In college football, we’ve been conditioned for so long to only expect the sport’s historic, richest brands to lord over everything.
Ohio State. Alabama. Michigan. Notre Dame. Texas.
Well, it’s a new day. Parity is probably at its zenith, fueled by rule changes that loosened transfer restrictions and eased prohibitions around player compensation.
Meet the new brands of 2025 College Football.
Vanderbilt. Indiana. Georgia Tech. Virginia.
The Commodores — new to our Top 10 — are 6-1 for the first time since 1950 after beating LSU. The Yellow Jackets are 7-0 for the first time since 1966 and with a very clear path to the ACC championship game. The Hoosiers, our No. 2 ranked team, have won 19 of their last 20 games. And the Hoos — yes, the Hoos — have already achieved more wins (6) this season than they had last year.
All four of those teams have either realistic chances to make the playoffs or are even favored to make the playoffs as it stands now.
Week 8 got off to a fiery start with two Friday night upsets.
The No. 1-ranked team in last week’s Top 10, Miami, bumbled and stumbled their way to a first loss of the season against Louisville (QB Carson Beck threw four interceptions!), and Minnesota took down Nebraska and coach Matt Rhule — a hot name for a certain gig in State College. Speaking of, Penn State’s fired coach, James Franklin, held his first job interview on Saturday: He appeared on College GameDay, expressing his desire to coach again and soon.
On the field, a whopping four unbeaten teams all took their first loss along with the Hurricanes, including Ole Miss (Georgia), UNLV (Boise State), Memphis (UAB) and Texas Tech (Arizona State). Notre Dame ran right over USC and coach Lincoln Riley, and Texas A&M and Georgia Tech survived road scares in their leagues to remain undefeated.
On to the rankings!
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
This week: beat Wisconsin 34-0
Next week: Off
The Buckeyes’ offense on Saturday was good enough to almost make you forget about how good the defense is. QB Julian Sayin threw for 393 yards, had four touchdowns and just six incompletions in an absolute drubbing of a reeling Badgers team.
Best win: 14-7 vs. Texas
2. Indiana Hoosiers
This week: beat Michigan State 38-13
Next week: vs. UCLA
That big new contract for Curt Cignetti did nothing to slow down the Hoosiers. Fernando Mendoza threw for as many touchdowns (4) as he had incomplete passes, and Omar Cooper rolled up 115 yards receiving. Indiana continues to look, not just like a team that can make the playoffs, but one that can win it all.
Best win: 30-20 at Oregon
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
This week: beat Tennessee 37-20
Next week: at South Carolina
A 99-yard interception return for touchdown on the final play of the first half helped vault the Crimson Tide to a fourth consecutive win over a ranked team. QB Ty Simpson and the Tide beat Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and, on Saturday, the Volunteers. And this all comes after starting the season with a loss to a three-win Florida State team. The Tide has certainly turned.
Best win: 24-21 at Georgia
4. Texas A&M Aggies
This week: beat Arkansas 45-42
Next week: at LSU
This series has a history of wild and wacky turns, so just surviving the road trip to Fayetteville is good enough. But the Aggies have now allowed 40 points or more in two games this year. Is it a point of concern? Perhaps not next week. Texas A&M and QB Marcel Reed (he had 335 yards on Saturday) visit one of the SEC’s worst offenses in LSU.
Best win: 41-40 at Notre Dame
5. Georgia Bulldogs
This week: beat Ole Miss 43-35
Next week: Off
This ain’t the same ol’ Georgia, the one that drubs you with convoys of defensive freaks, simply out-recruiting and out-shining you with their talent. At times, the Bulldogs are just plain bad on defense. But QB Gunner Stockton and crew scored on every single one of their possessions against the Rebels. He was masterful, carving up the Rebels for four passing TDs.
Best win: 43-35 vs. Ole Miss
6. Oregon Ducks
This week: beat Rutgers 56-10
Next week: vs. Wisconsin
What better way to take out your anger and frustration after your first-ever Big Ten regular season conference loss than to fly across the country and play a reeling Rutgers team? The Ducks led 14-0 after the first quarter and 42-0 at halftime in a spanking in Piscataway.
Best win: 30-24 at Penn State
7. Ole Miss Rebels
This week: lost to Georgia 43-35
Next week: Off
The Rebels led five different times against Georgia, including a nine-point edge early in the fourth quarter, but defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s unit couldn’t get off the field against the Bulldogs. Don’t blame the Rebels’ offense. It scored touchdowns on its first five possessions!
Best win: 24-19 vs. LSU
8. Louisville Cardinals
This week: beat Miami 24-21
Next week: vs. Boston College
Surprised to see the Cardinals in here? Don’t be. They are inches away from being undefeated (a late-game gaffe against Virginia). USC transfer Miller Moss and RB Isaac Brown were humming against the Hurricanes. The Cardinals don’t play ACC unbeaten Georgia Tech in the regular season, but perhaps the two of them may see one another in Charlotte for the title.
Best win: 24-21 at Miami
9. Vanderbilt Commodores
This week: beat LSU 31-24
Next week: vs. Missouri
The Commodores are becoming really, really good at firing up a fan base at their fellow SEC powers. Last year, it was Alabama and now this year, LSU. But there’s more to this story. QB Diego Pavia and coach Clark Lea’s turnaround of this program has been nothing short of incredible. Pavia passed for 160, ran for 86 and scored three touchdowns Saturday. Vandy is a playoff team. Believe it.
Best win: 31-24 vs. LSU
10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
This week: beat Duke 27-18
Next week: vs. Syracuse
Is anyone tougher than Tech QB Haynes King? He passed for 205 and ran for 120 on Saturday in a tough game in Durham. The Yellow Jackets are in the driver’s seat for a spot in the ACC title game. They are not scheduled to play another ranked team in the ACC the rest of the way. But look out for Pitt!
Best win: 27-18 at Duke
Dropped: Miami (1), Tennessee (4), Texas Tech (7)
