Breaking down the Top 25 teams in College Football heading into a pivotal Week 9.

What a season 2024-2025 has been to this point. The excitement, enthusiasm, energy, and chaos are palpable throughout the fans and students on college campuses. It’s an exciting time to be a fan or student of a college football team. In this article, I’m giving you my keys for each of the top 25 teams for the rest of the season. I will also show the college football playoff chances for the teams that ESPN has listed on their website. Enjoy this article and become aware of your team’s strengths and weaknesses as a football team.

1. Oregon Ducks ??

At this moment, this is hands-down the best team in all of college football. They’re talented on both sides of the ball and have proven they can beat a“top-dog” team such as #2 Ohio State. They narrowly defeated the Buckeyes in Eugene, Oregon, by a score of 32-31. Their toughest remaining games will be against #20 Illinois, @Wisconsin, and finishing the season versus the University of Washington.

Keys:

• Maintain a steady game pace while staying true to the run game. Jordan James is a talented running back who, in my opinion, is underutilized. James has eight touchdowns this year and 717 rushing yards.
• Secondly, utilize Evan Stewart! He has only four touchdowns this season, paired with 427 receiving yards. It was illustrated versus Ohio State that he’s a threat to the secondary, and I think Dillon Gabriel needs to refer to him more on offense.

Season Grade: A+

Source: Oregonlive.com

2. Georgia Bulldogs ??

Georgia is the second-best team in the nation, behind Oregon. Georgia has been a well-rounded team all year with a stout defensive line. They allow their opponents to be around 16.86 points per game this season. This outstanding defense matched up against America’s #1 team, the Texas Longhorns, last week. Georgia’s defense amazingly allowed Texas to score only 15 points. Carson Beck threw three interceptions, and despite these turnovers, Georgia was able to firmly win this game. Georgia has some big games @#18 Ole Miss and #7 Tennessee. These two will be games that shape what the SEC landscape is in the college football playoffs.

Keys:

• Continue to show their toughness on defense.
• Limit turnovers! Carson Beck has 8 interceptions on the year, so if the Bulldogs can limit his mistakes they will be set up for lots of success.

Season Grade: A

3. Penn State Nittany Lions ??

Penn State is ranked #3 in the country and is one of those teams that is in a funky spot. They are undefeated and still moving strong without playing any real competition. Their only notable win was against #19 Illinois, but the rest of their games have been against non-ranked opponents. They almost lost to an unranked USC team where they struggled to pull ahead of times. In my opinion, USC should have won that game. I think Penn State isn't as good a team as people are making them out to be. It still appears that Junior quarterback Drew Allar struggles to perform in the big moments. The Nittany Lions will have their chance to prove who they are to the world in the next couple of weeks. They play at Wisconsin, home versus #4 Ohio State, and they play Washington. These are three opponents that are not easy to beat. Overall, I think Penn State deserves to be ranked #3 because they are undefeated, but the second they play a legit team America will find out who they are.

Keys:

• Develop an effective, passing game that limits turnovers because Drew Allar has struggled in the turnover game the past couple of weeks.
• RUN THE BALL! The fact that Nicholas Singleton only has three touchdowns on the year is a serious issue. There's no way that this office is going to perform well against the generational defense of Ohio State.

Season grade: A-

4. The Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State University is ranked #4 in the nation. In my opinion, they have the nation’s most stacked roster on paper. Whether it’s Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes have a run game like no other. They have dominated every team that they've played except Oregon. That was the closest game that they had played, and that was on the road. Defensively, we are seeing one of the greatest defensive lines in all of college football. This is a generational, all-time defensive line. The only reason they are not ranked the best team in the nation is because quarterback Will Howard slid too late and time expired in the Oregon game. Despite having one loss this year, in my opinion, the Buckeyes have been the best team in all of college football. The Buckeye’s important games are at #3 Penn State and home versus #13 Indiana. Both of those teams can take down what in my opinion has been the best team in college football all year round. Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka are two unbelievably talented receivers who are going to give Penn State major difficulties.?

