And now, 20 Final Thoughts from a college football weekend filled with wild comebacks, big-time performances and one heck of a mess to clean up off the field in Austin.

1. All the gentlemen who made picks on ESPN’s “College GameDay” set Saturday morning said No. 1 Texas would beat No. 5 Georgia that night. It was a perfectly reasonable prediction based on how both teams had looked in the weeks leading up to their showdown.

Unfortunately for them, past performance does not guarantee future results, especially when college players are involved.

2. In front of a stadium-record 105,215 fans, Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC) unleashed the most havoc-wreaking defensive performance of the season in a 30-15 win. It got so bad, so fast for Texas (6-1, 2-1 SEC), trailing 20-0 in the second quarter, that Steve Sarkisian briefly benched starting quarterback Quinn Ewers for Arch Manning, only to go back to Ewers after two series. Neither had a chance, given the Horns offensive line had no answers for Georgia pass rushers Jalon Walker (three sacks, four QB hurries), Mykel Williams (two sacks) and Damon Wilson II (one strip-sack).

This was precisely the Georgia juggernaut many envisioned when it was designated the preseason No. 1 team and again when it blitzed Clemson 34-3 in the season opener. That makes it a mystery where that team went in between. It was only three weeks ago that the Dawgs fell behind Alabama 30-7 at halftime and only a week ago that they allowed 31 points to Mississippi State. But it doesn’t matter now, does it?

3. Had Texas come back and won, we might have had a ferocious officiating scandal. Late in the third quarter, with Georgia up 23-8, Horns cornerback Jahdae Barron picked off Carson Beck near the sideline and ran it back to the Georgia 9-yard line. Officials initially negated it with a horrendous pass-interference call, at which point Texas students began pelting the field with objects. After a five-minute delay, the officials huddled and eventually, picked up the flag, eliciting much confusion, because defensive pass interference is not reviewable by replay. But this was decided on the field, not in the booth. Ewers threw a touchdown two plays later, only for Beck and Georgia to answer immediately.

This did not comfort Smart, who said after the game, “Now, we’ve set a precedent that (if) you throw a bunch of stuff on the field and endanger athletes, you can get your call reversed.” To be clear: The final call was the correct one. But the SEC had better act decisively before this becomes a thing.

4. Georgia may well turn around and lay an egg against Florida in a couple of weeks, but it can afford it. With two wins over current top-10 teams, Georgia has ample margin of error between now and the College Football Playoff. That said, Beck remains cause for concern. He threw three interceptions (two in the first quarter) and finished 23 of 41 for just 175 yards. Beck, who has thrown eight picks in his past four games, is not as comfortable as he was last season when he had ever-reliable targets Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey.

I’d still much rather be in Georgia’s shoes than …

5. That Alabama first-half explosion against Georgia on Sept. 28 now looks like an aberration for both sides. No. 11 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1 SEC) salvaged its season and put No. 7 Alabama’s (5-2, 2-2 SEC) season on the brink of disaster with a 24-17 win at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee’s defense has been stellar all season, but this was its masterpiece. Tide star Jalen Milroe completed a season-low 55.6 percent of his passes, threw two interceptions and ran for just 11 yards. Meanwhile, previously struggling Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava had his signature performance to date, setting up one go-ahead touchdown with a 55-yard pass to Dont’e Thornton Jr. and throwing a 16-yard score to Chris Brazzell II after Alabama reclaimed the lead.

And, of course, no Tennessee win would be complete without a big Dylan Sampson day. The Vols’ star running back carried 26 times for 139 yards and two TDs.

6. This is quickly becoming a nightmare first season for Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer. First, he lost to Vanderbilt. Now he’s on the wrong end of the Tide’s earliest second loss since Nick Saban’s first season, in 2007. And goodness, was his team undisciplined. Alabama committed 15 penalties, including a personal foul on receiver Kendrick Law that turned a late fourth-and-7 into a fourth-and-22. The Tide still got the ball back with 1:28 left and a chance to send it to overtime, but Milroe, whose decision-making lately has been shaky, threw a ball into coverage that Will Brooks picked off.

Milroe, like his coach, has had better days.

7. While Alabama falters, rival LSU continues to surge. The eighth-ranked Tigers (6-1, 3-0 SEC) went on the road and hammered Arkansas (4-3, 2-2 SEC) 34-10. Freshman Caden Durham (21 carries, 101 yards, three TDs) had his second 100-yard output in three games. But the face of the Tigers this season is remarkable linebacker Whit Weeks. The sophomore had 18 tackles against Ole Miss last week. This week, he turned the entire game with LSU leading 16-10 when he rushed the passer, tipped Taylen Green’s pass into the air, caught the ball and returned it to the 2.

