Given that FCS games do not count in the model, games against FCS teams will not show up in each team’s record.
#1 – Alabama (3-0) – No Change
Duh.
#2 – Ohio State (3-0) – No Change
Duh.
#3 – Georgia (2-0) – No Change
Duh.
#4 – Clemson (2-0) – Up 1
Oklahoma slightly underperformed expectations this week against Iowa State, leading the Tigers to take back their #4 spot.
#5 – Oklahoma (3-0) – Down 1
Read above.
#6 – LSU (2-0) – Up 7
A big road win over Auburn adds to a resume that already featured a neutral site victory over Miami.
#7 – Penn State (3-0) – Up 2
The Nittany Lions continue to take care of business after struggling in week one, they are not quite back to where they were before the Appalachian State scare though.
#8 – Washington (1-1) – No Change
The Huskies looked a little vulnerable @ Utah this week.
#9 – Michigan (2-1) – Up 1
This is where computer models in general differ from the polls. Losing to a top 25 team by one possession on the road doesn’t hurt you at all in most CPU models, while the one in the loss column sticks in most voter’s minds. The Wolverines have taken care of business since then and have long passed Notre Dame.
#10 – TCU (1-1) – Up 5
TCU gave Ohio State all it could handle Saturday night, and the Horned Frogs pull a Texas A&M and actually move up from a loss.
#11 – Mississippi State (2-0) – Up 1
The Bulldogs never looked back against Sun Belt foe Louisiana-Lafayette, winning 56-10.
#12 – Auburn (1-1) – Down 5
Auburn and LSU pretty much played a tossup game, but the Tigers came into the game as seven point favorites, so they fall a few spots in the model.
#13 – Virginia Tech (1-0) – Down 2
VT’s game against East Carolina was rained out due to the hurricane, leading the Hokies to get passed by a couple teams
#14 – Stanford (2-0) – No Change
Had an FCS opponent, no change.
#15 – Wisconsin (2-1) – Down 9
Wisconsin got out-Wisconsined at home against BYU this week, the model tries not to overreact to one bad game, but if the trend continues the Badgers will fall much farther.
#16 – Oklahoma State (2-0) – Up 6
A dominating home win over a top 25 team moves the Pokes up a few spots in the rankings.
#17 – Texas A&M (1-1) – Up 1
Took care of business against UL-Monroe, they move up a spot.
#18 – Miami (1-1) – Up 2
Miami survived what many thought could be a tough test @ Toledo on Saturday, and they move up a couple spots because of it.
#19 – UCF (1-0) – Up 2
UCF would have destroyed an ACC team this week if the game wasn’t cancelled due to the hurricane. The Golden Knights move up a couple spots due to some losses.
#20 – Boise State (2-1) – Down 1
No shame in losing to a very good team on the road, the Broncos will recover and are certainly still in contention for a New Year’s Six Bowl slot.
#21 – Washington State (2-0) – Up 2
The Cougars are perhaps the surprise of the season so far, the model expected them to be pretty average, but here they are in the top 25.
#22 – Utah (1-1) – NEW
Another spot where a team moves up despite losing. The Utes played Washington tough and if it wasn’t for turnovers and a horrific 1.4 points per trip inside the 40, the Utes could have pulled a major upset.
#23 – Iowa (2-0) – Up 1
The Hawkeyes are slowly creeping, they’ve dominated all three games so far (one was vs FCS), and they’ve got a really good shot at beating Wisconsin on Saturday.
#24 – Kentucky (2-0) – NEW
The Wildcats had an FCS this week, but thanks to a couple teams ahead of them losing, they make the leap into the top 25.
#25 – Notre Dame (3-0) – Down 9
This is where computers disagree with the polls the most. The Fighting Irish are top ten in the polls but 25th here, 26th in Sagarin, and 18th in S&P+. This is because computer models “watch” every game. Poll voters see Notre Dame won the past three weeks and keep moving them up. My computer sees that the Irish did about as expected week one (won by a touchdown) and then vastly underperformed expectations in week two and three, even if they still ended up winning those games. Teams that consistently underperform and win eventually underperform and lose, a lot of it is just luck. Don’t be shocked if the Irish get upset by Wake this week.
Quarterly Conference Rankings Time!
