There are three numbers college football fans need to know following Week 12. Four: The number of undefeated teams in the FBS. One: The number of weeks remaining before conference championships. And 25: The number of teams in our College Football Power Rankings.
Week 13 Top 25 College Football Power Rankings
1. Georgia Bulldogs
It wasn’t pretty, but Georgia took care of business vs. Kentucky. Although Stetson Bennett and the passing attack were grounded, Kenny McIntosh blitzed the Wildcats, rushing for 143 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
The Bulldogs have won 26 straight regular-season games and became only the third team to go 8-0 in the SEC in back-to-back years.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
Maryland may have caught Ohio State peeking at their Week 13 clash with Michigan, as they held a 13-10 first-half lead. But the Buckeyes snapped back and, on the back of freshman RB Dallan Hayden (27-146-3), cruised to a 43-30 victory.
OSU has some warts to manage, as all eyes will be on “The Game” in Columbus.
3. Michigan Wolverines
The defense is legit. Blake Corum is legit. But if Michigan doesn’t receive 100% from both, can they remain a College Football Playoff challenger? They needed a game-winning field goal from Jake Moody to dispatch Illinois after Corum left the contest early with an injury.
It’s fair to wonder how the Wolverines will perform without their lead back, and RB2 Donovan Edwards has also missed the last seven quarters of play. If J.J. McCarthy is who Michigan leans on, they may topple over.
4. TCU Horned Frogs
Sure, they also needed a walk-off field goal to win, but TCU is now the first Big-12 team to go 11-0 since 2009. We’ve seen it all from the Horned Frogs this year, as they now have five second-half comeback wins on their record.
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Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston, and the entire receiving corps are studs, but Kendre Miller is on another level. Despite suffering an injury, he has rushed for a TD in 12 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.
5. USC Trojans (Last Week: 6)
Caleb Williams: Dog. Jordan Addison: Dog. Austin Jones: Dog. USC left the Rose Bowl with a victory in yet another unbelievable game against cross-city rival UCLA. It took everything they had offensively, especially after being shut out 14-0 in the first quarter, to roar back to a 48-45 win.
The defense intercepting three passes certainly helps, with the last one putting a nail in UCLA’s coffin with under two minutes remaining. The Trojans only have one loss this season, but that will likely be enough to keep them out of the playoffs.
6. LSU Tigers (Last Week: 7)
There wasn’t much to glean from LSU’s 41-10 victory over UAB, but it only reinforced the fact that Jayden Daniels is a dangerous college QB. He completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and a score. But more impressively, he gashed UAB’s defense for 111 yards and a TD on the ground.
The Tigers will need his dual-threat ability to shine through if they have any chance at upsetting No. 1 Georgia in the SEC title match.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide (Last Week: 8)
Alabama beat FCS-level Austin Peay 34-0. The only possible takeaway one could have is that the Crimson Tide left a bevy of points on the board. Other than that, Alabama finishes its regular season with a home date vs. Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
8. Clemson Tigers (Last Week: 10)
DJ Uiagalelei led Clemson by air and land vs. a Miami team that has zero impressive wins in their 5-6 season. The Tigers’ defense is elite, but this offense still leaves a ton to be desired, and their shocking loss to Notre Dame practically ended their shot at a place in the CFP.
9. Tennessee Volunteers (Last Week: 5)
There is nowhere else to begin examining Tennessee’s loss to South Carolina than with Hendon Hooker‘s injury. He went down on a non-contact play, where the fear is he tore ligaments in his left knee.
We hope it is something less severe, but if the worse comes true, you can’t help but be gutted for a player enjoying the most success of his career and working his way up draft boards.
10. Washington Huskies (Last Week: 11)
Again, there isn’t much to discuss with this top-10 team in Week 12. Washington faced Pac-12 bottom-dweller Colorado, and they sent them packing after a 54-7 whooping.
Unfortunately, the Huskies don’t control their destiny next week, as they need Oregon State to upset Oregon to earn a spot in the Pac-12 Championship.
11. Oregon Ducks (Last Week: 15)
In a hard-fought 20-17 skirmish, Oregon outlasted Utah, despite QB Bo Nix entering the contest as a game-time decision. The Ducks simply need to beat Oregon State in Corvallis to challenge USC for the Pac-12 title. But the Beavers will be ready for their in-state rival, so Oregon can’t be complacent.
12. Penn State Nittany Lions (Last Week: 13)
It was all-around domination when Penn State squared off against Rutgers. They scored in all three phases of the game, as star freshman RB Nicholas Singleton returned a kick 100 yards for a TD, and the defense took two fumbles to the house.
13. North Carolina Tar Heels (Last Week: 9)
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I have been driving the Drake Maye train all season, but the train ran out of coal in Week 12. Maye and North Carolina suffered their second loss of the year to … Georgia Tech.