Keys:

• ?Despite being ranked fourth in the nation, I don't have anything that Ohio State can improve on. They played a fabulous game against Oregon and got very unlucky. They have made little to no mistakes and are my favorite to win the College Football Playoff, and eventually the National Championship.

Season grade: A

5. Texas Longhorns ??

This is a team that got exposed this past weekend. After winning the Cotton Bowl, they were super hyped coming into this weekend, but they underestimated their opponent. Texas seemed completely distracted by the spotlights in the media that had provided paparazzi and good press about their performance this season. No one will beat a hungry Georgia team, not even the #1 Longhorns. The game got so bad they had to put their freshman quarterback, Arch Manning into the game. Of course he didn't perform well because Georgia has grown men playing defensive lineman and that defense is top of the line. This was the first REAL team that Texas has played all year, and it's important to note the mistakes that they made. #10 Michigan was not a quality win in my opinion because Michigan wasn’t a legit top 10 team. Sure they started slow versus the Oklahoma Sooners, but this Georgia we’re talking about. Kirby Smart isn't going to let you get comfortable he's going to San endless amounts of pressure on your quarterback. Texas completely got dominated in the trenches, both on the defensive and offensive side of the ball. Texas had little to no run game which hindered their ability to move the ball down the field. When you have no run game, there is no chance of moving the ball through the air because the defense will commit to the pass. Quinn Ewers needs to stop holding the ball for so long and let it fly. Defensively, I think Texas played a pretty good game, but offensively this was a subpar performance. 23-0 at halftime and Georgia looked more ready for the moment. In my opinion, this is because Georgia has been in more big-time games than Texas in the past 5 to 10 years.? overall, I was disappointed with the way the Longhorns played and expected a closer game that potentially had the Longhorns winning the game. It'll be interesting to see how Texas performs against #25 Vanderbilt and then at #14 Texas A&M.?

Keys:

• ?Coach Sarkisian must make it a point of emphasis to dominate the trenches. Both offensive and defensive linemen need to be practicing their technique this entire week ahead of Vanderbilt.?
• Reestablish the run game! Star running back Jaydon Blue has been unstoppable this season, and yet he had 0 rushes versus Georgia. This all is connected to the performance of the offensive line because, without them, there is no hope of a run game.?

Season Grade: A/A-

?6. Miami Hurricanes ??

The Miami Hurricanes have done a phenomenal job this season. Cameron Ward has proven that he is one of the top Heisman candidate in the United States. His composure, and ability to extend plays is what keeps the University of Miami in football games.?In my opinion, his game versus the University of Louisville was one to remember. He threaded the needle and was able to pinpoint passes to receivers. Some of the throws that he made were near to impossible. Xavier Restrepo has proven it to be one of the best receivers in the nation logging 686 receiving yards. Cameron Ward has 26 passing touchdowns this season. Ward has 2538 yards through the air and has the highest quarterback rating (QBR) in the entire nation with a 92.3. This team should be ranked higher than Texas and Ohio State as they’re undefeated this season. Overall, the University of Miami has looked like a top-tier team in the nation, and they have an easy schedule, the rest of the way, so be sure to look for them in the college football playoff.??

Keys:?

• Continue the air raid with the passing attack.
• Expand the playbook outside of the one already in place as the Hurricanes plan to make a run for the College Football Playoff.

Season Grade: A

7. Tennessee Volunteers?

The Volunteers are a talented team that lacks flashiness and energy. Their quarterback, Nico Iamaleava isn't a top-five quarterback in the SEC. Although, he shows up when he needs to show up, and that's all that matters. For a team like Tennessee, all you need is a quarterback who can get the job done when it matters. Their running back, Dylan Sampson has found the end zone 17 times this season on 838 yards rushing. If you couldn't tell, he's a huge part of the offense.? Tennessee needs to maintain a foundational run game as it will open up their pass game. They must keep their run game consistent as they’ve found large amounts of success from it this season. I've been kind of underwhelmed with the performance of the Tennessee volunteers this season. They haven't lived up to the expectations that many including myself had coming into the season. There needs to be a better passing attack as their leading receiver only has 365 receiving yards in the whole season. This is a significantly low receiving yards stat line and Tennessee is too one dimensional with the run game. Their biggest two games to close out the season are at #2 Georgia (11/16) and #25 Vanderbilt (11/30). It'll be super interesting to see how the Volunteers perform for the rest of the season. I don't think this team has what it takes to make the college football playoff.?

