Welcome back to my kinda weekly Top 10 + A Few series. This is the second piece of the season. I enjoy starting around this time because we’ve seen plenty from teams all across the country and have gotten tons of opportunities to evaluate these teams in a multitude of areas. After a wicked Week 6, I’m ready to continue the rankings.

A reminder that my top 25 ain’t the normal cup of joe you look to sip on and spit out when looking at other voters’ polls across the country. You’ll spit the coffee out because I keep things real and do much more than just look at a box score, see the results of a game, and rank. We aren’t here to do that. So get ready to look at my top 10 and a select few other teams (my full top 25 will be tweeted).

I take everything into account. Results of a game, how previous opponents fared against other teams, evaluating how a team looks, the holes in a team, keeping upcoming games on my mind, and how I project them to do the rest of the season, among some other unnamed things because I simply can’t list everything. Much like the Krabby Patty, I’m going to keep this secret formula safe!

I also have no fear of moving teams up a bunch or down a bunch so don’t trip. Let things play out! It’s also optimal to point out that consistency is so important in these rankings. In my honest opinion, you shouldn’t want to put out a poll that has so much turnover week to week with teams dropping in and out of the top 25.

1. Washington (Last Week – 1)

Washington will stick here until further notice after beating bye week!

Next Game: vs. Oregon (October 14)

2. Georgia (LW – 3)

I got exactly what I wanted from Georgia. A clean plate. The Bulldogs even ate the peas. It was an old fashioned 60-minute beatdown of an inferior opponent, something that had been long overdue in the 2023 campaign. And hey, it was expected. There were so many people thinking Kentucky was going to give this team trouble… wild. The Cats are not a top 25 team. The Dawgs are one of the top teams in the nation when they just focus. They earned the top two ranking back after this demolition. And for any doubters of this team… keep doing it. Kirby Smart and his program feed off your doubt.

Next Game: at Vanderbilt (October 14)

3. Oregon (LW – 2)

Oregon did beat its bye week but unfortunately fell down to No. 3 just because of Georgia.

Next Game: at Washington (October 14)

4. Michigan (LW – 5)

Similarly to Georgia, Michigan has come back to its senses. After a sluggish first four games, Jim Harbaugh’s group has demolished the likes of Nebraska and Minnesota — both coming on the road and both were statements despite coming against lesser teams. I, like many others, were getting impatient with UGA and Michigan fooling around and not dominating so yes… a win like this impresses me and assures me that I can trust this team week in and week out. Eventually the schedule will turn up and we’ll need Michigan’s best efforts. My biggest worry with this team is the passing game, and feisty defenses like Penn State and Ohio State could spell trouble.

Next Game: vs. Indiana (October 14)

5. Penn State (LW – 7)

I think Michigan and Penn State are neck and neck, the clear top two teams in Big Ten land. Coming off the bye, I can feel comfortable moving the Nittany Lions up a few spots in due part to Texas falling. The offensive line needs to work out its issues before the clash with Ohio State on the Oct. 21.

Next Game: vs. UMass (October 14)

6. Florida State (LW – 8)

Following the Texas loss, Florida State moves up as well. The win over Virginia Tech today doesn’t mean much to me but that’s OK. Even though it was against a poor passing attack, the Seminoles’ secondary played well and made some impressive plays. I need to see that become a consistent thing though!

Next Game: vs. Syracuse (October 14)

7. Oklahoma (LW – 15)

Boy did many of us underestimate the Sooners entering 2023. Brent Venables has this team humming and showcases an elite defense that hits hard and is full of secure tackling. How refreshing is that?! I thought Venables coached a very good team and put his players in plenty of ideal spots to succeed. I could have ranked the Sooners as high as No. 5 but I’d rather be patient and see how they come out in these next few games. Patience is a virtue; there’s no need to overreact and mess up in the rankings game because of it. The schedule lines up pretty nicely too. Don’t mess this up Sooners.

Next Game: vs. UCF (October 21)

8. Texas (LW – 4)

Texas lost a nail-biter to a really good Oklahoma team. It was essentially a coin flip. I don’t think we saw the Horns’ best effort. It’d be foolish to rank them multiple spots lower than OU in my honest opinion.

Next Game: at Houston (October 21)

9. Ohio State (LW – 9)

I am still very hesitant to buy into this Ohio State team. As I said last week, I love the defense. But the offense is a mess! The play-calling doesn’t taste good, and the offensive line is an issue. Kyle McCord doesn’t seem to be set up for the highest level of success he can achieve and that’s a major issue that correlates with Ryan Day’s ineptitude in the play-calling realm. I also recommended utilizing Marvin Harrison Jr. a whole lot more. Wild! I know.

Next Game: at Purdue (October 14)

10. Alabama (LW – 11)

Slowly but surely, Alabama is lurking and back in my top 10. There are still plenty of issues that exist with this team and most notably the un-Sabanlike penalties are jarring to see. This offensive line doesn’t stop shooting themselves in the foot, and it’s setting an already hindered offense back light years. The talent is there up front; I love Kadyn Proctor, JC Latham, and Tyler Booker. I just need to see consistency from rep to rep and for the entire unit to keep flags off the field. Also thank goodness this team figured out that Isaiah Bond is a really dang good receiver.

Next Game: vs. Arkansas (October 14)

13. North Carolina (LW – 17)

Getting Devontez Walker on the field is a major addition to the Tar Heels. While the 40-7 whooping of Syracuse doesn’t hold much weight to me, the rankings need to reflect that a pretty good team got an elite player back on the field.

Next Game: vs. Miami (FL) (October 14)

18. Louisville (LW – NR)

Louisville is a very interesting case. I think the team is pretty solid, and while sitting at 6-0 the Cardinals have underachieved in my eyes. The wins against Georgia Tech, Indiana, and NC State were just gross and unimpressive to me. But at the end of the day, this defense is making major strides week after week. I’d like more consistency from Jack Plummer at quarterback, but I can’t hate. This offense has some nasty skill position players, as we knew coming into the season. The schedule also sets up pretty nicely as they get Pitt, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. The toughest games are Duke, who might be missing Riley Leonard, same ol’ Miami (FL), and an overvalued Kentucky team. There’s a path to an undefeated campaign and that’s crazy to think about! But my goodness, do not drop the ball against Pitt. Do. Not.

Next Game: at Pitt (October 14)

22. Missouri (LW – NR)

I told y’all that I would rank the Tigers if they impressed me against LSU. And they definitely did. While the LSU defense has more holes than a sieve, the intrigue for Mizzou is there, and it was seen by everyone who watched that game.

Next Game: at Kentucky (October 14)

Thanks for reading this! If you hate it, sorry! Send any feedback to me on Twitter and I’m happy to talk ball. Just come prepared with your top 25 as well…