September 11, 2023 6: 00 am ET
We are two weeks into the college football season, and Ohio State’s record is exactly what we all thought it would be. Two wins and no losses. However, anyone who has watched the games knows the wins over Indiana and Youngstown State have not been nearly as impressive as the the score might indicate.
Joel Klatt is one of those guys who watches the games. He’s made a career out of watching and analyzing games and does a fair job with unbiased opinions.
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Each week, we look at Klatt’s top 10 and in particular where he puts the Buckeyes. There was bound to be some movement after Texas went to Tuscaloosa and took care of Alabama. Ironically, Notre Dame, which is 3-0 and has looked strong this season is on the outside looking in from Klatt’s perspective.
Let’s get to it and see where Ohio State lands on this week’s list.
11
Utah Utes
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What we think
The Utes struggled without starting quarterback Cam Rising, trailing Baylor going into the fourth quarter before pulling out a 20-13 victory. The Utah defense is really good, and I expect this team to get better once Rising returns from injury.
10
Alabama Crimson Tide
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What we think
Alabama took a tumble in the rankings after losing at home to Texas. This doesn’t look like your typical Nick Saban-led team. The Tide racked up an uncharacteristic 10 penalties totaling 90 yards. There’s time for Alabama to turn its play around, but there are some questions to answer.
9
Washington Huskies
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What we think
Washington hasn’t really been tested yet, but the defense looks solid and Michael Penix Jr. still looks like a Heisman front-runner. We’ll get a better feel after a trip to East Lansing to face Michigan State this week.
8
USC Trojans
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What we think
USC took Stanford to the woodshed on Saturday and held the Cardinal to 10 points. Stanford isn’t very good, but if the Trojans can keep improving on defense, Caleb Williams is good enough to carry this team to the College Football Playoff.
7
Penn State Nittany Lions
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What we think
Penn State did exactly what it should’ve done playing against Delaware, a Football Championship Subdivision team. The Nittany Lions rolled to an easy win and now get ready for Big Ten play starting with Illinois.
6
Ohio State Buckeyes
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What we think
Ohio State still looks like a team trying to find its footing. While the Buckeyes rolled to a 28-point victory, it wasn’t a dominating performance that one might expect when facing an FCS opponent. This team needs to get some things figured out quickly before a trip to South Bend to face Notre Dame in two weeks.
5
Florida State Seminoles
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What we think
After rolling past LSU last week, Florida State picked up where it left off. Southern Miss didn’t offer much of a test, but the Seminoles did exactly what a good football team should do. FSU gets Boston College next before heading to Clemson to try to dethrone the defending ACC champs.
4
Texas Longhorns
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What we think
Is Texas really back this time? Going into Bryant Denny Stadium and taking down the Tide has us leaning toward yes. Quinn Ewers looked every bit the part of a former No. 1 overall recruit, carving up the Alabama defense to the tune of 349 yards and three touchdowns. The Longhorns have a fairly easy road from this point and will very much be in the College Football Playoff conversation.
3
Michigan Wolverines
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What we think
Michigan has a great deal of experience on both sides of the ball, but we really will not know much about this team until much later in the season. The Wolverines will not face a ranked opponent until early November when they travel to Happy Valley to face Penn State.
2
Georgia Bulldogs
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What we think
Georgia remains on the college football mountaintop until someone knocks the Bulldogs off. Kirby Smart’s team faces a bit of a challenge when Spencer Rattler and the South Carolina Gamecocks visit Athens this week.
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