The rankings will shake themselves out a bit after this coming weekend as the slate of games features six games between ranked teams. Three of those tilts are in the Southeastern Conference, which has three teams in our top six and half of the top 10.
Florida State maintains a tenuous hold on the top spot but showed some vulnerability in being pushed by North Carolina State on Saturday. Oregon, Auburn, Oklahoma and Alabama are all on the Seminoles’ heels and the Tigers, Sooners and Crimson Tide all face ranked opponents this week.
25. Arizona State (3-1) – The Sun Devils might not be long for the poll as they started the gauntlet section of their schedule with a blow out loss at home to the Bruins. Arizona State faces USC on Saturday in Los Angeles and then has Stanford, Washington, Utah and Notre Dame. Last Game: Lost to UCLA, 38-24 Next game: Saturday at USC.
24. Ohio State (3-1) – The Buckeyes are starting to get the offense in gear but the defense remains a work in progress. J.T. Barrett threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns and Ezekiel Elliott ran for 182 yards and a TD for Ohio State, which allowed Cincy QB Cunner Kiel to throw for 352 yards and four TDs. Keil hooked up with Chris Moore for TDs of 60, 83 and 78 yards. Last Game: Beat Cincinnati, 50-28. Next Game: Saturday at Maryland.
23. TCU (3-0) – In the battle for the Iron Skillet, the Horned Frogs picked it up and blasted the Mustangs over the head with it. TCU did what it needed to in a tune-up for Saturday’s showdown with the Sooners as Trevone Boykin passed for four touchdowns and ran for two more. Last Game: Beat SMU, 56-0. Next Game: Saturday vs. Oklahoma.
22. Missouri (4-1) – The only team in the SEC Eastern division without a loss, the Tigers are on course for a return trip to the SEC title game. Missouri rebounded from a home loss to Indiana to beat South Carolina on the road and now the Tigers have a week off before hosting Georgia in another crucial SEC East showdown. Last Game: Beat South Carolina, 21-20. Next Game: Oct. 11 vs. Georgia.
21. Kansas State (3-1) – The Wildcats rebounded from a tough loss to Auburn with a dominant victory over the Miners. Charles Jones ran for three touchdowns and Tyler Lockett returned a punt for a score. Last game: Beat UTEP, 58-28. Next game: Saturday vs. Texas Tech.
20. East Carolina (3-1) – Pirates QB Shane Carden is eighth in the country in passing yards with 1,469 and he should add to that total in a big way Saturday against a Mustangs defense ranked 124th out of 125 in the country in total defense (551 yards per game). Last Game: Beat North Carolina, 70-41. Next Game: Saturday vs. SMU.
19. Nebraska (5-0) – The Huskers are the last unbeaten team left in the Big Ten and can make a move up the rankings this week with a win at Michigan State. The matchup features a battle between the Spartans’ 11th ranked defense (289 yards per game) and the eighth ranked Huskers offense that has scored 27 TDs in five games and is averaging 572.6 yards per game. Last Game: Beat Illinois, 45-14. Next Game: Saturday at Michigan State.
18. BYU (4-0) – After a bye week the Cougars head into Friday’s in-state rivalry game off to the program’s best start since 2008. This is only the eighth time in program that history BYU has opened the year with four straight wins. Last game: Beat Virginia, 41-33, Next game: Friday vs. Utah State.
17. Wisconsin (3-1) The Badgers have won three straight heading into their Big Ten opener. Wisconsin ranks third in the country in rushing offense at 343.3 yards per game and has 14 rushing TDs in four games. Last game: Beat South Florida, 27-10 Next game: Saturday at Northwestern.
16. Stanford (3-1) – Stanford’s defense has allowed 26 points this season and has an interesting pattern going. The Cardinal have allowed 0, 13, 0 and 13 points in their first four games. If the pattern holds and they hang zero on the Fighting Irish and QB Everett Golson that would be quite an accomplishment Last Game: Beat Washington, 20-13. Next game: Saturday at Notre Dame.
15. USC (3-1) – The Trojans have not lost to Oregon State in the Coliseum since 1960 (23 games). The USC defense stifled Oregon State and has still not allowed a TD pass this season. Last game: Beat Oregon State, 35-10. Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona State.