MORE: CFB Week 12 Players of the Week
They built a 17-0 lead and quickly fell apart offensively, not scoring another point in a deflating 21-17 defeat. Regardless, the Tar Heels already booked their ticket to the ACC Championship vs. Clemson and can use their regular-season finale vs. NC State as a tune-up.
14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Last Week: 19)
Notre Dame ran all over Boston College Saturday, as they took 38 carries for 281 yards and four TDs. But even more impressive was the play of freshman CB Benjamin Morrison, who secured three interceptions just two weeks after breaking out with two picks (one pick-six) vs. Clemson.
15. Florida State Seminoles (Last Week: 21)
Florida State scored 21, 14, and 14 points in the first three quarters while holding Louisiana to 3. They decided to let off the gas a bit in the fourth, allowing 14 and scoring 0, but does it really matter?
The offense is humming, as the Seminoles have hit 38+ in each of their last four games. With a clash against Florida next week, FSU (and QB Jordan Travis) can prove they are better than their in-state counterpart.
16. Kansas State Wildcats (Last Week: 20)
Even with backup QB Will Howard at the helm and RB Deuce Vaughn averaging just three yards per carry, Kansas State matched their highest point total of the season (48) vs. West Virginia. Having Malik Knowles made life easier, as he recorded 111 receiving and 98 kick-return yards.
The defense came away with two INTs, including a 37-yard pick-six by Cincere Mason. With a victory over Kansas in Week 13, the Wildcats will clinch a rematch with TCU in the Big 12 Championship.
17. Utah Utes (Last Week: 12)
Utah’s defense did their best to keep the team in their game vs. Oregon by snatching three turnovers, but QB Cameron Rising threw it right back, tossing three interceptions. The offense scored just 17 points, their lowest total of the season. And with the loss, the Utes are now officially out of the Pac-12 race.
18. UCLA Bruins (Last Week: 16)
Speaking of a Pac-12 team that fell short, UCLA got out to a quick 14-0 lead heading into the second quarter vs. USC. Yet, the momentum quickly shifted, and the Bruins found themselves in a good ole shootout.
But QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw the ball, and effectively the game, away with under two minutes left. He found his rhythm scrambling in the second half, but he routinely forced passes into tight windows and made several ill-advised plays, resulting in four turnovers (three INTs, one fumble).
19. Ole Miss Rebels (Last Week: 14)
Following a slugfest with Alabama last week, Ole Miss fell flat on its face vs. Arkansas. The final score of 42-27 doesn’t even tell the entire story, as 21 of the Rebels’ points came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of hand.
20. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (Last Week: 17)
Coastal Carolina only fell in the Week 13 College Football Power Rankings due to not playing a game and other teams continuing to add to their résumé. The Chanticleers’ battle with Virginia was canceled following the senseless and tragic shooting on their campus.
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It also doesn’t help that CCU is without QB Grayson McCall, and backup Jarrett Guest looked … like a backup in their narrow 26-23 win over Southern Miss last week.
21. UTSA Roadrunners (Last Week: 22)
Do you remember the last time UTSA lost? I wouldn’t fault you if you didn’t. The Roadrunners have rattled off eight straight victories and outscored opponents 92-14 in their last two contests. In fact, QB Frank Harris and Co. have scored 30+ in all but one game this year.
22. Tulane Green Wave (Last Week: 24)
After dropping to a talented UCF squad last week, Tulane throttled SMU 59-24. Michael Pratt had arguably his best and most efficient game of his career, completing 9 of 14 passes for 141 yards and three TDs while also rushing for 70 yards and three more scores.
RB Tyjae Spears (13-121-2) and WR Shae Wyatt ( 3-104-2) were also aboard the “deadly efficient” train, and the defense forced five turnovers. The Green Wave hit their stride, and they’ll need to maintain it vs. Cincinnati next week.
23. Troy Trojans (Last Week: 25)
Troy has now won eight straight, with their last loss coming in Week 3. All that stands between them and the Sun Belt Conference Championship is 3-8 Arkansas State, so fans should expect to see the Trojans in the title match for the first time since its inception in 2018.
24. Oregon State Beavers (Last Week: Unranked)
It’s tough to leave a team out of the Week 13 College Football Power Rankings when only ranked teams have defeated them. Oregon State has fallen to the hands of USC, Utah, and Washington, but only two of their eight other games have been within 10. Nevertheless, they face a red-hot state rival in Oregon next week.
25. Cincinnati Bearcats (Last Week: Unranked)
Cincinnati knocked off a 3-7 Temple team 23-3 Saturday. While not exactly a “big” win, the Bearcats are 9-2, with their only losses coming against Arkansas and UCF. They deserve a spot in the top 25, and their bout with Tulane next week will have massive AAC Championship implications.
Teams on the Outside Looking In
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Texas Longhorns
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- South Alabama Jaguars
- UCF Knights