As we head to the ides of October, with the regular season of college football dead on at the midpoint, there are conference races taking shape and some surprising shakeups in the standings. Tennessee and Mississippi State were the two big winners of the day in the Southeastern Conference. The PAC-12 is looking good at the top.
1. Georgia – The Bulldogs dominated after the first quarter and took down ancient nemesis Auburn to make it 6-0. Georgia has won 15 of the last 18 meetings with Auburn. It’s a second straight game at Sanford Stadium Saturday with an improved Vandy visiting.
2. Alabama – It was a huge survival win against Texas A&M. Will Bryce Young be back for the Volunteers? The Crimson Tide has never lost to Tennessee under Nick Saban’s watch. This could be their biggest challenge against the Vols since 2009.
3. Ohio State – The Buckeye’s offense is smoking hot, putting up monster numbers week after week. They peaked last week in a 49-20 drubbing of Michigan State. Ohio State is off this week and then host Iowa in The Horseshoe.
4. Tennessee – The Volunteers are riding their highest of highs in two decades. Their resume is impressive and the 40-13 victory at LSU was an eye-opener. Now comes the big battle with Alabama and the Vols are looking for another breakthrough win.
5. Clemson – The Tigers have found their footing offensively, and the defensive front seven is maybe the most talented in the country. There was no trap at BC with Clemson winning 31-3. Dabo’s team heads to Tallahassee Saturday night.
6. Southern Cal – The Trojans took care of Washington State 30-14 to make it 6-0. Lincoln Riley has provided the major boost, while Oklahoma has fallen fast. Now comes a major test, as the Trojans tangle with Utah in Salt Lake City.
7. Michigan – The Wolverines pulled away in a tough battle with Indiana, dominating the second half, and topping the Hoosiers 31-10. Now comes one of the biggest games in the Big Ten this season. It’s Penn State coming off an open date.
8. Ole Miss – The Rebels were shaky in the first half against Vanderbilt, but turned things on and pulled away from the Commodores to win 52-28. Auburn, which is going through a tough time, visits the grove Saturday for the early kickoff.
9. Mississippi State – The Maroon Bulldogs followed up their impressive victory over Texas A&M with an even more impressive win against Arkansas. MSU rolled to a 40-17 victory over the Razorbacks. The gauntlet continues Saturday night at Kentucky.
10. Oklahoma State – The Cowboys pulled out a 41-31 shootout against Texas Tech this past Saturday to make it 5-0. Now comes TCU in a battle of the top two teams in the Big XII thus far this season.
11. Oregon – The Ducks have played outstanding football since losing to Georgia in the season opener. They cruised past Arizona 49-22. Like UCLA, Oregon is off this week and the stage will be set for a huge PAC 12 battle in Eugene.
12. UCLA – Chip Kelly’s Bruins got the breakthrough win and UCLA is now 6-0. A 42-32 win over Utah stamps this team legitimate. UCLA is off this Saturday and then comes a huge battle with Oregon in Eugene.
13. TCU – The Horned Frogs are undefeated, following up their blowout of Oklahoma with a 38-31 win at previously undefeated Kansas with Gameday on hand. As all predicted for Week Six. Dan Jenkins is smiling upstairs. Okie State comes to Fort Worth Saturday.
14. Penn State – The Nittany Lions were off this past weekend to gear up for the monster matchup against Michigan in the Big House. Penn State can play its way into contention. The Nittany Lions have gotten some newcomer punch this year.
15. North Carolina State – The Wolfpack put up an impressive 19-17 win over Florida State at a packed house in Raleigh. N.C. State has a tough one coming up Saturday at Syracuse. It can be really tough in the Carrier Dome.