Keys:

• ?Continue to run the ball, it’s working!
• ?Make sure to pass the ball efficiently and not become too one-dimensional with the run game. This is how teams dismantle you on Gameday, so they need to develop a passing game for #2 Georgia.?

Season Grade: A-

8. LSU Tigers ??

This is a very exciting LSU football team! Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is one of the best in the SEC and in the nation. He's throwing for 2,222 yards this season and is shredding defenses. His quarterback rating (QBR) is 82.7 which is equal to 11th in the nation. Wide Receiver Kyren Lacy is one of the best receivers in the entire nation posting 512 receiving yards this season. This goes along with 6 receiving touchdowns. Sophomore Wide Receiver Aaron Anderson also is having a stellar season with 488 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. LSU's defense has only allowed 20.5 points per game from opponents illustrating their strong chemistry and skills. They lost to #23 USC 27-20 in Week 1, but have since recovered winning 6 straight games. One of these wins was in overtime versus the Jaxon Dart-led #9 Ole Miss Rebels.?The Tigers are poised and determined to win no matter what. Even though it was ugly at times, LSU found a way to get a win in what was a must-win game.?Although they won this game, they do have a tough couple of games to close out the season. At #14 Texas A&M (10/26), home versus #15 Alabama (11/9), at Florida (11/16), and home versus #25 Vanderbilt.? I look forward to seeing how the Tigers respond to these challenging games, and how they can improve as a team. If they win three out of these four challenging games, I believe they will make the college football playoff or at least the SEC championship.

Keys:

• Continue the strong offensive performances both in the run and pass game.?
• Limit unnecessary turnovers!
• Win the rest of the games on their schedule. If they can win outright the rest of their games, they will be in a good spot to make a run for the College Football Playoffs.

Season Grade: A?

Source: ESPN.com

ESPN

9. Clemson Tigers ??

?After an underwhelming performance in week one versus the #1 Georgia Bulldogs, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and quarterback Cade Klubnik have rightened the ship. The Tigers have won 6 straight games and have looked virtually unstoppable in all six of these games. They haven't played the greatest of competition as none of the teams they played were ranked. That's not to discount the work that has been done during the season, but it's something to keep in mind as we move towards the back half of the year. Defensively, the Tigers currently sit in the middle of the pack allowing 23 points per game to their opponents. This isn’t the worst place to be, but there’s room for improvement. Outside of Cade Klubnik, running back Phil Mafah has been the star of the offense rushing for 682 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns. Clemson has a pretty easy schedule to end after the year. Their toughest game will be at #19 Pittsburgh (11/16). This should be a tough road test as it will illustrate the mental and physical toughness of this Clemson unit. Clemson plays South Carolina (11/30) at home which will be a tough matchup, but it’s at their house.? overall, look for this Clemson unit to continue to gain confidence and thrive, offensively and defensively. I expect it to be the University of Miami and Clemson representing the ACC when it's all said and done, so one if not both of those teams will make the college football playoff.?

Keys:

• Tighten up the defensive schemes because you cannot expect to win against an SEC team giving up 23+ points per game.?
• Continue this balanced offense with the run-and-pass game that limits turnovers. This team is set up for success and it will be fun watching them play later this year!

