And here we go into the final weekend of September. After Saturday, the regular season sadly will be one-third over. A lot of big intra-conference matchups are on the slate and the playoff talk is constant. The PAC-12 had an excellent week, while Georgia and Alabama were dominant.
1. Georgia – The top-ranked defending national champions were incredible in a 48-7 victory over South Carolina. The 3-0 Bulldogs scored on their first three possessions and were stifling defensively. Kent State comes to Athens Saturday for a nooner.
2. Alabama – It was an easy win for Alabama over Louisiana-Monroe following the thriller with Texas. The Crimson Tide is 3-0, with Bryce Young and Will Anderson leading the way. Now it’s time for SEC play with Vanderbilt coming to Tuscaloosa.
3. Ohio State – The Buckeyes took care of Toledo 77-21 Saturday night to make it 3-0. Arkansas State and the Rockets made for a nice appetizer after the season opening win over Notre Dame. Now Wisconsin comes to town for the Big Ten opener.
4. USC – The Trojans have the skill personnel to be a threat against any team they play. Southern Cal handled the always dangerous Fresno State Bulldogs 45-17 last weekend. This Saturday night could be tricky, with the Trojans heading up to Oregon State.
5. Arkansas – The Razorbacks are 3-0 after a scary 38-27 win over Missouri State. The Hogs have a nice resume, having beaten Cincinnati and South Carolina. Now comes the Aggies in Arlington. Sam Pittman has done a tremendous job at the Fayetteville helm.
6. Clemson – The Tigers are 3-0 with wins over the Yellow Jackets, Furman and Louisiana Tech. Saturday’s game at Wake Forest will be the Tigers toughest test yet and figures to have a bearing on who plays for the ACC Championship.
7. Oklahoma – Brent Venables’ Sooners have been very impressive defensively, giving up just 30 total points in three games this season. A 49-14 victory over Nebraska in the old rivalry conjured a few memories. Boomer Sooner hosts Kansas State Saturday.
8. Michigan – The Wolverines first three games were against Colorado State, Hawaii and UConn. Now comes a fourth straight home game for the Big Ten opener, as Maryland comes to the big house.
9. Tennessee – The Volunteers are off to a 3-0 start following the 63-6 blowout of Akron this past Saturday. Now comes Florida. If it is going to be a great year for the Vols, a win in Knoxville is badly needed. The Gators have won 16 of the past 17 meetings.
10. Kentucky – The Wildcats are 3-0 and are still riding high. An impressive 31-0 win over Youngstown State was an easy follow-up to the stirring victory at Florida. Northern Illinois visits Lexington Saturday then comes a trip to Ole Miss and the gauntlet.
11. Texas – The Longhorns knew that one was dangerous against the UTSA Roadrunners. But they survived last Saturday. Now comes a very tough road trip, as the Longhorns fly to Lubbock to take on the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.
12. Ole Miss – The Rebels put together a complete performance in a 42-0 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. The schedule has been soft, but Ole Miss is putting up impressive numbers. Ole Miss entertains Tulsa Saturday in Oxford.
13. Oregon – The Ducks are on track under Dan Lanning’s first year watch. Oregon won one of the biggest games of the day last weekend, beating BYU 41-20. Bo Nix had an excellent performance. Next up is Washington State in Pullman.
14. BYU – The Cougars were dominated in Eugene, falling to Oregon 41-20. Brigham Young must now regroup. Next up is Wyoming in Provo in an old WAC battle. The Cowboys are going good following a 17-14 win over Air Force on Friday night.
15. Florida State – The Seminoles may not look like their glory days teams of the 1990s, but Florida State is 3-0 with a win over LSU in New Orleans and at Louisville. Now the ‘Noles will try and make it 2-0 in the ACC, hosting Boston College Saturday night.