There’s no top-five showdown in the SEC next week, but the stakes are no lower. LSU visits No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0 SEC), which beat Mississippi State 34-24. The LSU-A&M winner will be alone in first place in the 16-team conference.

8. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said he gave third-year coach Brent Venables a raise and extension last summer as a sign of “stability and strength” entering the SEC. All it did was make it harder to get out of a problematic situation.

South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC) went to Norman and raced to a 32-3 halftime lead — the largest of any OU opponent in that stadium in 27 years — in handing the Sooners (4-3, 1-3 SEC) a humiliating 35-9 defeat. Oklahoma has scored five offensive touchdowns during its past four games. Venables’ surprise decision during a Sept. 21 loss to Tennessee to bench decorated quarterback Jackson Arnold for true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. initially provided some hope, but OU went back to Arnold on Saturday after Hawkins committed turnovers on his first three series.

Injuries have decimated the Sooners’ receiving corps, but that’s not the only problem. Venables, who went 6-7 and 10-3 in his first two seasons, is now 11-11 in conference games.

9. Illinois honored the 100th anniversary of Red Grange’s famous six-TD game against Michigan by wearing 1924-style uniforms. Michigan played its part by showcasing a 1924-caliber passing game. The Wolverines’ third attempt at a starting quarterback in Jack Tuttle did little to reverse their fortunes. The No. 22 Illini (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) won 21-7, marking the second time in three seasons Bret Bielema’s team has won six of its first seven games, and its fan base seems galvanized. A sold-out Memorial Stadium got to see Illinois’ first win over the Wolverines since 2009.

Meanwhile, Michigan (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) scored its fewest points in a decade. That’s the best it could muster following an off week.

10. As impressive as Indiana looked during its 6-0 start, I was reticent to use “Indiana” and “Playoff” in the same sentence. Not anymore. The 16th-ranked Hoosiers (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) smacked Nebraska 56-7, despite star quarterback Kurtis Rourke leaving with a thumb injury. The Huskers (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) aren’t Oregon, but they did enter the game at 5-1 with a top-10 defense. That didn’t stop IU from averaging nearly 8 yards per play. The Indiana defense produced five turnovers, including three interceptions from Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Rourke’s injury seemed minor, and Indiana now plays two more middling opponents, Washington and Michigan State, before a Nov. 9 home date with Michigan. It could be the biggest game in Bloomington in more than a half-century. According to The Athletic’s model, the Hoosiers now have a 61 percent chance to make the Playoff.

11. Lincoln Riley forever will get credit for developing Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams. But it now seems those quarterbacks helped mask Riley’s head-coaching shortcomings.

USC’s coach has lost nine of his past 14 games, and somehow, Saturday’s 29-28 defeat at Maryland (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) was the worst one yet. The Terps were winless in the Big Ten, having lost 37-10 at home to Northwestern eight days earlier. And the Trojans (3-4, 1-4 Big Ten) led 28-22 with two minutes left, facing a fourth-and-1 at the Maryland 24, but rather than trying to get 1 yard, Riley opted to attempt a 41-yard field goal, which the Terps blocked. They then drove for the go-ahead touchdown and stopped USC’s last-ditch drive.

Riley admittedly has suffered some tough luck. All four of USC’s losses came down to the final possession. But this one should have never been a close game to begin with.

12. Sixth-ranked Miami (7-0, 3-0 ACC) is doing its best to make every week an adventure. The Canes did not need another last-second escape this week at Louisville (4-3, 2-2 ACC). But Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough (31 of 51 for 342 yards, four TDs, zero INTs) kept pace with Miami star Cam Ward (21 of 32, 319 yards, four TDs, zero INTs) for much of the day until the Canes wrapped up a 52-45 victory. Miami’s defense has been an issue for three straight games, but Ward, who should remain near the top of Heisman Watch lists, is the kind of big-time QB who can help mask deficiencies. The question is, can he do it all the way to an ACC championship?

13. No. 9 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) and No. 13 BYU (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) are defying the prevailing theory that the Big 12 is wide open. Both remain perfect, thanks to game-winning drives by their quarterbacks and wins by identical scores.

Trailing 35-31 to visiting Oklahoma State (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) and with his team stuck at its own 38 with fewer than 30 seconds left, BYU’s Jake Retzlaff scrambled 27 yards and two plays later, hit receiver Darius Lassiter for a 35-yard touchdown to prevail 38-35 late Friday night. Retzlaff is hardly a “wow” passer, but he’s a gamer. And BYU’s offense is more explosive now that running backs LJ Martin (20 carries, 120 yards, two TDs) and Hinckley Ropati (six carries, 47 yards) are both healthy.