Season Grade: A-

10. Iowa State Cyclones

This is a team that I think deserves to be inside of the top 10 in the nation because of their record, but they have yet to play a REAL team. The Cyclones haven't faced a legit contender yet in my opinion. While this isn't their fault, I believe it's going to hurt them as it's essential to play teams better than you to improve. Their most notable win was against #21 Iowa and they play #16 Kansas State at home (11/30). When viewing their statistics, there isn't a particular stat that wows me. Their quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown for 1,712 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. They almost lost to a mediocre UCF team at home, so I worry about how they will perform against a top-ranked opponent. Besides the game against Kansas State, it should be a very easy road to the Big 12 Championship and eventually the College Football Playoff. The one statistic that gives me hope is the defense has allowed just over 16 points per game to opponents, which ranks 9th in the nation. This defensive unit has proven to keep their team in games and competing. However, in the last 3 games, Iowa State has surrendered 24 points per game as they’ve played higher-level opponents. It will be interesting to see what happens the rest of the season and I look forward to seeing the progress this Cyclones team makes ahead of November.?

Keys:?

• Continue rushing the ball. This is the offensive success point as they’ve scored 16 rushing touchdowns compared to 11 passing touchdowns.?
• Defensively, continue to hold opponents to low scoring. As the Cyclones progress throughout the season, it’s going to become more difficult to hold opponents to 16 or 20 points per game.?

Season Grade: A

?

11. BYU Cougars ??

This team has surprised many throughout the season, as they are currently undefeated. Despite some close calls, the BYU Cougars are among the nation's top football teams. Although, I believe they should've lost against SMU and Oklahoma State. Defensively, they are middle of the pack, allowing 20 points per game to opponents. This is not necessarily a bad statistic, but it doesn't make me believe they are a top-10 team. Offensively, BYU is one of the top teams in the nation as they are averaging just about 35 points per game. There a pass-first team As their quarterback is currently the leading rusher on the team. Quarterback Jake Retzclaff has thrown for 1,644 passing yards to go along with 16 passing touchdowns and 7 interceptions. BYU’s hardest game for the rest of the season is at the Utah Utes on 11/9. Utah’s atmosphere may give this undefeated BYU team some trouble.?

Keys:?

• Develop a sufficient running game as teams will game plan to stop the pass. As we move towards the end of the season, teams will start to figure out this BYU team and could put an end to their undefeated season if they don’t develop a consistent run game.?
• Limit the interceptions. 7 interceptions from your star quarterback isn’t going to get the job done.

Season Grade: A-

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish ??

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame has not impressed me this season. Quarterback Riley Leonard has thrown an underwhelming 1,182 passing yards with 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He has ten rushing touchdowns this season. Notre Dame suffered a generational loss to unranked Northern Illinois earlier this season making their record 6-1. Their running back Jeremiyah Young has 462 rushing yards on the season to go with 7 rushing touchdowns. This team has a big game this weekend versus the #24 Navy Midshipmen in a ranked battle in Annapolis, Maryland. Additionally, the Fighting Irish have an important game versus #23 Army on 11/23 where they square off in yet another ranked battle. It’s not an easy road to the college football playoffs for Notre Dame, so they will have some work to do if they want to be playing football into the New Year.?

Keys:

• Continue the run game! The passing game of Notre Dame is essentially non-existent so the run game is their best chance.?
• With wins against Navy and Army, the Fighting Irish would be set up for success for the rest of the season.?

Season Grade: A-

13. Indiana Hoosiers?

This team has been something special this year as they are currently undefeated! They have yet to play an opponent where they had a close game. They destroyed the Dylan Raiola-led Nebraska Cornhuskers with a score of 56 to 7. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, The road doesn't get much easier as they take on the Washington Huskies this Saturday, Michigan on 11/9, and they travel on the road to play #4 Ohio State on 11/23. The Hoosiers have lit up the scoreboard this season with quarterback Kurtis Rourke throwing 1,941 passing yards to go along with 15 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His quarterback rating (QBR) is 91.8 which is equal to second-best in the nation. Runningback Justice Ellison has 514 rushing yards with 8 rushing touchdowns. Indiana's defense ranks number eight in points allowed per game this season with 15.5. This team is fierce and I cannot wait to see the Ohio State game. There’s nothing to critique this Hoosiers team about because they’re having a perfect season so far. I look forward to seeing the Hoosiers playing some big-time opponents down the stretch and I believe they will make the College Football Playoff when it’s all said and done.?

