friday’s win over the Illini), and they’ll need all the firepower they can get against the equally potent Buckeyes.
#10. Washington (3-1)
- Last Week: W 27-20 vs. Arizona State
- Top Performer: QB Jake Browning (15-22, 202 yards, 3 TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. #25 BYU (8:30 p.m., Fox)
Before the schedule eases up with a trip to reeling UCLA, the Huskies, already taking two dangerous conference wins against Utah and Arizona State, have one more test in a risky non-conference game.
NEXT: 11 Through 15
#11. Auburn (3-1)
- Last Week: W 34-3 vs. Arkansas
- Top Performer: DB Daniel Thomas (6 tackles, 1 fumble recovery)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Southern Mississippi (4:00 p.m., SEC Network)
Special teams played a big part in the latest Tigers’ victory, featuring a kickoff return by Noah Igbinoghene and a Jordyn Peters blocked punt that set up another score.
#12. West Virginia (3-0)
- Last Week: W 35-6 vs. Kansas State
- Top Performer: QB Will Grier (25-35, 356 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT)
- This Week: Saturday @ #23 Texas Tech (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
A week after the hurricane-induced bye week, Grier got his Heisman campaign back on track after a slow start, tallying a five-touchdown game for the fifth time in his career.
#13. UCF (3-0)
- Last Week: W 56-36 vs. Florida Atlantic
- Top Performer: QB McKenzie Milton (21-32, 306 yards, 13 carries, 81 yards, 6 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Pittsburgh (3:30 p.m., ESPNU)
If Milton continues this dual-threat offensive prowess, the Golden Knights might not only be able to claim the national title, but the Heisman Trophy as well.
#14. Wisconsin (3-1)
- Last Week: W 28-17 @ Iowa
- Top Performer: QB Alex Hornibrook (17-22, 205 yards, 3 TD)
- This Week: Idle (Next game 10/6 vs. Nebraska)
- The Badgers recovered from a shocking loss with a hard-fought conference win on the road, and will likely spend their off week analyzing the team they’ll potentially face in the Big Ten title game.
#15. Michigan (3-1)
- Last Week: W 56-10 vs. Nebraska
- Top Performer: DB Josh Metellus (3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD)
- This Week: Saturday @ Northwestern (4:30 p.m., Fox)
Their opening weekend loss to Notre Dame may have caused many to write off the Wolverines, but they’ve since taken care of business against some lesser competition to reinsert themselves into the Big Ten title conversation.
NEXT: 16 Through 20
#16. Kentucky (4-0)
- Last Week: W 28-7 vs. #21 Mississippi State
- Top Performer: RB Benny Snell Jr. (25 carries, 165 yards, 4 TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. South Carolina (7:30 p.m., SEC Network)
Kentucky is a football school, as the emergence of a strong offense, paced by the electrifying Snell, has Lexington abuzz about their first potential 10-win season since 1977.
#17. Texas (3-1)
- Last Week: W 31-16 vs. TCU
- Top Performer: WR Collin Johnson (7 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TD)
- This Week: Saturday @ Kansas State (3:30 p.m., FS1)
With a pair of strong, emphatic wins, the latest coming on the road, Texas might not be fully back, but they’re certainly in recovery.
#18. Duke (4-0)
- Last Week: W 55-13 vs. North Carolina Central
- Top Performer: RB Brittain Brown (13 carries, 118 yards, 1 reception, 44 yards, 2 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs Virginia Tech (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Another basketball nirvana, the Blue Devils have displayed an electrifying offense anchored by a running game currently ranked fifth in the ACC and 26th in the nation with just over 219 rushing yards per game.
#19. Oregon (3-1)
- Last Week: L 38-31 vs. #6 Stanford
- Top Performer: WR Dillon Mitchell (14 receptions, 239 yards)
- This Week: Saturday @ California (10:30 p.m., FS1)
Saturday was a great return to national prominence for the Ducks, who are slowly getting back to their flashy offensive ways, but the fact remains that they really should’ve had the win over the Cardinal, and now have to depend on the kindness of strangers to even sniff the PAC-12 title game.
#20. Miami (FL) (3-1)
- Last Week: W vs. Florida International 31-17
- Top Performer: RB Travis Homer (13 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD)
- This Week: Thursday vs. North Carolina (8:00 p.m., ESPN)
Quarterback controversies are in style this fall, and the Hurricanes could be the next to experience one if freshman N’Kosi Perry (17-25, 224 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), continues to put pressure on incumbent Malik Rosier.
NEXT: 21 Through 25
#21. Mississippi State (3-1)
- Last Week: L 28-7 @ #16 Kentucky
- Top Performer: DE Montez Sweat (6 tackles, 1.5 sacks)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Florida (6:00 p.m., ESPN)
Such is the state of college football that rainy losses in Lexington aren’t cause for panic, but the Bulldogs need to recover from the upset loss with the Gators visiting this weekend.
#22. Michigan State (2-1)
- Last Week: W 35-21 @ Indiana
- Top Performer: LB Andrew Dowell (9 tackles, 2 sacks)
- This Week: Saturday vs. Central Michigan (12:00 p.m., FS1)
Back in contention after recovering from a shocking early loss, the Spartans get a chance to work out their kinks against a directional in-state opponent before Big Ten play truly gets rolling.
#23. Texas Tech (3-1)
- Last Week: W 31-17 vs. Oklahoma State
- Top Performer: RB Demarcus Felton (14 carries, 130 yards, 2 TD)
- This Week: Saturday vs. #12 West Virginia (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Even in the NFL, with the emergence of Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, everything’s coming up Lubbock, and the Red Raiders have another big chance to shut down an undefeated conference foe in what should be a high-scoring thriller.
#24. Syracuse (4-0)
- Last Week: W 51-21 vs. Connecticut
- Top Performer: QB Eric Dungey (21-27, 286 yards, 16 carries, 77 yards, 5 total TD)
- This Week: Saturday @ #2 Clemson (12:00 p.m., ABC)
If the Orange can pull off the seemingly impossible and upset a championship contending Clemson team for the second straight season, the power balance in the ACC could shift north to Central New York.
#25. BYU (3-1)
- Last Week: W 30-3 vs. McNeese State
- Top Performer: DL Corbin Kaufusi (5 tackles, 1 sack)
- This Week: Saturday @ #10 Washington (8:30 p.m., Fox)
The independent Cougars, already owners of a win over a top ten opponent, also have experience in triumphs against the PAC-12, including a season-opening victory in Arizona.
Also Receiving Votes: South Florida, California, Buffalo, Virginia Tech, North Texas