And Iowa State found itself in a dogfight at home against visitor UCF (3-4, 1-3 Big 12), which ran for 354 yards against the Cyclones. Trailing 35-30 with 1:47 left, Rocco Becht led his team 80 yards in 11 plays, then converted a two-point conversion for the win. Iowa State is 7-0 for the second time in program history.

14. Much to the chagrin of its many haters, Colorado (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) is off to just its second 5-2 start since 2005 following a 34-7 rout at Arizona (3-4, 1-3). The Buffs rebounded from last week’s heartbreaking home loss to Kansas State with the best defensive performance of the two-year Deion Sanders era, notching six sacks and three turnovers. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita threw for just 138 yards.

CU will play for a bowl berth next week against Cincinnati, which was always the primary goal for Sanders in Year 2. But at this point, he should aim higher than that.

15. In its first game away from home since Sept. 14, No. 12 Notre Dame (6-1) held Georgia Tech’s top-25 rushing offense to 64 yards on 29 attempts in an easy 31-13 win at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Marcus Freeman even pulled out a fake punt and a fake field goal (and both worked).

Before the season, it seemed possible the Irish might not face many ranked opponents, but they’re 2-0 in those games so far (at Texas A&M and against Louisville) and another Top 25 foe awaits next week at another NFL venue: undefeated Navy at Met-Life Stadium.

16. Embattled Florida coach Billy Napier refuses to go quietly into the night. In the Gators’ first game since losing veteran quarterback Graham Mertz for the season with an ACL injury, they rode a pair of true freshmen to a 48-20 rout of Kentucky (3-4, 1-4 SEC). Five-star quarterback DJ Lagway completed seven passes, but five of them went for 40-plus yards, and running back Jadan Baugh, making his first career start, ran for 106 yards and a program record-tying five touchdowns.

After an off week, Florida (4-3, 2-2 SEC) begins its long-awaited gauntlet of Georgia, Texas and LSU back-to-back-to-back. So it’s good for Napier he won this one.

17. Auburn (2-5, 0-4 SEC) is so beatable these days that Missouri quarterback Brady Cook had time to leave in the first quarter, go to the hospital, get an MRI on his ankle, come back and lead 19th-ranked Mizzou (6-1, 2-1 SEC) to two fourth-quarter touchdowns and win 21-17. Cook hit Mookie Cooper for a 78-yard pass to set up a touchdown that cut Auburn’s lead to 17-14, then drove his team 95 yards for the go-ahead score. Cook threw for more yards in a quarter-plus (194) than Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne did the entire game (176). Looking to keep its CFP hopes alive, Mizzou visits Tuscaloosa next week to face a desperate and vulnerable Alabama team.

18. Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) quietly has won three of its first four conference games, with an overtime loss in the other, after shutting down visiting Arizona State 24-14. Second-year coach Scott Satterfield did not engender confidence with his 3-9 debut last season, but the program, which won at least nine games five straight years under the departed Luke Fickell, seems to have stabilized. The Sun Devils (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) missed quarterback Sam Leavitt due to a rib injury. Former Georgia Tech and Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims was ineffective. Also: Coach Kenny Dillingham was so peeved about missing two field-goal attempts that he vowed to hold an open kicker tryout on Monday.

19. Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith’s first season has been expectedly rocky, but one of the sport’s most respected offensive coaches showed what he’s all about in the Spartans’ 32-20 home win over Iowa (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten). Smith’s team ran for 212 yards against the Hawkeyes’ normally stingy defense. Talented quarterback Aidan Chiles, who followed Smith from Oregon State, was a big part of the Michigan State (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) attack with 11 carries for 51 yards. It may be too little, too late for this season, but Chiles may be part of bigger wins down the line.

20. Finally, congrats to FCS No. 2 North Dakota State for ending a five-game losing streak to No. 1 South Dakota State (5-2, 2-1 MVC) in dramatic fashion. The Bison (7-1, 4-0 MVC) trailed 9-7 for the entire second half until Cam Miller drove them 92 yards, culminating in a 20-yard touchdown to RaJa Nelson with 1:49 left. A Logan Kopp interception on the Jackrabbits’ next drive sealed a 13-9 win. The Dakota Marker returns to Fargo for the first time since 2019.

While impossible to confirm, it’s believed not one single person there suggested the game was meaningless because the FCS has a 24-team playoff.