Keys:

• Continue the offensive barrage!?
• Hold opponents to 20 points per game each week! There's not much else to say as this Indiana Hoosiers team has been near perfect this season.

Season Grade: A

14. Texas A&M

Texas A&M has been very inconsistent this season in terms of their play. They lost week one to a ranked Notre Dame team at home, but since then have gone undefeated. Quarterback Connor Weigman has put up subpar performances in the past six weeks. He is yet to throw for 1000 yards this season. He’s thrown three passing touchdowns and four interceptions. Truly not a stat that one would want to be displayed. Having more interceptions than passing touchdowns is embarrassing as a quarterback. While Weigman has been below average, running back Le’Veon Moss has been tearing it up. Moss has 674 rushing yards this season to go along with 8 rushing touchdowns. The run game has been Texas A&M’s firepower. Defensively, Texas A&M has been relatively strong as they’ve only allowed their opponents to score 19 points per game. Their biggest game so far this season is coming up this weekend versus #8-ranked LSU. Their next biggest game will be when they face off against #5 Texas on 11/30. Overall, Texas A&M has had a strong season with improvement needed in the passing game. I’m not sure that they will make the college football playoff but these couple weeks will depend on their future for the playoffs.?

Keys:?

• Develop a passing game. They’re passing attack has been nonexistent throughout the season and if they’re going to be a team like LSU or Texas, they are gonna need to pass the ball.
• Don’t choke in the big moment. Texas A&M tends to choke in big-time moments, throughout the next couple of weeks, they need to keep their heads clear in order to succeed.?

Season Grade: A-

15. Alabama Crimson Tide ??

With already two losses on the season, the Alabama Crimson Tide are on the verge of being eliminated from college football playoffs. With a loss to Vanderbilt, the Tide seem to have lost their way. After beating the top dog Georgia, the Crimson Tide have looked different. They almost lost to South Carolina, and they lost to Tennessee. Jalen Milroe has it looked 100% and the Alabama team that we saw against the Georgia Bulldogs has faded into the distance. They play #21 Missouri this weekend at home, followed by #8 LSU (11/9). This Alabama team needs to find their stride again and get back to the basics. Coach DeBoer must send a message to the team that the season could be over with one loss. Jalen Milroe is still having a Heisman-caliber season with his star receiver Ryan Williams balling out every week. But will it be enough to advance to the college football playoff? That’s what these next couple of weeks will decide.?

Keys:?

• Alabama needs to get back to the fundamentals. Get back to what they do best, and that’s physical football and fast-paced offense. Milroe needs to regain his confidence. This team needs a shock of energy in the best way possible.
• Winning the rest of the games on their schedule will mean they can make the college football playoff, but if not, their season is over after their bowl game.?

Season Grade: B+/A-

16. Kansas State Wildcats ??

This is one of the sneakier teams in college football. Not many people know much about this team. They’ve beaten two ranked opponents already this season. First, they beat #20 Arizona in Week 3 by a score of 31 to 7. Secondly, they beat #20 Oklahoma State in Week 5 by a score of 42 to 20. Quarterback Avery Johnson has had a wonderful season so far throwing 1,401 passing yards with fourteen touchdowns and five interceptions. Running back DJ Giddens has run for 843 rushing yards along with four rushing touchdowns. This is a very balanced offense while defensively they need some help. They are ranked 48th in the nation and are surrendering 23 points per game to opponents. Defense is the part of this team that needs work. They have two huge wins against ranked opponents that will add to their résumé for the season, but they need to win the rest of their games to make a playoff run. The next notable opponent that they play is #10 Iowa State (11/30). For all we know the Big XII could come down to Iowa State and Kansas State or BYU. That weekend in late November is going to be one to remember in college football. Hopefully, the Wildcats can stream together some defensive strength as the season continues.

Keys:?

• Increase defensive presence and limit the amount of points opponents are scoring.?
• Continue a balanced offensive attack both through passing and rushing. They are going to need this dual-threat attack as they navigate the back half of the season.