14. LSU (4-1) – The Tigers are headed to the Plains with freshman Brandon Harris as the new starting QB. Sophomore Anthony Jennings started the first five games for LSU but Harris has played well in relief of Jennings this season and will make his first career start Saturday. Last game: Lost to New Mexico State 63-7, Next game: Saturday at Auburn.
13. UCLA (4-0) – Ishmael Adams scored on a 95-yard interception return just before halftime and added a 100-yard kickoff return for another TD in the third quarter to lift the Bruins to their most impressive win of the season. Last Game: Beat Arizona State, 62-27. Next game: Saturday vs Utah.
12. Michigan State (3-1) – After losing at Oregon the Spartans have bounced back to win their last two games by a combined 129-28. Nebraska will be a lot tougher than Eastern Michigan and Wyoming and it will come down to the Spartans defense against the Cornhuskers rushing attack. Last game: Beat Wyoming, 56-14. Next game: Saturday vs. Nebraska.
11. Georgia (3-1) — Heisman candidate Todd Gurley ran for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns to help the Bulldogs outlast the Vols. Gurley ranks eighth in the country in rushing with 610 yards on 69 carries. Last game: Beat Tennessee, 35-32. Next game: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt.
10. Mississippi State (4-0) – The Bulldogs got a bye after beating LSU for the first time since 1999 and winning in Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1991. Hope they rested up because they will need to be ready for A&M and Auburn the next two weeks. Last game: Beat LSU, 34-29. Next Game: Saturday vs. Texas A&M.
9. Ole Miss (4-0) – The Rebels are 4-0 for the first time since 1970 and can thank their defense. Ole Miss held Memphis to just 104 yards of offense and the Rebels, who led just 7-3 after three quarters, were able to put the game away late. Last game: Beat Memphis, 24-3. Next game: Saturday vs. Alabama.
8. Notre Dame (4-0) – Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson completed a school record 25 consecutive passes at one point against the Orange and threw for a career-high four TD passes. Golson also committed four turnovers and will have to play a cleaner game this week if Notre Dame is to win against Stanford. Last game: Beat Syracuse, 31-15. Next game: Saturday vs. Stanford.
7. Baylor (4-0) – Baylor wide receivers Antwan Goodley and Corey Coleman combined for 18 catches, 268 yards and a touchdown in their first games back from injury while QB Bryce Petty added two TD runs against the Cyclones. Last game: Beat Iowa State, 49-28. Next game: Saturday at Texas.
6. Texas A&M (5-0) – Down 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter the Aggies rallied to remain unbeaten. Kenny Hill threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns, including a 25-yard strike to Malcome Kennedy on the first play of overtime that proved to be the difference. Last game: Beat Arkansas, 35-28 (OT). Next game: Saturday at Mississippi State.
5. Alabama (4-0) – Coming off a bye, the Crimson Tide have a big game against the Rebels that includes a family rivalry. Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will be going up against his brother Chris, who is the defensive line coach for Ole Miss. Last game: Beat Florida, 42-21. Next game: Saturday at Mississippi.
4. Oklahoma (4-0) – The Sooners are second in the Big 12 in scoring offense (44.8 points per game) and will have to find a way to score against a Horned Frog defense that is good – leading the Big 12 allowing an average of 218.7 yards per game – and that has traditionally given them problems. Last game: Beat West Virginia, 45-33. Next game: Saturday at TCU.
3. Auburn (3-0) – Auburn will play five ranked teams in its next six games and the one exception is a matchup with Steve Spurrier and South Carolina, not exactly a breather. Last game: Beat Louisiana Tech, 45-17. Next game: Saturday vs. LSU.
2. Oregon (4-0) — The Ducks were 9-1 entering last season’s meeting with the Wildcats and were trounced 42-16. That loss cost Oregon a BCS Bowl bid and they will be looking for revenge and to stay unbeaten on Thursday. Last game: Beat Washington State, 38-31 Next game: Thursday vs. Arizona.
1. Florida State (3-0) – After a one-week suspension, QB Jameis Winston returned to throw for 365 yards and four TDs as the Seminoles overcame an early 24-7 deficit and avoided the upset. Last game: Beat North Carolina State, 56-41. Next game: Saturday vs. Wake Forest.
Dropped out: Penn State, Duke, South Carolina
Close but not quite:
Oklahoma State
Marshall
Utah
Arizona