(Top photo of Julian Humphrey: Tim Warner / Getty Images)

On the heels of two of the more riveting weeks of college football in recent memory comes a jam-packed Saturday that features a trio of SEC headliners, including a top-five clash between blue bloods. There’s also multiple rivalry games that feature boots (sort of), and a potential College Football Playoff showcase in Bloomington, Indiana, of all places.

Bless this sport.

Let’s rank the top 10 games of Week 8, starting with honorable mentions and counting down.

Honorable Mention: Oklahoma State at No. 13 BYU, Ohio at Miami (Ohio), Virginia at No. 10 Clemson, Auburn vs No. 19 Missouri, Louisiana at Coastal Carolina, Toledo at NIU, Colorado at Arizona, James Madison at Georgia Southern, UCF at No. 9 Iowa State.

(All point spreads come from BetMGM; click here for live odds. Stream college football on fubo.  All kickoff times are Eastern and on Saturday unless otherwise noted.)

Let’s give flowers to two teams that have exceeded expectations in the Big 12. Both were projected to finish near the bottom of the conference, but the winner on Saturday will have played its way into the conference title conversation. Arizona State and wrecking-ball running back Cam Skattebo have been proving the doubters wrong for weeks. But the Sun Devils will be without starting quarterback Sam Leavitt due to a rib injury; fifth-year journeyman Jeff Sims will start in his place. The Bearcats and gunslinging transfer QB Brendan Sorsby will try to take advantage of a depleted ASU crossing two time zones for an early kickoff.

Line: Cincinnati -4.5

9. UNLV (5-1) at Oregon State (4-2), 10 p.m., Fubo, The CW

The Rebels rebounded from an overtime loss to Syracuse by hanging a 50-burger on Utah State last week, keeping pace with Boise State in the Mountain West standings. It sets up a massive game in Las Vegas next week against the Broncos that will have huge implications on the conference race and battle for the Group of 5’s spot in the CFP. But a win this Saturday in Corvallis would add a nice bullet point to UNLV’s resume in the meantime. Oregon State, looking to recover from a surprising loss to Nevada, should eventually make for an instructive common opponent between the two. The Beavs play at Boise State next month.

Line: UNLV -7

8. No. 17 Kansas State (5-1) at West Virginia (3-3), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, Fox

There are intriguing matchups involving the Big 12’s three ranked teams this week, including Oklahoma State at No. 13 BYU and UCF at No. 9 Iowa State. But K-State has the most at stake. It is the only of those three ranked squads going on the road, and the only one with a loss. Of the teams in the top five of the Big 12’s preseason poll, the Wildcats are also the only one that hasn’t been a disappointment thus far. A second defeat, however, would quickly put their conference title and CFP hopes on life support, even in the ever-chaotic Big 12. Kansas State can’t afford to stumble in Morgantown against a streaky but resilient West Virginia, in a face-off of two proficient rushing attacks.

Line: Kansas State -3

7. No. 24 Michigan (4-2) at No. 22 Illinois (5-1), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, CBS

A bit surprising for a ranked matchup to be this low on the list — except for the fact that Michigan has one of the worst offenses in college football (and maybe shouldn’t be ranked?). Illinois just needed overtime to beat a terrible Purdue team that scored 40 points second-half points. Still, hat tip to the Illini, who are 5-1 and playing the first ranked matchup at Memorial Stadium since 2000. Illinois will also honor legendary halfback Red Grange — the Galloping Ghost — a century after his epic 402-yard, six-touchdown game against the Wolverines. The Illini will sport throwback uniforms and hand-painted helmets that took 18 months to create.

Line: Michigan -3.5

Expect this one to play out differently than the 55-0 shutout that Notre Dame pitched when these teams last met in 2021. Unfortunately, injuries will be a storyline. The Irish lost All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison to a season-ending hip injury, and Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King will be a game-time decision after suffering a knock in last week’s win over North Carolina. If King can’t go, the job will fall to sophomore backup Zach Pyron, who has completed 5 of 7 passes and rushed for four touchdowns in limited action. Either way, the Irish can’t take this one lightly, with a remaining schedule that looks a lot tougher than we all expected, including ranked games against Navy and Army ahead of the regular-season finale at USC.