Season Grade: A-

17. Boise State Broncos ???

This is one of the most exciting teams in the nation for college football. They are so fun to watch and very energetic. Heisman favorite running back Ashton Jeanty is tearing up the field this season. Jeanty currently has 1,248 rushing yards along with 17 rushing touchdowns. Is everything 9.9 yards per carry, which is essentially a first down every time he touches the ball. That is an unbelievable statistic and this is a real-life cheat code. Not to mention, he also has 9 receiving touchdowns. This man cannot be stopped, and the Boise State Broncos are on fire. The Broncos have one loss this season to #7 Oregon Ducks who are now number one in the nation. They lost this game by three points. This is a game they should’ve won, but the referees were on the side of the Oregon Ducks. There was a particular call towards the end of the game that changed the entire outcome. Other than that game for Oregon, Boise State has handled every one of their opponents. An aspect of the game that they can improve on is their defense. Boise State’s defense gives up an average of 28.6 points per game. Boise State needs to improve its defense in order to compete with big-time teams as playoff season approaches. Overall, I’m very impressed with this Boise State team and their ability to stick with the Oregon Ducks. I’m super excited to see what Boise State has to offer as the season continues onward.

Keys:

• Continue the Ashton Jeanty rushing and receiving attack as it’s winning the Broncos their games by double digits.?
• Defensively, the Boise State Broncos need to figure out a game plan that will help them not concede almost 30 points per game. They need to get this under control to compete with the best of the best.?

Season Grade: A-?

18. Ole Miss Rebels?

The Ole Miss Rebels have been a team that has disappointed many people this year. Before the season, many thought the Ole Miss Rebels would be a top-five team throughout the entire season. This thought and dream were squandered by the LSU Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats. Quarterback Jaxson Dart is supposed to be one of if not the best quarterback in the nation this season and these past couple of weeks have reflected poorly upon him. Dart has thrown for 2,384 passing yards along with 14 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. 12 of those 14 passing touchdown games against ranked opponents that the Rebels blew out. It’s important to know that Ole Miss is good against bad teams, but when it matters most they do not show up. Running back Henry Parish Jr is the other strong spot of this offense rushing for 612 yards along with 9 rushing touchdowns this season. Defensively the Ole Miss Rebels have been a force to be reckoned with as they are allowing 12.3 points per game from their opponents. This is equal to the fourth best in the nation. Looking forward, the Rebels next biggest game is at home versus #2 Georgia (11/9). This is a must-win game to keep their college football playoff hopes alive. This is a chance for the Rebels to prove they can beat a contender.?

Keys:?

• Defensively, continue to dominate! This is the part of the team that has kept them in all of their games, and they will need to continue this dominance in order to compete with teams like Georgia.
• Offensively, the Rebels need to lock in. Jaxson Dart needs to be efficient when throwing the ball to win ball games.?

Season Grade: B+

19. Pittsburgh Panthers ???

The Pittsburgh Panthers are undefeated! What a performance they have put on this season. On Thursday night, they returned three interceptions off of Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord to the end zone. They had five total interceptions as a defense. Offensively the Pittsburgh Panthers have looked unstoppable as their quarterback, Eli Holstein has thrown for 1,805 passing yards along with 17 passing touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Holstein is ripping apart defenses this season as Pittsburgh continues their dominance. Pittsburgh is averaging 40 points per game this season, while they’re defense is allowing 22.8 points. Defensively, they are middle of the pack, well offensively, they seem almost unstoppable. Running back Desmond Reid has been tearing up the backfield rushing for 541 yards and 7 total touchdowns. Looking forward, the Panthers have two extremely difficult games. First, they travel to Dallas next weekend (11/2) (where college game day might be) to play a red-hot #22 SMU football team. This will be a battle for the ages as both of these teams are undefeated in ACC play. Second, the Panthers will host the #9 Clemson Tigers which will be a highly contested game. Both of these games are versus two ACC opponents. To keep their college football playoff hopes alive, the University of Pittsburgh is going to need wins in both of these games. It should be a fun ride to the finish for the Pittsburgh Panthers and I can’t wait to see what happens for the remainder of their season.

