College football rankings: Ohio State (with defense!) is now the clear No. 1

By RJ Young

FOX Sports College Football Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio — From the sideline at Ohio Stadium, I couldn’t help thinking about Ivory Christian trying to tell Odessa Permian coach Gary Gaines what it was like to play against Dallas Carter in “Friday Night Lights.”

“They’re fast,” Christian said. “They’re big … plus, they’re fast.”

That’s how Ohio State looked — especially in the second half — against Iowa on Saturday. After a shaky start by the offense, C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka began playing the kind of football Tanner McCalister, Tommy Eichenberg and the Buckeye defense had all afternoon.

Ohio State put together a definitive statement win against an Iowa defense that has proved to be a measuring stick for Big Ten opponents.

Undefeated Michigan beat Iowa 27-14 in Iowa City. 

The Buckeyes did better.

Ohio State scored 38 unanswered points and allowed just 158 total yards while forcing Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz to pull starter Spencer Petras. The Buckeyes’ 54 points are the most Iowa has given up since Ferentz became head coach in 1999.

The Buckeyes, yet again, are playing the kind of football a No. 1-ranked team should.

1. Ohio State (7-0)

Defeated Iowa, 54-10

While the Buckeyes offense sputtered out of the gates, the defense picked up the slack, forcing six turnovers and making life miserable for the Hawkeyes.

2. Georgia (7-0)

Idle.

3. Michigan (7-0)

Idle.

4. Tennessee (7-0)

Defeated UT Martin, 65-24

Nothing like an SEC team playing an FCS team in October to make them look like a CFP team. Yes, I’m being sarcastic, because — come on — how long are we gonna keep acting like it’s OK for the SEC to schedule teams a division below in October and November?

5. Clemson (8-0)

Defeated Syracuse, 27-21

The last time the Tigers found themselves facing a halftime deficit, DJ Uiagalelei brought Clemson back from an 18-point deficit to defeat Boston College and maintain a winning streak.

This time, down in the third quarter to undefeated Syracuse at home, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney benched his former five-star quarterback for former five-star freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik.

It was a bold move for a head coach who once thought (just last week) that it was “embarrassing” to even consider the idea he might bench Uiagalelei for Klubnik. Yet he did, and Klubnik helped the Tigers to claw back for a win and a 38th straight win at home, a streak dating back to Nov. 12, 2016.

Now, there’s a QB controversy in Death Valley.

6. Alabama (7-1)

Defeated Mississippi State, 30-6

After giving up 52 to Tennessee, the Tide gave up not a damn thing in the first half of play against Mike Leach’s Bulldogs. Alabama led 24-0 at halftime.

7. TCU (7-0)

Defeated Kansas State, 38-28

Max Duggan passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns as the Horned Frogs outscored the Wildcats 21-0 in the second half to remain undefeated.

8. Oklahoma State (6-1)

Defeated Texas, 41-34

The Pokes won the kind of game they lost just a week ago. This time it was Oklahoma State that clawed back and won the game in the waning moments with precise offensive play and timely defensive takeaways.

The Pokes picked off Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers twice on the Longhorns’ final two possessions to seal a win. The Longhorns committed 14 penalties for 113 yards and the Pokes didn’t commit a single one.

9. Oregon (6-1)

Defeated UCLA, 45-30

And with the win, the Pac-12 has cannibalized itself once again, eliminating the last unbeaten team in the league before the last week of October. Now, it’s a race to find out which team can keep pace with the Ducks to earn entry into the Pac-12 title game.

10. UCLA (6-1)

Lost to Oregon, 45-30

The Bruins saw their undefeated run stymied at Autzen — a place where no visiting team has won since 2018.

11. USC (6-1)

Idle.

12. Penn State (6-1)

Defeated Minnesota, 45-17

The Nittany Lions rebounded nicely from their big loss to Michigan last week.

13. Ole Miss (7-1)

Lost to LSU, 45-20

With Texas A&M and Alabama coming up in their next two games, the Rebs are in a tight spot.

14. Kentucky (5-2)

Idle.

15. Utah (5-2)

Idle.

16. Wake Forest (6-1)

Defeated Boston College, 43-15

The Demon Deacons have put up at least 31 points in every game they’ve played — averaging 41.2 per game — and look capable of challenging Clemson for the ACC title in December.

17. Syracuse (6-1)

Lost to Clemson, 27-21

Puzzlingly, Syracuse’s star player, running back Sean Tucker, carried the ball just five times — for 58 yards — in a game that felt like it was begging for him to take it over amid a quarterback controversy on the opposing sideline. 

18. Illinois (6-1)

Idle.

19. Tulane (7-1)

Defeated Memphis, 38-28

The Green Wave led the Tigers 35-0 at halftime and look like challenging the Bearcats for American Athletic Conference supremacy.

20. Kansas State (5-2)

Lost to TCU, 38-28

Quarterback Adrian Martinez left with an apparent leg injury, potentially rough news for the Wildcats moving forward.

21. North Carolina (6-1)

Idle.

22. LSU (6-2)

Defeated Ole Miss, 45-20

Jayden Daniels passed for 248 yards and rushed for 121 more in the impressive Tigers win. 

23. Cincinnati (6-1)

Defeated SMU, 29-27

The Bearcats staved off a late-comeback bid by SMU, which fell a two-point try short of tying the game with just over two minutes left to play.

24. Oregon State (6-2)

Defeated Colorado, 42-9

With games against Washington, California and Arizona State up next, the Beavers could be a quiet nine-win team when they meet Oregon in Corvallis for the state championship.

25. Liberty (7-1)

Defeated BYU, 41-14

A one-point loss to Wake Forest is the only blemish on Liberty’s record.

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RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.