Line: Notre Dame -12.5

5. Nebraska (5-1) at No. 16 Indiana (6-0), Noon, Fubo, Fox

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Indiana and Curt Cignetti media blitz this week, including this stellar profile of Cignetti by Joe Rexrode. The Hoosiers are basking in the glow of their first 6-0 start since 1967, and rightfully so. They’ve been one of the biggest surprises this season in Year 1 under Cignetti, and have yet to trail through six games. Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff is headed to Bloomington as IU faces Nebraska and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is acting wise beyond his years. Big-time game featuring a pair of top-10 defenses (and a top-five offense for Indiana). The Huskers, who have lost 25 straight to ranked opponents, will get two cracks in a row at Indiana and then at Ohio State. On the other side, another win for the Hoosiers will shift the chatter from fast start to legit Playoff contender.

Line: Indiana -6.5

4. No. 8 LSU (5-1) at Arkansas (4-2), 7 p.m., Fubo, ESPN

It’s the Battle for the Golden Boot, one of the more underappreciated rivalry names and trophies in college football. LSU has won seven of the last eight matchups, but both teams are coming off mammoth victories.

The Tigers won a classic in overtime against Ole Miss despite never leading until the game’s final play, and Arkansas popped the first leak in Tennessee’s balloon a couple of weeks ago. The Razorbacks are better than anticipated — and Sam Pittman may have saved his job — while LSU has clawed back into the top 10 and CFP picture after the season-opening loss to USC. The Tigers will need more consistency out of Garrett Nussmeier to make some noise in the SEC, but his performance at the end of the Ole Miss victory showed how high his ceiling can be.

Line: LSU -2.5

3. No. 6 Miami (6-0) at Louisville (4-2), Noon, Fubo, ABC

More top-notch rivalry hardware — and footwear: The Schnellenberger Trophy, which was introduced last season and currently resides with the Cardinals. Battle for the Golden Boots???

The Louisville Sports Commission announces Louisville and Miami will play annually for The Schnellenberger Trophy: “Which features the actual western dress boots, now bronzed, worn by Coach Howard Schnellenberger when he led both programs to national prominence.” pic.twitter.com/khBoFZOpHQ

— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) July 24, 2023

This game is flying under the radar thanks to a loaded SEC slate, but it should be a fun, high-scoring barnburner. Miami desperately needed a bye after a pair of close calls against Virginia Tech and Cal, but Heisman hopeful Cam Ward and the Hurricanes remain one of 11 unbeaten teams in college football. Louisville ended a two-game skid last Saturday with a win at Virginia, with a top-15 offense (7.2 yards per play) led by quarterback Tyler Shough. Miami has the top offense in FBS at 8.2 yards per play, and Ward leads all FBS quarterbacks in passing yards per game (369.8).

Line: Miami -5

2. No. 7 Alabama (5-1) at No. 11 Tennessee (5-1), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC

An almost top-10 matchup between two teams that are either national title contenders or complete frauds, depending on which message board thread you read. Either way, the Third Saturday in October should provide some insight, and it’s a critical one as both teams try to avoid a second loss and spiraling fan bases. This is a tough game to handicap: Alabama has a top-10 offense, Tennessee has a top-two defense, but both teams have been mercurial on the field. David Ubben did a nice job digging in on that variability for an anonymous coaching confidential on the game, and Kennington Smith III examined how first-year Alabama head coaches have fared in the Tennessee rivalry.

Line: Alabama -3

1. No. 5 Georgia (5-1) at No. 1 Texas (6-0), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC

Praise be: It’s our third top-five showdown of the season. The first two — Georgia vs Alabama and Ohio State vs Oregon — resulted in two of the best games of the year to this point. This is the sixth all-time meeting between Georgia and Texas and first since the 2019 Sugar Bowl.

The Dawgs are underdogs for the first time in the last 50 games (!), and might need a road win over the top-ranked team in the country to preserve their CFP hopes. Texas, meanwhile, has been stellar on both sides of the ball and is arguably in a class of its own right now, though it has yet to face an opponent as good as Georgia. Quinn Ewers did look a tad rusty in his return from injury against Oklahoma last week, so we’ll see if that lingers. But coaches we spoke with for our coaching confidential on the game see Texas having the upper hand.

Another win for the Longhorns would cement them as the clear national title favorite. But if the chaos timeline of this college football season continues, we’ll see a slightly diminished Georgia take down the Horns in Austin, and the top of the sport will officially look as vulnerable as it has in years.

Line: Texas -4.5

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

How much has the outlook for the college football season changed since the preseason?

It may not feel like a lot, but The Athletic’s consensus midseason national championship pick received zero votes two months ago in the preseason, and the Heisman Trophy favorite is now a running back from a Group of 5 team.

In August, we surveyed 28 of The Athletic’s college football writers and editors for their preseason national title, Playoff and Heisman predictions. After seven eventful weeks of the regular season, we surveyed 30 writers and editors for updated thoughts on how the 2024 college football season will play out. Here are the results — and how opinions have changed.

