This list will change massively week to week especially this early in the season. In this week’s college football top 11, five new teams make an appearance. It was nice having ya last week North Carolina, Hawaii, Maryland, Boston College and Georgia. For a variety of reasons, you have all been replaced. Better luck next week.
A weekend without massive matchups to get jacked up for, it was a Saturday (and Friday) that was all about surviving and getting through unscathed. Things didn’t work out so well for ranked teams like Michigan State, Maryland and USC with the Spartans being the lone shocking upset from a points spread perspective.
Despite the lack of awesome games, we’re saving them all for next week, which is an absolutely LOADED slate of college football pigskin. Until then, let’s take a look at the college football top 11 heading into week 4 of the season.
1. Clemson
Three games, three dominant wins over Power 5 teams. Not even sure this is the best team in college football and Trevor Lawrence hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but Clemson has the best resume. No other team has this many wins over the big boys at this point of the season. The Tigers had no issue with Syracuse, which has always given them trouble. The biggest difference this year? Syracuse stinks. The Tigers’ cakewalk to the College Football Playoff continues next week against Charlotte.
2. LSU
LSU is going to stick around at the #2 spot just because its road win at Texas remains the biggest win of the college football season at this point. Coach Eaux treated his alma mater as well as he could in a 51-point blowout on Saturday night. He actually let Northwestern State lead after the first quarter. What a guy. Joe Burrow did nothing to take himself out of my Heisman favorite through three weeks. LSU heads to Nashville next week to bully Vanderbilt around.
3. Auburn
The second most impressive victory remains Auburn over Oregon in Jerry World during the opening weekend of the season. After takin’ care of business against Kent State, there’s no reason to move the Tigers all that much. A tough road matchup with Texas A&M is up next. I’d like to take the Aggies, but you bet against Gus Malzahn at your own risk.
4. Florida
Full disclosure: I had Kentucky at this spot and had everything written when Florida found itself down 11 points in the fourth quarter. It’s a shame because I had some really good points and likely would have won worldwide journalism awards with what I had to say. Anyway, Feleipe Franks got hurt, likely out for the season with a dislocate ankle, and in comes Kyle Trask, who led the Gators to the come-from-behind win. Florida had beaten Kentucky every year since Jesus was born till last season, but the Gator streak begins again thanks to 4 Wildcat turnovers. Florida hosts Tennessee next week.
5. California
I’m still impressed (and angry because it killed a huge parlay) with California’s win at Washington last weekend. The Bears struggled to pull away from North Texas, which probably isn’t a great sign, but they move to 3-0 heading into a road matchup with Ole Miss next week.
6. Utah
Oh Utah, my favorite team this college football season outside of Wisconsin. My Utes shut out Idaho State and come in at #6 because of its opening night win at BYU, which appears to be a pretty good team in 2018. The Cougars were handled by Utah and then went out and beat Tennessee and USC. That win looks better and better for Utah, which will head down to play USC next week in a real Friday night treat.
7. Alabama
Alright, fine I’ll add Alabama into this list. The neutral win against Duke didn’t really do a lot for me, and same with the clobbering of New Mexico State but going on the road and beating up on South Carolina has my attention in a week where not a whole lot went down. The Crimson Tide will host Southern Miss next week. I like Alabama to win that one believe it or not.
8. Arizona State
In a game that set football back to year 1 of its 150 years, Arizona State earned a THRILLING 10-7 victory over Michigan State. It’s not often you get outgained by nearly 200 total yards and come out with the win, but Herm Edwards and the fellas did just that. No matter how it was done, Arizona State and its freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels is 3-0 with an impressive road win on its resume. Next up, the Sun Devils will host Colorado, which just lost to Air Force.
9. Virginia
How bad has it gotten for Florida State? The Seminoles gave up the lead again but had a chance in the final drive in which Virginia had 60 yards of penalties and still didn’t score. I thought the Wahoos were going to beat up on Florida State, but that didn’t quite happen. They now have two Power 5 wins and remain my favorite to win the ACC Coastal.
10. Iowa
What more do you expect in an Iowa-Iowa State football game? The Hawkeyes won a sloppy 18-17 game with field goals on field goals on field goals, but hey a win is a win, and we reward Power 5 wins here especially on the road. Iowa was outgained by more than 100 yards in this one, but a win is better than a loss believe it or not. The Hawkeyes did not play particularly well and will take the week off to figure it out before a home game against Middle Tennessee in a coupel weeks.
11. Wyoming
Rounding out our top 11 is Wyoming, which is just hanging on by a thread. That opening-week victory over Missouri is impressive because I still think that Tiger team is going to be a problem for the SEC this season. Wyoming barely survived Idaho on Saturday and will very likely drop out of this list next week once more teams play good teams. Bu hats off to the Cowboys, which start the year 3-0.
Photo courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics
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