College football rankings 2023: Projected Week 5 AP Top 25 after Ohio State breaks Notre Dame, Colorado exposed

Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 4: No. 2-1

2. Michigan Wolverines

One of these days, Michigan will have to play a game at top gear. That was never going to be against Rutgers, though, even if Saturday’s game marked the return of Jim Harbaugh to the sidelines. The Scarlet Knights actually jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on a 69-yard touchdown pass – but that was basically all the Rutgers offense could muster against this loaded Wolverines defense for the entire day in Ann Arbor. 

J.J. McCarthy looked much sharper than he did last week – you know, when he inexplicably threw three picks against a bad Bowling Green team. He had just one TD pass against Rutgers but went 15-of-21 for 214 yards and no turnovers. Blake Corum continued to quietly dominate with 97 yards and two touchdowns as well, but again, the defense carried the way and Michigan never left first gear while still securing a 31-7 win in Big Ten play. 

1. Georgia Bulldogs

Much like Michigan, we’ve seen the Georgia Bulldogs play with their food far more than you would like this season. With a relatively easy schedule for Kirby Smart’s team, there’s a legitimate chance that we don’t see what the ceiling is for the back-to-back defending national champions is until the SEC Championship Game – or maybe against Florida and Tennessee, because who doesn’t love sending a message in a rivalry game. 

That was again the case against UAB. The defense gave up 14 first-half points but the outcome was never in doubt for UGA. They tightened the clamps out of halftime and scored almost at will throughout the game. Perhaps the biggest sign for optimism was Carson Beck letting it fly a bit, throwing for more than 300 yards and three scores, two of which went to Brock Bowers. UAB’s defense is not good by any measure, but it was still a good sight for those who have doubted Stetson Bennett’s successor.