Who will win the national championship?

Fifteen of our 30 voters predict that Texas, the top-ranked team in the AP poll, will win its first national championship since 2005 — a big change after the Longhorns received zero votes in the preseason. Ohio State, our preseason favorite with more than half of the votes in August, still comes in second with 11 votes despite its loss last week to Oregon, which received just two votes after getting three in the preseason. Clearly, most of our staff believes the Buckeyes are capable of getting revenge in the Big Ten title game and beyond.

Clemson and Georgia rounded out our national championship picks with one vote apiece. We asked one voter for each team to explain their choice:

Why Texas?

The Longhorns have been the most complete team in the country this season, ranking 11th in yards per play on offense and first in yards per play allowed on defense. They dominated Michigan on the road, they dominated rival Oklahoma in Dallas, and they have a chance to earn a statement win back home vs. Georgia this week. They also have depth, with the offense not skipping a beat when Arch Manning had to replace starting quarterback Quinn Ewers for two weeks, and it doesn’t even feel like they’ve hit their ceiling yet. — Matt Brown

Why Ohio State?

The Buckeyes were my preseason pick, and it’s hard to move off that after they played what was essentially a draw with another top-five team on the road. I would like to see more from Ohio State’s supposedly vaunted defense, but facing Oregon could be a pivot point where defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes get a better idea of how they need to play against elite competition. The loss of left tackle Josh Simmons is worrisome. Maybe I’ll feel different if Texas womps Georgia on Saturday. I still think Ryan Day and Ohio State complete the mission. — Ralph Russo

Why Oregon?

We were all curious about how Oregon would handle the moment in a marquee matchup against Ohio State, and boy did the Ducks live up to the hype. Dan Lanning’s team got its signature win and officially has everyone’s attention as a frontrunner to pull this off. Yes, it’s hard to pick against Texas, given how the Longhorns have played thus far. But Dillon Gabriel has the experience Oregon needs down the stretch, and the Ducks’ schedule sets up nicely for them to win the Big Ten and earn a coveted first-round bye. — Grace Raynor

Why Georgia?

Talent and continuity win out. No team is elite this year, but Georgia isn’t far from it. Even with their flaws, the Bulldogs are a great bet. I can’t believe I’m the only one who picked them. Games are won on the line of scrimmage, and Texas may be the only team that can rival the Bulldogs’ fronts on both sides of the ball. Carson Beck still can play his way to QB1 in the NFL draft next year, and if he does, it’ll be because of his ability and not because his receivers made plays for him. Plus, he has a solid run game supporting him. — David Ubben

Why Clemson?

It’s hard to blame anyone who closed the door on taking Clemson seriously after Georgia hit the after-burners in the season opener, but the Tigers have cruised since then thanks to a deep defense, a bruising workhorse back in Phil Mafah and steady play from quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has thrown just one interception since Malaki Starks’ highlight-reel pick in Week 1. With tighter turnarounds and less certain matchups than its four-team predecessor, the 12-team Playoff is going to reward multi-dimensional teams that know how to peak in December. For all the concerns about the ceiling lowering on Dabo Swinney’s program in recent years, those are two areas in which you can still count on Clemson. — Eric Single

What does our projections model say?

Ohio State is still on top of the national championship race in Austin Mock’s College Football Playoff projections model, winning the national title in 21 percent of our simulations. The Buckeyes are followed by Georgia (16 percent), Texas (15 percent), Oregon (11 percent), Penn State (10 percent), Alabama (8 percent), Miami (5 percent) and Clemson (5 percent).

Who will lose in the national title game?

Not only is Texas our most popular national championship pick, but it’s also our most popular runner-up. Twenty-six of 30 voters picked the Longhorns to get to the national title game in Atlanta, with 11 of those voters calling for a Texas loss.

Including the one championship vote for Clemson above, our staff voted for only five teams to appear in the national title game. Texas vs. Ohio State (16) is the most common matchup with more than half the votes, while Oregon vs. Texas (six) is the only other pairing to receive more than two votes.

Who we’re picking to make the Playoff

Even with half the season remaining, there’s not a lot of variety in our predictions. Only 18 teams received at least one vote to make the 12-team Playoff, with Texas, Ohio State, Boise State, Penn State and Miami going 30-for-30. Oregon surprisingly was left off one ballot but is still viewed as almost a lock, along with Georgia (29 votes) and Clemson (28). Three people picked Boise State to earn a first-round bye — remember, there are five automatic bids and the byes go to the four highest-ranked conference champions, not necessarily all four Power 4 conference champions.

