Hello world. It’s been an eventful week at the day job, so Tier Rankings are a little late and a tad bit briefer this week. As you know, we don’t rank the teams a straight up 1-25, we rank the teams in tiers, and tiers can be in a non-linear matter, meaning just because a tier comes below another tier, it doesn’t make the upper tier teams for sure better, just the grouping might have worked better that way.
Week 6 was highlighted by UCLA stunning Penn State, Alabama getting revenge on Vandy, Miami splintering the FSU hype and Texas losing in Gainesville.
Let’s get into it.
Tier 1: The non-SEC bye contenders: Ohio State, Oregon, Miami, Texas Tech
If you asked 100 fans who would be the best four non-SEC teams, I think you would get these 4 teams in about 90% of the responses. Ohio State rowed their own boat and demolished Minnesota, Miami looked like the best team in the nation for three quarters against Florida State, although we won’t hold the conservative fourth quarter approach against them, Texas Tech has a pretty stout defense and stymied Houston, and Oregon got to enjoy their white out victory an extra week before hosting Indiana in Eugene.
Tier 2: It just means more teams, undefeated in conference: Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Missouri
Not everyone can remain undefeated in this tier, as Alabama and Missouri square off first thing at 11am local time on Saturday, but until then, we are ranking the undefeated in conference SEC teams in their own tier above the ones that have a conference loss. Ole Miss enjoys a non-conference tilt with portal-ravaged conference nomad (at least for this season) Washington State, while Texas A&M hosts Florida and Oklahoma gets into a Red River Shootout (yes we’re using the correct term) with Texas at the Cotton Bowl.
Tier 3: It just means more teams, one loss in conference: Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Although each of these teams have suffered an SEC loss, they’re not out of it, at least not yet. Georgia rebounded with an easy win against Kentucky but has a road game against Auburn at night this weekend, while Tennessee hosts Arkansas and LSU hosts South Carolina. Vandy gets to mend their Alabama wounds with a bye week before hosting LSU in a sneaky-good game.
Tier 4: Undefeated but what’s their ceiling?: Indiana, Georgia Tech, BYU
We will have that question as Indiana travels to Eugene this weekend, can Indiana be a legit CFP contender again? Meanwhile, Georgia Tech hosts Virginia Tech in a game that shouldn’t be that close. And BYU’s schedule gauntlet begins with a road trip to Arizona before hosting the Holy War. All three of these teams are good, but can they compete with the top of their conference (teams in tier 1)? We will just have to wait to find out.
Tier 5: Undefeated in conference, but same question as above: Virginia, Arizona State
Virginia followed up their upset win against FSU with another upset win against Louisville, remaining undefeated in the ACC with the laughingstock UNC and a cross-country trip to Cal looming. Meanwhile, Arizona State gets their say in the Big 12 race with back to back games against Utah and Texas Tech. What’s the Sun Devils ceiling? We are about to find out quickly.
Tier 6: October 25th collision course: Memphis, South Florida
We are two weeks away from possibly the game of the year in the group of 5, as South Florida travels to the Liberty Bowl for a game that could decide the G5 rep in the CFP. However, South Florida goes to Denton for a tricky game this Friday, which could turn the G5 race upside down if the Mean Green can pull the upset.
Tier 7: Transitive property actually works here: Michigan, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Iowa State
As the title says, Michigan beat Nebraska, Nebraska beat Cincinnati, Cincinnati beat Iowa State. All four teams have one or fewer losses in conference, so none of the 4 are out of it quite yet, although we’re not sure if these teams can compete with the teams that came before them.
Tier 8: One loss in conference, can they make noise?: Illinois, USC, Utah, TCU
More Big Ten and Big 12 teams! Illinois gets to host Ohio State on Saturday, so we will know quickly if they can make any noise. USC gets a nice double header of hosting Michigan and traveling to Notre Dame, while Utah gets both Arizona State and BYU in the next two weeks. TCU is a little lighter schedule wise with Kansas State, Baylor, and West Virginia; but two games on the road with a rivalry game in the middle is tricky.
Tier 9: Group of 5 lurkers: North Texas, Navy, Tulane, Fresno State, UNLV
As mentioned above, North Texas hosts South Florida this week, which would throw a wrench in the American and G5 race, however, we can’t count out undefeated in conference Navy and Tulane in the American, and Fresno State and UNLV in the MW. Speaking of Navy, did anyone see their awesome game against Air Force on Saturday? The future of America put on a show! God bless our troops and future troops!
Tier 10: You lost two games, but you beat a power 4 team: Notre Dame, Florida State
Notre Dame has rebounded nicely from their 0-2 start, but will have a huge test against USC int wo weeks. Florida State lost to Miami after losing to Virginia, but both teams are still in the playoff race with only 2 losses. Can they run the table? I have my doubts on FSU but I think Notre Dame has a legit shot if they get past USC. And hey, even with two losses, each team has beaten a P4 team, which the next tier can’t say.
Tier 11: You lost two games, and you still haven’t beat a power 4 team: Texas, Penn State
Oh man, what a fall from grace for the AP preseason ranked 1 and 2 teams. Texas was Gator bait in the Swamp, and Penn State inexplicably lost to UCLA at the Rose Bowl. And it doesn’t get any easier. Texas goes to the Cotton Bowl to face Oklahoma before two back to back road games and Penn State gets Kinnick Stadium at night in two weeks if they can get past Northwestern on Saturday. These teams had national championship hopes at first, but unless they run the table (highly unlikely), the Mayo or Music City Bowls might be more like it.
Tier 12: TEAM OF THE WEEK: UCLA
Ok, UCLA is 1-4, they don’t deserve to be ranked, but I have to give them credit for beating Penn State, and it wasn’t fluky either, they went out there and won. Congrats, Bruins.
Tier 13: 5 more to watch: Duke, SMU, Washington, Iowa, Arizona
All these teams have losses, but they could come up and swipe a couple teams better than them. Duke gets a bye week before hosting Georgia Tech, SMU only has non-conference losses and hosts Miami in a few weeks, Washington rebounded with a come from behind win against Maryland and gets Michigan and Illinois in the coming weeks, Iowa hosts both Penn State and Oregon, and Arizona could throw a punch or two in the Big 12 race.
Bonus tier: Who did you piss off? South Carolina
South Carolina needs mentioned here, because they have the chance to be the best bowl ineligible team (by record, not probation) in history. Their next 5 games are against top 12 teams currently in the AP Poll – at LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, at Ole Miss, and at Texas A&M. Ouch. Already at two losses, getting to a bowl game would be a big deal for Beamer Ball.
Alright, that’s it for this week! Have fun watching football this weekend!
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