College Football Rankings: Projected top 25 after Week 11
5. Wisconsin Badgers
No matter how soft the schedule is, Wisconsin will continue to climb as long as it remains perfect on the season. The Badgers silenced some doubters by whooping Iowa, 38-14, to pick up their first ranked win of the season, which should turn some heads given the Hawkeyes’ domination of Ohio State last weekend. If Wisconsin dominates Michigan next week, it will continue to earn crucial style points and might finally rise into the top four.
4. Clemson Tigers
Clemson’s matchup with Florida State lost a ton of luster since the beginning of the season but was still a one-score game late before the Tigers pulled away for a 31-14 victory. The Tigers’ ultra-talented defensive line was as dominant as ever, while Travis Etienne continued his strong freshman campaign with 97 yards and a score. As bad as the loss to Syracuse is, Clemson will move up to No. 3 and has as good of a shot at winning the title as anyone.
3. Oklahoma Sooners
With a dominating effort against TCU to take control of the Big 12, the Sooners jump all the way to No. 2 and are in great shape to make the College Football Playoff. Baker Mayfield is the best player in college football, but the Sooners should be thrilled with limiting a good TCU offense to 20 points. With the road win over Ohio State and a lone loss to the Cyclones, Oklahoma’s resume is better than Clemson’s at this point, making the Sooners the highest-ranked one-loss team in the land.
2. Miami Hurricanes
If nothing else, week 11 proved that Miami is a legitimate national championship contender after the Hurricanes crushed Notre Dame, 41-8. Questions about Miami’s soft schedule are now gone, as Mark Richt’s team dominated in every phase by racking up 243 yards on the ground and shutting down Notre Dame’s prolific rushing attack. The defense is among the best in college football, and the Hurricanes will be tough to beat if the running game continues to produce this well, helping the Hurricanes rise all the way to No. 2.
Next: Should Miami be the new No. 1?
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
It wasn’t easy, but Alabama will be the new No. 1 in the rankings after topping Mississippi State, 31-24, in the final moments. Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith and Calvin Ridley all came up with a number of huge plays to survive a game Mississippi State team on a night where Alabama’s defense wasn’t at its best. The Crimson Tide have a ton of depth, but a mounting injury list has to be concerning ahead of the Iron Bowl in two weeks.