My AP top 25 rankings: Michigan makes case for No. 1 while Clemson, LSU, UNC tumble
It wasn’t easy to choose a No. 1 team this week.
Should Georgia continue to top the college football rankings after the Bulldogs finished off a perfect regular season that featured impressive victories over Oregon, Tennessee, South Carolina? Or should Michigan take over after the Wolverines also went undefeated with nice wins over Penn State and Ohio State?
Tough call.
After some internal debate, I decided to keep Georgia at No. 1. Its schedule has been a little harder overall and the Bulldogs have looked utterly dominant during their biggest games. Michigan has the best single win of any team in the country after going on the road and whipping Ohio State. But the Wolverines played a pillow soft nonconference schedule, and the Big Ten isn’t exactly a grind after you get past the top few teams.
You could make a case for either team. I think Georgia is slightly more deserving at the moment. But I wouldn’t yell at anyone for ranking Michigan first. Good thing there is a playoff set up to help decide which team is best next month.
TCU moved up to No. 3 following its dominant victory over Iowa State. USC would make the playoff at No. 4 if the season ended today after the Trojans beat Notre Dame.
Ohio State is my first alternate at No. 5, followed by Alabama, Penn State and Tennessee.
The math works out perfectly if the top four teams all win their conference championship games next week. The SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 champs would all qualify. Things will get interesting if any of those teams fall.
It’s possible that Georgia and Michigan (and maybe TCU) could suffer a loss and still make the playoff. But USC absolutely needs to win.
If several top teams lost next week there will be a heated debate whether Ohio State or Alabama deserves to jump them in the final rankings. I don’t think any other teams would be considered. Sorry Clemson, Penn State and Tennessee.
Elsewhere in my rankings, Washington and Kansas State vaulted into the top 10. Clemson and North Carolina fell quite a bit. And South Carolina is back in the top 25 after beating Tennessee and Clemson in consecutive weeks.
Kellis Robinett’s Top 25
1. Georgia (1)
2. Michigan (3)
3. TCU (4)
4. USC (6)
5. Ohio State (2)
6. Alabama (8)
7. Penn State (9)
8. Tennessee (11)
9. Washington (13)
10. Kansas State (14)
11. Clemson (7)
12. Florida State (15)
13. LSU (7)
14. Utah (23)
15. Notre Dame (13)
16. Tulane (18)
17. Oregon State (20)
18. Oregon (10)
19. UCF (17)
20. UTSA (19)
21. UCLA (22)
22. Troy (24)
23. Fresno State (25)
24. South Carolina (NR)
25. North Carolina (12)
Last week’s ranking in parentheses.
