Every time we think we've got a handle on the best teams in the college football rankings, upsets tear through like tornadoes and upend everything we thought we knew. On Friday night, there were two ranked teams in action and neither made it out alive. The No. 2 Miami Hurricanes stumbled against the Louisville Cardinals while the No. 25 Nebraska Cornhuskers spoiled their first foray into the top 25 by losing to Minnesota.
Saturday promises to shift the top 25 even more with matchups between ranked squads. No. 5 Ole Miss is taking on No. 9 Georgia. No. 6 Alabama hosts No. 11 Tennessee. No. 10 LSU is battling No. 17 Vanderbilt. No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 20 USC and No. 15 BYU and No. 23 Utah also renew their respective rivalries.
It should be a fun day of college football, but results for those games and plenty others involving ranked teams aren't locked in yet. For now, we know the outcome of two matchups, and the rankings must change accordingly.
Projected college football rankings after Miami loses to Louisville, Nebraska routed by Minnesota
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- Texas Tech
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Miami
- LSU
- Tennessee
- Georgia Tech
- Notre Dame
- Oklahoma
- BYU
- Missouri
- Vanderbilt
- Virginia
- Louisville
- South Florida
- USC
- Texas
- Memphis
- Utah
- Cincinnati
How far should Miami drop?
Miami's loss to Louisville is going to drop them. The question is just how far? I've got the Hurricanes sliding down to No. 7, falling just behind Oregon and Georgia, who boast better losses. Bulldogs have a win to match Miami's over Notre Dame. And, frankly, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are simply a more reliable bet than Mario Cristobal and the Canes. LSU can jump them with a win over Vandy as well.
Miami's problem is résumé. Thanks to Florida State's tumble to .500, the Hurricane's best wins are over Notre Dame and South Florida. Those are good wins (Notre Dame might even become a great win) but other teams in the top 25 will have ample opportunities to pile up quality wins. The Hurricanes don't have a loaded schedule. On the plus side, they're going to be favored in every game going forward. They're just not going to get a ton of credit for the wins they pick up along the way.
So long Nebraska, hello Louisville
Nebraska's stay in the rankings was short. Their trip to Minnesota wasn't a fun one and their loss to Michigan earlier this season has only lost value since the Wolverines dropped out of the top 25 with a loss to USC. The two-loss Huskers were only ever going to stay in the polls if they kept winning. Alas...
Louisville will be more than happy to take their place, and better. I'm going to be honest, I was surprised to find the Cardinals weren't even receiving votes in the AP top 25. They will now with a 5-1 record and a signature win on the road. Their only loss is to No. 18 Virginia, another ACC team too-long overlooked by the voters.