Keys:

• Continue offensive dominance. The rushing and passing attack seems to be dismantling every team they play.
• Defensively, if they continue to be a middle-of-the-pack defensive team, they should be okay to close out the season. When they start to allow more than 25 points per game, things start to go south.

Season Grade: A-

20. Illinois Fighting Illini?

The Illinois Fighting Illini have a team that has sort of steadily improved throughout the year. There’s no explosiveness on offense and their defense manages to keep games close. They have beaten two ranked opponents this season while losing to #9 Penn State. They defeated #22 Nebraska and #24 Michigan proving they can beat top 25 opponents. They are set for a difficult week as they head to Eugene, Oregon to play the number one team in the nation. This will be a test to see if their defense can keep things close and if they’re offense can produce. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been the key to success for the offense of Illinois throwing for 1,506 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns along with one interception. He has been very careful with the football and it shows. Outside of the Oregon game this week, Illinois has a relatively easy schedule to close out the season. If they can somehow keep this game against Oregon close (and potentially win the game) they will be ranked inside the top 15 after this week. Their defense is allowing just over 21 points per game so it’ll be interesting to see how they match up against the Oregon Ducks.?

Keys:

• Continue to take care of the ball. They have had limited turnovers this season and it has benefited them tremendously.?
• Defensively, keep games close. This is especially true for their game against Oregon.

Season Grade: B+

21. Missouri Tigers ???

The Missouri Tigers have done a complete 180 from where they were a couple of weeks back. Going into week five versus #25 Texas A&M, the Tigers were undefeated and extremely confident. Something changed that game. The offense looked sluggish and the defense was giving up easy yards and touchdowns. They lost that game 41 to 10. This was one of the largest shockers of the season. Quarterback Brady Cook has not performed up to the expectations that people had coming into the season. Cook has thrown for 1,545 passing yards to go with 7 touchdowns and 1 interception. The star of the team, Luther Burden III only has 447 yards receiving with 4 touchdowns. This is extremely low for one of the nation's best receivers. The Missouri Tigers almost lost to unranked Auburn at home last week. They are a team that is on the decline and the road doesn’t get much easier as they are playing at #15 Alabama this week. Then they have to play tough SEC opponents, such as Oklahoma, South Carolina, Mississippi, State, and Arkansas to close the season. The Tigers of the college football playoff are gone. They had a chance when they were undefeated before the Texas A&M game but now those chances have dwindled.?

Keys:?

• Get Luther Burden involved as much as possible in these next couple of weeks. He is the key to offensive success.
• Tried to finish undefeated in the remaining SEC games on the schedule.?

Season Grade: B/B+

22. SMU Mustangs ??

The SMU Mustangs have exceeded expectations this season. Their only loss was to undefeated and number 11-ranked BYU. Heading to a very important stretch in their season. They started the season with Preston Stone at quarterback. He was the star of the offense, but quickly, coach Rhett Lashlee realized the potential of Kevin Jennings. Jennings has been someone who’s jump-started the offense. Despite getting subbed in midseason, Kevin Jennings has thrown for 1336 yards along with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He has been a wonderful addition to the offense. Another great addition to the offense was running back Brashard Smith, who has rushed for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, the Mustangs allow about 23 points per game to their opponents. They stand in the middle of the pack in that regard. Unfortunately, the Mustangs received terrible news that their star Tight End, RJ Maryland, is out for the season with an apparent knee injury.? Maryland was the leading receiver for the Mustangs, so it’ll be interesting to see how they adjust versus Duke this week. They will take on the University of Pittsburgh the following week in what they make or break their season. That will be one exciting game with a lot on the line.?

Keys:

• How will they adjust to the absence of RJ Maryland? Will it be through the run game, or will Kevin Jennings find a new favorite target??
• The Mustangs need to stick with the run game as they start to face their toughest competition of the season.