- SEC – No Change from preseason
- Big 12 – Up 1
- Big Ten – Down 1
- Pac-12 – Up 1
- ACC – Down 1
- AAC – No Change
- MWC – Up 1
- Independents – Down 1
- Sun Belt – Up 2
- MAC – Down 1
- Conference USA – Down 1
FULL 1-130 Rankings
| Rank | Team | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | SEC |
| 2 | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| 3 | Georgia | SEC |
| 4 | Clemson | ACC |
| 5 | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| 6 | Louisiana State | SEC |
| 7 | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 8 | Washington | Pac-12 |
| 9 | Michigan | Big Ten |
| 10 | Texas Christian | Big 12 |
| 11 | Mississippi State | SEC |
| 12 | Auburn | SEC |
| 13 | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| 14 | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| 17 | Texas A&M | SEC |
| 18 | Miami (FL) | ACC |
| 19 | Central Florida | AAC |
| 20 | Boise State | MWC |
| 21 | Washington State | Pac-12 |
| 22 | Utah | Pac-12 |
| 23 | Iowa | Big Ten |
| 24 | Kentucky | SEC |
| 25 | Notre Dame | Ind |
| 26 | Southern California | Pac-12 |
| 27 | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| 28 | South Carolina | SEC |
| 29 | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| 30 | Boston College | ACC |
| 31 | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| 32 | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| 33 | Duke | ACC |
| 34 | Memphis | AAC |
| 35 | Texas | Big 12 |
| 36 | Fresno State | MWC |
| 37 | Syracuse | ACC |
| 38 | North Carolina State | ACC |
| 39 | Appalachian State | Sun Belt |
| 40 | California | Pac-12 |
| 41 | Missouri | SEC |
| 42 | Florida Atlantic | CUSA |
| 43 | Mississippi | SEC |
| 44 | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| 45 | Virginia | ACC |
| 46 | San Diego State | MWC |
| 47 | Arizona State | Pac-12 |
| 48 | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| 49 | Kansas | Big 12 |
| 50 | Cincinnati | AAC |
| 51 | Minnesota | Big Ten |
| 52 | Temple | AAC |
| 53 | Purdue | Big Ten |
| 54 | North Texas | CUSA |
| 55 | Toledo | MAC |
| 56 | Pittsburgh | ACC |
| 57 | Arkansas State | Sun Belt |
| 58 | Baylor | Big 12 |
| 59 | Utah State | MWC |
| 60 | Florida | SEC |
| 61 | Wake Forest | ACC |
| 62 | South Florida | AAC |
| 63 | Houston | AAC |
| 64 | Nebraska | Big Ten |
| 65 | Northwestern | Big Ten |
| 66 | Marshall | CUSA |
| 67 | Indiana | Big Ten |
| 68 | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| 69 | Colorado | Pac-12 |
| 70 | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| 71 | Troy | Sun Belt |
| 72 | Brigham Young | Ind |
| 73 | Kansas State | Big 12 |
| 74 | Louisville | ACC |
| 75 | Western Kentucky | CUSA |
| 76 | Tennessee | SEC |
| 77 | Louisiana Tech | CUSA |
| 78 | Buffalo | MAC |
| 79 | Maryland | Big Ten |
| 80 | Eastern Michigan | MAC |
| 81 | Florida State | ACC |
| 82 | Tulsa | AAC |
| 83 | Nevada-Las Vegas | MWC |
| 84 | Hawaii | MWC |
| 85 | Tulane | AAC |
| 86 | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| 87 | Louisiana-Monroe | Sun Belt |
| 88 | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt |
| 89 | Rutgers | Big Ten |
| 90 | East Carolina | AAC |
| 91 | Navy | AAC |
| 92 | Ohio | MAC |
| 93 | North Carolina | ACC |
| 94 | Alabama-Birmingham | CUSA |
| 95 | Middle Tennessee State | CUSA |
| 96 | Western Michigan | MAC |
| 97 | Wyoming | MWC |
| 98 | Ball State | MAC |
| 99 | Army | Ind |
| 100 | Illinois | Big Ten |
| 101 | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
| 102 | Arkansas | SEC |
| 103 | Liberty | Ind |
| 104 | Southern Methodist | AAC |
| 105 | Northern Illinois | MAC |
| 106 | Southern Mississippi | CUSA |
| 107 | Akron | MAC |
| 108 | Florida International | CUSA |
| 109 | Nevada | MWC |
| 110 | Central Michigan | MAC |
| 111 | Air Force | MWC |
| 112 | Bowling Green State | MAC |
| 113 | Miami (OH) | MAC |
| 114 | New Mexico | MWC |
| 115 | Louisiana | Sun Belt |
| 116 | Colorado State | MWC |
| 117 | Georgia State | Sun Belt |
| 118 | South Alabama | Sun Belt |
| 119 | Rice | CUSA |
| 120 | Texas-San Antonio | CUSA |
| 121 | Massachusetts | Ind |
| 122 | Texas State | Sun Belt |
| 123 | Old Dominion | CUSA |
| 124 | New Mexico State | Ind |
| 125 | Kent State | MAC |
| 126 | Connecticut | AAC |
| 127 | San Jose State | MWC |
| 128 | Charlotte | CUSA |
| 129 | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt |
| 130 | Texas-El Paso | CUSA |