Alabama (24), Iowa State (22) and Notre Dame (20) appeared on at least two-thirds of ballots. And shout out to Indiana, which appeared on three ballots in Curt Cignetti’s first season — after surely not being considered on any in the preseason.

The two teams that have plummeted from the Playoff race are Utah (71.4 percent of ballots in the preseason) and Florida State (67.9 percent), which are nowhere to be found on ballots now.

Who will earn automatic Playoff bids?

All percentages are the share of our staff’s votes, not odds of winning. Find full Playoff projection and conference title odds based on our model here.

After five ACC teams received conference championship votes in the preseason, only two did at midseason: Miami (19 of 30) and Clemson (11). Nobody opted for a sleeper pick like Pitt (6-0 overall) or SMU (5-1).

Utah was the pick of more than half of our staff in the preseason but has fallen off to zero with two losses and quarterback Cam Rising out for the season. At the top now are the two surprise undefeated teams, Iowa State and BYU. But Kansas State is still lurking right behind them.

Ohio State and Oregon were the only teams to receive votes in the preseason, and they’re still the only teams to receive votes now, even though Penn State and Indiana are undefeated.

And even though Oregon beat Ohio State last week, two-thirds of our staff likes the Buckeyes’ chances if they get to Indianapolis.

Texas has become the runaway favorite, receiving all but one vote to win the SEC championship at midseason. The other went to Georgia, which visits the Longhorns on Saturday. Alabama beat Georgia, but it didn’t garner a single SEC championship vote after its loss to Vanderbilt and a close call against South Carolina.

All 30 voters picked Boise State to be the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion. The Broncos have a Heisman Trophy candidate in tailback Ashton Jeanty and lost only by three points at Oregon. They have a pivotal game next week at UNLV, which is also in the mix from the Mountain West.

Army, Navy and Liberty are the three other undefeated teams. Army and Navy both have a game against Notre Dame to impress the selection committee, while Liberty continues to have a quiet season against one of the nation’s weakest schedules, which makes it a long shot despite continuing to win.

Who will win the Heisman Trophy?

Eight players received votes in the preseason, and that number is down to just four. The favorite to win the award in December, at 12 votes out of 30, is Jeanty, who also topped our midseason straw poll showing how our staff would vote right now. Jeanty has 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns through six games. If he keeps up that pace, it may be hard to deny him.

A pair of quarterbacks for undefeated teams in Cam Ward (nine votes) and Gabriel (four votes) make the list, in addition to a handful of votes going to Hunter (five votes), Colorado’s two-way star.

(Top photos: Gregory Shamus and Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)

Editor’s note: The Athletic 134 is a weekly ranking of all FBS college football teams.

“You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.”

When Nick Saban retired, many wondered whether Alabama would take a step back. It had to, right? The greatest coach in the history of the sport was gone. Surely the days of the Alabama dynasty had finally ended. Georgia had emerged as the new Alabama.

But like Thanos, Bama may be inevitable. After a 41-34 win against Georgia, the Tide have returned to the No. 1 spot in the Athletic 134 rankings.

It’s Alabama’s first time atop these rankings since the 2022 preseason. That year, Georgia took over one week in after plastering Oregon, and the Tide haven’t been back to No. 1 since then.

But it turns out when you let head coach Kalen DeBoer scheme up some stuff for elite-level talent, he can do a lot. Jalen Milroe looks like the best quarterback in the country. After the wild swings of the Game of the Year, I don’t exactly know how to feel about both teams. Alabama had a 28-0 lead and also blew a 28-0 lead. Georgia overcame that deficit on the road. But in the end, it’s the best win of the season for any team, so Alabama moves up from No. 7 to No. 1.

Georgia falls to No. 3, and not solely because of this result. The Week 1 blowout of Clemson looks better with each week. The Bulldogs’ schedule doesn’t get easier, however, with a trip to No. 2 Texas just a few weeks away.

Here is the latest edition of The Athletic 134.

1-10

I’m aware the SEC has the top four spots here. I don’t expect that to be the case by the end of the season. But so far, Alabama beat Georgia, Texas beat Michigan, Georgia beat Clemson and Tennessee beat NC State and Oklahoma. So that’s how it is right now. Ohio State’s big games are coming up, and the Buckeyes will move up if they win.

Miami slips to No. 8 after needing an overturned Hail Mary to beat Virginia Tech, and Penn State beat a ranked Illinois team to move up to No. 7. I don’t think the ceiling is very high for Michigan after it held on to beat Minnesota, but the Wolverines’ win against USC last week means they’re going to stay around here until something changes.

