Joel Klatt has a new No. 1 team in the country.
BYU takes the top spot after Bear Bachmeier and the Cougars beat Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo, ending the Fighting Irish’s 16-game winning streak. Georgia drops from the top spot after a 27-24 home loss to Auburn on a last-second field goal.
Ohio State holds at No. 2 after beating Indiana 19-15, though it lost quarterback Julian Sayin to an arm injury. Miami stays at No. 3 after a double-overtime win over Florida State. Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas Tech all join the top 10, while Alabama, Texas and Utah fall out.
Four of last week’s top six teams lost on Saturday, and Klatt’s top 10 looks nothing like it did seven days ago. Here’s the new pecking order.
Record: 6-0
Previous ranking: Unranked ↑
Odds to win national title: +4500
Odds to make CFP: -110
Klatt’s thoughts: “First time debuting in my top 10 is going to be Texas Tech. They destroyed Arizona State. They finally looked like the Tech that we thought we were going to get. J’Koby Williams was outstanding. They win that game 53-25. So watch out for Tech.
“You look at their schedule, they’ve got a pretty clean path. They already beat Houston, and now Houston’s a one-loss ranked team. There’s not much left on that schedule. They could easily be in the Big 12 Championship Game again and easily be back in the CFP.”
Record: 6-0
Previous ranking: 10 ↑
Odds to win national title: +8400
Odds to make CFP: +134
Klatt’s thoughts: “Give me an eight clap for UCLA at No. 9. The only undefeated team left between the SEC and the Big Ten is Bob Chesney’s UCLA Bruins. Their defense has been relentless the last few weeks. Not the greatest schedule in the world, certainly the benefit of the schedule lottery in the Big Ten, but don’t look now. This team is likely going to be 10-0 when it goes to Michigan. They beat Wisconsin 17-7 in a defensive game.
“How about all the schools that had openings last year? They’re probably thinking to themselves, ‘We should have given that Bob Chesney guy a harder look.’ Well, UCLA did, and they’re reaping the benefits.”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: Unranked ↑
Odds to win national title: +5500
Odds to make CFP: +154
Klatt’s thoughts: “Tennessee has an elite defense, so where are they in my top 10? Yes, they’re inside of my top 10. I’ve got Tennessee at No. 8. They’re a one-loss team. That’s a huge win over Bama.
“You can run it. You can play defense. You can get after the quarterback. Those things travel. Those things last. Tennessee is at No. 8, and they might be making the playoff for the second time in three years.”
Record: 5-1
Previous ranking: Unranked ↑
Odds to win national title: +1400
Odds to make CFP: -125
Klatt’s thoughts: “At No. 7 is going to be Ole Miss. That was super impressive over a Missouri team that was rolling and running the ball well. Missouri in back-to-back weeks had right around 250 yards rushing, and they roll into Ole Miss, and Ole Miss thumps them on the ground. Ole Miss 257, Missouri 39. Yikes! That’s how you get beat 31-3.
“Tip of the cap. We all kind of wrote you off after the Florida loss. Kewan Lacy went over 100 yards. That team is still very good, and their defense all of a sudden is playing great defense. That wasn’t on my bingo card. But if their defense plays well, Trinidad Chambliss is a guy you’ve got to deal with. That team could win the national championship if they play defense.”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 1 ↓
Odds to win national title: +510
Odds to make CFP: -1100
Klatt’s thoughts: “Georgia’s not going anywhere, I don’t think. I think they’ll be fine, and I think Kirby will be fine. In a lot of ways, this will allow them to look at some areas of need and fix them.
“So where does Georgia fall in the rankings? I have no idea, guys. I really don’t. I was throwing darts. I could have put Ole Miss higher than Georgia. I could have put Tennessee higher than Georgia, but I didn’t. I put Georgia at six, and at this point, I still kind of believe in Georgia, even with the loss.”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 5
Odds to win national title: +450
Odds to make CFP: -950
Klatt’s thoughts: “Top 10 was horrendously difficult. I was throwing darts, guys. I might as well have been blindfolded. Notre Dame’s at five. How’s that? Where do you want me to put them? I don’t know.
“I think Notre Dame is going to be under some serious pressure when they face Miami, because they will be in the exact same boat they were a year ago. Even if they’re 10-2 and they lost at BYU and to Miami at home, we’re sitting there like, ‘You lost at home, you lost on the road, and by the way, those were the two best teams you faced. Who did you beat?’ Their strength of schedule right now is 42nd in the country. Their best win is Wisconsin. Maybe you can throw North Carolina in there.”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 6 ↑
Odds to win national title: +820
Odds to make CFP: -700
Klatt’s thoughts: “This is still a team that’s a national championship contender. The defense is still outstanding. It’s not like Ohio State went up and down the field. I’m looking at Josh Hoover struggling through three quarters and getting it going in the fourth quarter. Indiana’s at No. 4 on a day when everyone lost. Maybe Indiana in a loss also won.
“You’re four inches away from them winning that game, and then the narrative of Saturday is completely different. If nothing changes from Saturday except for those four inches where Nick Marsh stepped out of bounds in the end zone and he scores and they win that game, then guess what we’re talking about? ‘The only consistent in college football is Curt Cignetti.’ That’s how close it is. Those are the margins right now, and that’s why I’m telling you, parity is here.”
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Record: 6-0
Previous ranking: 3
Odds to win national title: +600
Odds to make CFP: -3500
Klatt’s thoughts: “You can be mad at me about this ranking, but you can’t just survive against Florida State. Maybe it’s the rivalry thing. Okay, Red River rivalry, I give that excuse. Michigan-Ohio State, you say throw the records out. Maybe you throw the records out in this one as well. I’ll give you that. I will just say Florida State is not that great of a team. They’re very good on offense. They are not on defense.
“I know Miami is banged up a little bit, but come on. Some of the tackling. They couldn’t stop Duce Robinson in the first overtime on that 75-yard touchdown. They get that egregious holding call to go their way on the first Hail Mary in the second overtime. So they survive, but I couldn’t, in good conscience, put them ahead of Ohio State, who beat Indiana.”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 2
Odds to win national title: +480
Odds to make CFP: -950
Klatt’s thoughts: “Did I put Ohio State all the way up at No. 1? I did not. I’ve got Ohio State at No. 2 in the country after that big win. Top-five matchup on the road, ending a 22-game winning streak. Got to feel good. They’ve got some margin for error now in the rest of their season.
“But again, major questions surrounding the most important position on the field. Who can maximize their ability to win? Who can maximize Jeremiah Smith [with Julian Sayin injured]?”
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 9 ↑
Odds to win national title: +4500
Odds to make CFP: -140
Klatt’s thoughts: “I know where you think I’m going to put them, and I’m not. Everyone wants to put Miami up there at No. 1. Nope. You don’t go to double overtime with Florida State and get the benefit of a horrendous call and get the benefit of the doubt from me. Ohio State beat Indiana on the road. BYU beat Notre Dame. BYU is my No. 1 team in the country.
“The Cougars deserve the respect, and quite frankly, I think they’ve earned it at this point. Ohio State has a loss. I know Miami doesn’t have a loss, but what has Miami done? Florida State is not a very good football team, and we’ve seen that proven out. Do you want to play BYU in Provo? I don’t. I don’t think anybody does at this point. Not in that scene.”
