Week 6 Power Rankings

1. Alabama Crimson Tide - I am still in disbelief about the 1st half performance displayed by the Tide on Saturday night. They were able to move the ball at will and did anything they wanted to against Georgia. Jalen Milroe is letting all you naysayers know (naysayas if you don’t like to use the hard r) and has emerged as a Heisman frontrunner. Also, that freak of nature by the name of Ryan Williams? Lebron was in his 4th season for the Cavaliers when he was born. How’s that for making you feel old?

2. Texas Longhorns - A sluggish performance in their SEC debut bumps the Horns down a spot, but optimism couldn’t be higher because Quinn Ewers is expected to be ready to go for Red River on October 12th. Yes, these games tend to be close regardless of how they’ve both looked up to that point, but I don’t see a world where the Sooners keep this game within 2 possessions. If it weren’t for late game heroics, Oklahoma was on the verge of losing to Payton Thorne last week. Feel free to clip this if OU somehow pulls this off: I will buzz my head if Texas loses, and trust me my hairline is cooked.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes - It’s October and the best quarterback the Buckeyes have faced is Aidan Chiles. No disrespect to the kid, but OSU hasn’t had to deal with adversity and the unknown looms. Just a week ago, I mentioned how Ole Miss hadn’t played anybody, and sure enough, they lost to their first competent opponent. Could Ohio State face a similar fate? Trips to Oregon and Penn State are on the horizon, and we will get to learn everything we need to know about this squad.  

4. Tennessee Volunteers - Tennessee got the weekend off but now get to look forward to Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks this Saturday. Surely that voluptuous breasted ogre gets fired? Arkansas has 5 more ranked opponents left this year and let’s be honest, they’re dropping all of them. Nico will be arrested for his behavior in Fayetteville this weekend and the rising star will continue to shine. 

5.Georgia Bulldogs - There was a 2 hour period where I was baffled and convinced myself that maybe Georgia is a 3 loss team. Then the 2nd half happened and we were left with an instant classic. The fight to get back into the game and even take the lead for half a second reassured me that Georgia can compete for a title, but this offense continues to be up and down. Can Kirby get this ship fixed before they travel to Austin?

6. Oregon Ducks - Prior to a Dillon Gabriel pick 6 before halftime, the Ducks appeared to be on their way to another blowout victory. While the outcome of the contest was never in doubt, we were given a limp-dick 2nd half from both teams. Nonetheless, Oregon continues to get it done, but I am still expecting more from this team. Get ready for Autzen Stadium to be rocking on October 12th when the Ducks host Ohio State, a rare West Coast trip for the Buckeyes. 

7. Miami Hurricanes - A lengthy review on a hail mary is what kept Miami’s undefeated season intact. If you haven’t seen it, watch this link before continuing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpQ5ZVm_9s

Have your opinion of if it was a catch or not all you want, but you can’t deny that there wasn’t disputable evidence one way or another to overturn the original call on the field. My biggest question is this: why did it take 20 seconds to make a call on the play? The Miami defender was at the 30 yard line celebrating with the ball in his hands when the official initially ruled it a touchdown.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions - I have seen enough and believe Penn State is no different than years before. Props to a solid win over Illinois this past weekend but there is nothing special about this team. The Nittany Lions ranking is a case of “addition by subtraction” because it is less about their superiority, but more about the lack of top tier teams in the college football landscape. No Michigan. No Oregon. If they get past USC in a couple weeks, they will benefit from a Missouri-like scenario where the record is better than the product.  

9. Clemson Tigers - How dare you guys put Clemson this high! The AP has them at 15, no way they are inside the top 10! As mentioned above, the playing field seems to be very even this year, but that means a lack of top tier programs. You can’t confidently look me in the eyes and say Missouri, Michigan, or USC would beat Clemson if they played today. The gap between Miami and Clemson has closed over the last few weeks and there is a legit possibility the Tigers have a bye in the playoffs. Dabooooooooooo

10. Ole Miss Rebels - Oof, was the bar too high? Admittedly yes. Is Kentucky the most confusing team so far this year? Absolutely yes. Pressure is mounting on the Rebels if they want to make a name for themselves and it doesn’t get any easier as they travel to play South Carolina this weekend. What resolve can the Land Sharks show in response to a loss? Lane had no issue going after every transfer in the country last year, surely they have the talent to stay in the front of the pack.

Rumor has it SMS will be transitioning from Power Rankings to a Playoff Prediction, but what do I know! Shoutout to the BYU Cougars; the Big 12 is messier than ever, and look out for Iowa State. God Bless.

• Zac Bryan, proudly not watching the MLB playoffs