11-25

BYU jumps up to No. 12 after beating Baylor, but its earlier win against SMU continues to look better after the Mustangs moved to 4-1 with a 42-16 beatdown of Florida State. (Last weekend’s K-State win looks better, too). Clemson is up to No. 13 and still rolling since Week 1 after a 40-14 win against Stanford.

Utah drops from No. 9 to No. 17 after a 23-10 loss to Arizona. It’s really hard to place the Utes because we don’t know when (or if) injured quarterback Cam Rising will come back. Notre Dame inches up to No. 18 after beating Louisville. The loss to Northern Illinois continues to look worse, but the wins against Louisville and Texas A&M help. Indiana continues to roll, up to No. 19 after a 42-28 win against Maryland.

Ole Miss drops from No. 5 to No. 20 after a 20-17 loss to Kentucky. The Rebels just don’t have any good wins to offset the loss and make a case for a higher ranking. They’ve beaten Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest and Georgia Southern. Oklahoma is back into the top 25 after a comeback win at Auburn. Undefeated UNLV is back in after beating Fresno State 59-14, and Boise State enters the top 25 after beating Washington State 45-24.

26-50

Texas A&M’s win against Arkansas moves the Aggies up to No. 29. Navy’s 41-18 win at UAB slides the Midshipmen up to No. 31. Rutgers moves up to No. 32 after beating Washington on Friday night, and Arizona is up to No. 33 after the win against Utah. It’s Arizona’s 31-7 loss to Kansas State a few weeks back that keeps the Wildcats from being higher for now.

Oklahoma State tumbles from No. 20 to No. 37 after a 42-20 loss to K-State. The Cowboys are 0-2 in Big 12 play and needed a late comeback to beat Arkansas. Kentucky’s win against Ole Miss moves the Wildcats up to No. 39, but Week 2’s blowout loss to South Carolina keeps the Wildcats behind the Gamecocks for now.

Colorado jumps from No. 67 to No. 44 after a 48-21 win at UCF, easily the most impressive performance of the Deion Sanders era.

51-75

No. 55 NIU is now 0-2 since its Notre Dame upset, but the Huskies stayed close in a 24-17 loss to NC State, which moves up to No. 54. Virginia Tech actually ticks up two spots to No. 56 after its overturned Hail Mary loss to Miami, given the nature of that finish. Army is 4-0 and up to No. 62 after its third consecutive win against an Owls team (FAU, Rice, Temple).

Sam Houston jumps from No. 91 to No. 68 after a 40-39 win against Texas State to move to 4-1. Since an 0-8 start as an FBS program last year, the Bearkats are 7-2 in their last nine games.

76-100

Kansas drops to No. 80 after falling to 1-4. The Jayhawks entered the weekend with three consecutive one-score losses, but their latest setback was a 38-27 loss to TCU. Florida State tumbles again down to No. 81 after a blowout loss at SMU.

Louisiana moves up to No. 84 after beating Wake Forest, which drops to No. 88. UConn makes a big jump up to No. 86 after a dominant 47-3 win against Buffalo. The Huskies are definitely trending up over the last three weeks. Georgia State drops out of the top 50 to No. 85 after losing to Georgia Southern, dampening the value of the win against Vanderbilt. USF may be beat up after a tough nonconference schedule, dropping to No. 87 after a 45-10 loss to Tulane.

East Carolina beat UTSA 30-20 to move up to No. 92. Purdue and Mississippi State kept it close with Nebraska and Texas, respectively, in the first half, but they remain the lowest-ranked Power 4 teams at No. 98 and No. 99. Purdue fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell on Sunday.

101-134

ULM is up to No. 101, now 3-1 after beating Troy. That’s already an improvement on last season’s 2-10 record for first-year coach Bryant Vincent. Bowling Green competed well with Penn State and Texas A&M but drops to No. 105 after losing to previously winless Old Dominion. Wyoming also got its first win of the season, over Air Force, to move up to No. 119, while Air Force drops to No. 120 with Navy coming up next.

San Diego State falls to No. 112 after a last-second field goal loss to Central Michigan. Charlotte beat Rice in a wild finish to move to 2-3 and get up to No. 124.

We’re down to just three winless teams, and they make up the bottom three. They also each have losses to FCS programs, after Kennesaw State lost 24-13 to UT Martin. Kent State remains at No. 134. The Golden Flashes played Eastern Michigan close in the box score, but four turnovers led to a 52-33 loss.

The Athletic 134 series is part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)