The seventh edition of The Athletic 134 weekly ranking of all FBS college football teams highlighted the soaring prospects of BYU, who have notched seven wins without a loss so far. Despite their impressive record, BYU remains outside the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches polls. The exhausted-looking Kansas State and SMU have been handed their only defeats of the season by BYU, which underscores their performance credentials. The Cougars’ impressive form also includes a notable 38-9 win against Kansas State. Importantly, after playing some close games and managing a late touchdown to beat Oklahoma State, BYU’s defense has bolstered its resume by ranking 13th in yards per play allowed.
Coming off the winter break, Oregon topped this week’s Athletic 134 ranking. Meanwhile, former top-spot contenders Georgia and Texas slipped down to No.2 and No.6 respectively. Ohio State also fell behind Miami, with the loss posing potentially significant implications for the upcoming game against Penn State. Tennessee and LSU enjoyed upward rankings mobility as they advanced into the top 10 following wins over Alabama and Arkansas (34-10 result) respectively. Stimulating matchups are in prospect if Tennessee’s edge over LSU is anything to go by.
In another transition, Indiana moved up to No.11 following a convincing win against Nebraska (56-7). In spite of injury worries for quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the Hoosiers’ path to 10 or 11 victories remains clear. By contrast, Iowa State’s slide was mainly attributed to robust performances from LSU, Tennessee, and Indiana. After winning against Michigan 21-7, Illinois is the new entrant to the top-25.
Teams proximate to the top-25 saw their rankings dip following a series of losses. Consequently, South Carolina, Syracuse, Memphis, UNLV, Duke, Army and Cincinnati all moved significantly, gaining places in the top-35. Despite a 32-20 win over Iowa, Michigan State could only rise to No.39. However, the impending game against Michigan would be critical for both teams. Colorado continued its impressive run with a 34-7 victory over Arizona, earning it the 38th rank, while a win against UCF significantly bolstered Deion Sanders’ coaching status.
USC’s continual fall from grace was apparent as they dropped to No. 52 owing to a 14-point gap against Maryland, bringing their Big Ten campaign to 1-4. In contrast, Louisiana moved past Coastal Carolina to rise to No. 60 with a 6-1 overall record. Meanwhile, a Georgia Southern triumph over James Madison saw them take control of the Sun Belt East after an upward move from No. 82 to No. 63. Hard-to-rank teams NC State (No. 65) and Cal (No. 66) was another notable aspect of the ranking.
Baylor secured an impressive 59-35 win against Texas Tech, elevating it to No. 76, whilst Texas State’s loss to Old Dominion marginally moved them to No. 77. Auburn suffered a 2-5 defeat against Missouri, narrowly clinging onto No. 80, while Western Michigan surprised everyone by taking the top spot in the MAC with a 3-0 record after defeating Buffalo. However, Purdue (No.95) and Florida State (No.94) became the focus of worries as they clustered together at the bottom of the Power 4. A partnership between the Athletic and Allstate saw the creation of the Athletic 134 series; the outlet continues to maintain its editorial independence from its partners.