Season Grade: A-

Source: smumustangs.com

23. Army Black Knights?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Army Black Knights are undefeated! The Black Knights are on a seven-game winning streak. Their quarterback, Bryson Daily, can literally do it all. He’s thrown for 629 yards with seven touchdowns, but the even crazier is his 909 rushing yards, along with 19 rushing touchdowns. This quarterback is a jack of all trades. Daily needs more attention for the work that he’s done throughout this season. He’s practically putting the rest of his team on his back and winning these games. Army has averaged 40.7 points of offense per game this season, while defensively, they surrender just 13.3 points. Defensively, that average is sixth best in the nation. The Army Black Knights are living it up every week, and they surprisingly have a chance to make the college football playoff. Their next biggest game will be against #12 Notre Dame on 11/23. This will be a nationally televised game, and if the Army stays undefeated going into this game, college game day could go to West Point. The next biggest game for Army is against their arch-rival #24 Navy. It’s super exciting to see both military academy teams inside of the top 25.?

Keys:?

• Continue letting Bryson Daily light it up on the scoreboard. He's the man, and he’s gonna be the reason that Army goes undefeated this season.?
• Continue the defensive dominance as Army is one of the best defensive teams in the nation. If they can hold Notre Dame to 20 or fewer points, I believe they can win the game.

Season Grade: A-?

24. Navy Midshipmen?

There is a second military Academy team inside of the top 25! Familiarize yourself with the Navy Midshipmen. Navy has a similar play style to Army in the sense that quarterback Blake Horvath has passed for 888 yards along with ten touchdowns and an interception, but it’s the run game that’s dominant. Horvath has rushed for 621 yards and ten touchdowns this season. Both teams are finding incredible amounts of success through the rushing attack. A key difference between Army and Navy is the amount of points each team gives up per week. Navy gives up 19.4 points per game each week, which is equivalent to 22nd in the nation. The Army is a better defensive team. Pound for pound, I believe that Army will defeat Navy, but I could be completely wrong. Levy also has an extremely important game versus #12 Notre Dame this weekend. This is a chance for the Navy to prove themselves to the country that they are a legit contender.

Keys:

• Beat Notre Dame. Make sure to shut down Notre Dame’s offense and get Blake Horvath involved in both the passing and rushing game.
• Tighten up defensively because they’re playing some high-powered offenses to close out the season.

Season Grade: A-

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25. Vanderbilt Commodores?

Vanderbilt has been a team that has surprised many people. They defeated Virginia Tech in week one, lost to #7 Missouri by three on the road, and then proceeded to defeat #1 Alabama. They have had one heckuva season. They are two and one in the SEC and five and two overall. They face #5 Texas at home this weekend, and you could prove a lot of people wrong once again. After last week's performance, I wouldn’t be so sure that Texas is going to blow them out. Vanderbilt is on a three-game winning streak and will be super confident coming into this weekend. Quarterback Diego Pavia has thrown for 1391 yards along with 11 touchdowns and an interception. He also leads the team in rushing with 470 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. It will be super interesting to see how Vanderbilt performs this weekend. Their schedule doesn’t get much easier as they play at #8 LSU on 11/23 and at home against #7 Tennessee. Even though Vanderbilt wasn’t expecting to make the college football playoff, they have an opportunity to stir the pot for the SEC conference. It will be incredibly interesting to see how Vanderbilt closes out this season. On defense, Vanderbilt gives up an average of 26 points per game, which is equal to the 90th best in the nation. They need to focus on limiting the opponent's points week in and week out. It’s going to be a crazy ride to the finish for Vanderbilt, and the nation is ready to see what they’re all about.?

Keys:

• Keep their games against top 10 SEC opponents close.?
• Pass efficiently and limit turnovers because their defense is allowing 26 points per game to opponents.?

Season Grade: B+

Note about where the information in this article is from:?

The statistics and information used in this article were provided by ESPN.com and TeamRankings.com. I give credit to all of the information and news provided by these two sources. My article consists of information from both sources linked above.???

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