The top two of the latest 2023 college football power rankings looks clear, with a host of unbeaten and one-loss teams behind them ahead of the final weekend of October.
1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0) | Last week: 1
The Dawgs return from their bye for the great Florida-Georgia rivalry this Saturday. One big question for Georgia is how the offense performs without All-American tight end Brock Bowers (ankle surgery) in the lineup. Head coach Kirby Smart says he doesn’t want anyone to have to step up and be “Superman” with Bowers out—because Superman is “not real.”
2. Michigan Wolverines (8-0) | Last week: 2
Michigan left no doubt in seizing the Paul Bunyan Trophy again, overwhelming Michigan State in East Lansing, 49-0. Heisman Trophy favorite J.J. McCarthy threw four touchdowns in the win, and the Wolverines defense held the Spartans offense to 182 yards and 3.1 yards per play.
3. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0) | Last week: 4 (+1)
UCF put Oklahoma on the ropes in Norman, but a balanced offensive attack ultimately wore down the Golden Knights to help the Sooners remain unbeaten—capped by a two-point conversion on a trick play attempt by UCF. Oklahoma now heads to 5-2 Kansas for an early game on Saturday.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0) | Last week: 6 (+2)
The offense remains rough around the edges, but Ohio State got star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. going with a career-high 11 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown in a top-ten win over Penn State. The Buckeyes got another key sack from J.T. Tuimoloau in the victory. On the road versus Wisconsin will likely be a tough matchup for the Buckeyes offense this week.
5. Florida State Seminoles (7-0) | Last week: 5
Florida State was in a battle at home against Duke, but a dominant 21-0 fourth quarter—perhaps helped by Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard leaving the game—led to a 38-20 win. The Seminoles continue to take care of business and might not have any more ranked matchups this regular season.
6. Washington Huskies (7-0) | Last week: 3 (-3)
Washington drops a few spots after barely surviving at home against one-win Arizona State, with a massive 89-yard pick-six by Mishael Powell in the middle of the fourth quarter being the lone touchdown of a 15-7 game. Look for Michael Penix Jr. (four turnovers) and the offense to get back on track at Stanford.
7. Oregon Ducks (6-1) | Last week: 8 (+1)
After narrowly losing to Washington at home a couple of weeks ago in a game they felt in control for much of it, you could make a case for Oregon to be over Washington in the rankings—but we’ll stick with the undefeated teams in the top six. The Ducks offense does damage both on the ground and through the air, making them super difficult to stop with an experience quarterback like Bo Nix (most starts in NCAA history) leading the group.
8. Texas Longhorns (6-1) | Last week: 9 (+1)
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers left the win at Houston with a shoulder injury, but he came out hot to help his team build an early lead before eventually holding on (arguably with some help from officiating) late. So, the quarterback situation is uncertain for the Longhorns when they host a solid BYU team this weekend.
9. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) | Last week: 10 (+1)
Alabama outscored Tennessee 27-0 after being down 20-7 at halftime, with Nick Saban’s squad calmly taking over completely in the second half. When Jalen Milroe takes care of the ball and gets protection to throw the ball down the field, the Tide are extremely dangerous—and he can still get more involved as a runner.
10. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1) | Last week: 7 (-3)
A late touchdown to make the score 20-12 helped make it look a little better on the scoreboard, but the Penn State offense could get nothing going through the air in their loss in Columbus. The defense looks good and talented enough to keep them in games, but more is needed from the offense against top opponents.