College Football Top 25: Week 10

My top 25 for week 10 and the race for each power 5 conference championship:

1. Michigan Wolverines 8-0: vs Purdue
2. Georgia Bulldogs 8-0: vs 14 Missouri
3. Washington Huskies 8-0: at USC
4. Ohio State Buckeyes 8-0: at Rutgers
5. Oregon Ducks 7-1: vs Cal
6. Alabama Crimson Tide 7-1: vs 11 LSU
7. Florida State Seminoles 8-0: at Pitt
8. Penn State Nittany Lions 7-1: at Maryland
9. Texas Longhorns 7-1: vs 22 Kansas State
10. Ole Miss Rebels 7-1: vs TAMU
11. LSU Tigers 6-2: at 6 Alabama
12. Oklahoma Sooners 7-1: at 15 OKST
13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 7-2: at Clemson
14. Missouri Tigers 7-1: at 2 Georgia
15. Oklahoma State Cowboys 6-2: vs 12 Oklahoma
16. Louisville Cardinals 7-2: vs VT
17. Oregon State Beavers 6-2: at Colorado
18. Tennessee Volunteers 6-2: vs UConn
19. Utah Utes 6-2: vs ASU
20. UCLA Bruins 6-2: at Arizona
21. Kansas Jayhawks 6-2: at ISU
22. Kansas State Wildcats 6-2: at 9 Texas
23. Air Force Falcons 8-0: vs Army
24. Tulane Green Wave 7-1: at ECU
25. Fresno State Bulldogs 7-1: vs Boise State

Dropped Out

#16 North Carolina Tar Heels

#25 Florida Gators

Just Missed

• North Carolina Tar Heels
• Florida Gators
• Liberty Flames
• SMU Mustangs
• Toledo Rockets

Conference Comparison

SEC: 6 (2, 6, 10, 11, 14, 18)

Pac 12: 5 (3, 5, 17, 19, 20)

Big 12: 5 (9, 12, 15, 21, 22)

Big Ten: 3 (1, 4, 8)

ACC: 2 (7, 16)

MW: 2 (23, 25)

Independent: 1 (13)

AAC: 1 (24)

ACC

The ACC championship race just became a lot more interesting. I thought UNC losing to UVA was a fluke, but clearly I was wrong after their loss to Georgia Tech. Florida State making the ACC championship is a given, but there are several other teams in the race for the second spot. Louisville, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina are all serious contenders. The other teams with 2 losses in the ACC have losses to one of these three teams, and would have trouble getting in with tough schedules ahead and/or a tough tiebreaker situation.

Duke, NCST, Boston College, and Georgia Tech all have two losses in conference and could hypothetically make it in, but would all have a tough time if Louisville keeps winning because Louisville beat all 4 of them already. Louisville has Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Miami left, witch is extremely manageble.

Virginia Tech is not a very good team, but got a dealt a very favorable schedule. They have Louisville coming up, but if they can upset them, I believe they are better than all of the other teams that they have left.

North Carolina has had a really bad stretch of conference play with losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia, but not all hope is lost. If they beat Duke, Clemson, and NCST, they will only have two losses in conference and be in position to make it to the ACC championship if Georgia Tech loses.

My pick for the ACC Championship is Florida State vs Louisville because of Louisville’s favorable schedule and tiebreakers.

Big Ten

Unlike the ACC, the Big Ten has divisions, which makes things a little less complicated. In the east, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State can all contend. In the west, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin are all tied for the lead.

I believe Michigan is the best team in CFB and will beat PSU and OSU to go undefeated in conference play and make the Big Ten championship. Simple as that.

In the west, it gets more complicated. Minnesota beat both Nebraska and Iowa, and is yet to play Wisconsin. Iowa beat Wisconsin, but lost to Minnesota. Wisconsin lost to Iowa and has not played the other two. Nebraska lost to Minnesota and still needs to play against the other two.

I would say Minnesota definitely has the best shot, but they still have to play Ohio State in a cross-division matchup. This means that the west crown will most likely come down to the Minnesota-Wisconsin game. I think these teams are pretty even, but I’ll give the edge to the Golden Gophers because they get to play it at home.

My prediction for the Big Ten championship is Michigan vs Minnesota.

Big 12

Right now there are 3 teams I consider to be in contention. Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. I think Texas is definitively better than all of their remaining opponents, and will make it in, but my other pick may come as a shock to some. I think Oklahoma State will beat Oklahoma this weekend and then beat the rest of the weak opponents (UCF, Houston, and BYU) that they have left and make it in.

My prediction for the Big 12 championship is Texas vs Oklahoma State.

Pac 12

While there are many good teams in the Pac 12, it’s really just a two team race with Washington and Oregon. I think it is clear that they are the two best teams in the Pac 12.

My prediction for the Pac 12 championship is Washington vs Oregon.

SEC

The SEC is split into two divisions just like the Big Ten, so I’ll go through the east first.

Georgia is the obvious favorite, but keep an eye on Mizzou. If Missouri gets the upset this weekend (which is very possible), they could win out and make the SEC championship, however, even if they do beat Georgia, I doubt they can win out with tough games against Tennessee and Florida as well.

In the west it is a three team race. Alabama is in the lead and could basically clinch with a win vs LSU this week. Even if LSU wins, they would be in a three way tie with Ole Miss and Alabama, though Ole Miss will most likely lose to Georgia, thus giving LSU the lead. While Ole Miss could win out, I highly doubt it. The winner of this division largely comes down the this weekend.

My prediction for the SEC championship is Georgia vs Alabama.

NY6

Sugar Bowl: 1 Michigan vs 4 Ohio State

Rose Bowl: 2 Georgia vs 3 Washington

Orange Bowl: 6 Alabama vs 7 Florida State

Cotton Bowl: 5 Oregon vs 9 Texas

Peach Bowl: 8 Penn State vs 10 Ole Miss

Fiesta Bowl: 11 LSU vs 23 Air Force