Dan Mullen releases top 25 college football rankings after Week 13

Thirteen weeks of college football have come and gone with only one more to go in the regular season. With the College Football Playoff fast approaching, former coach-turned-ESPN analyst Dan Mullen updated his top 25 rankings.

Indiana took the biggest hit after its 38-15 loss against Ohio State this past week, falling from No. 2 to No. 11. Ole Miss and Alabama also fell out of the top 10 after both teams suffered their third loss of the season over the weekend.

The Buckeyes moved up from No. 4 to No. 2 following their win against the Hoosiers and are one of three Big Ten teams ranked in the top five. Interestingly, Texas is now the only SEC team inside the top five after several schools suffered losses this past week.

You can view Dan Mullen’s full list of top 25 teams below.

1. Oregon Ducks

With both Indiana and Army losing this past week, the Ducks stand alone as the only remaining undefeated team in college football. They have already clinched their spot in the Big Ten Championship game and most recently escaped Wisconsin for a 16-13 win in Week 12.

Heisman Trophy candidate Dillon Gabriel has been a big reason for their success this season with 3,066 yards passing and 22 touchdowns to six interceptions. Oregon closes out the regular season with a matchup against Washington on Saturday.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State is the most likely candidate to face Oregon in the Big Ten title game after its defeat of Indiana on Saturday. The Buckeyes controlled that game all the way, only briefly trailing 7-0 in the first quarter before pulling away for good.

They can now clinch their spot in the conference championship with a win against rival Michigan on Saturday. Ohio State has lost three straight games to the Wolverines, but it can get its revenge in the sweetest way this year.

3. Texas Longhorns

Texas’ only blemish this season come at the hands of Georgia, which has already clinched its spot in the SEC Championship. The Longhorns could potentially play them in a rematch if they beat Texas A&M this weekend in the first meeting between the two school in more than a decade.

They have won four straight games since falling to the Bulldogs, including a 31-14 victory against Kentucky this past week. Their CFP hopes seem fairly secure if they can make the conference championship, regardless of the result of that game.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame moves up one spot in Dan Mullen’s top 25 after handing Army its first loss of the season on Saturday. The Fighting Irish were in control from start to finish as running back Jeremiyah Love scored three total touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards on only seven carries.

Notre Dame closes out the season with its annual meeting against USC, and a win there will likely guarantee it a spot in the College Football Playoff.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State’s only loss of the season comes against Ohio State, which will likely keep the Nittany Lions out of the Big Ten Championship. However, they are on pace to make their first College Football Playoff appearance in program history.

The Nittany Lions currently rank No. 5 in the country in total defense and can control the clock with their backfield of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. That has been a recipe for success that they’ll aim to carry with them into the postseason.

6. SMU Mustangs

The Mustangs officially clinched their spot in the ACC Championship game after a 33-7 victory against Virginia on Saturday. They have one of the best offenses in the country to rank No. 5 overall in points per game (39.3) thanks to players such as quarterback Kevin Jennings and running back Brashard Smith.

Smith has rushed for 1,089 yards and 13 touchdowns this season while Jennings brings dual-threat ability to keep defenses honest. SMU will face either Clemson or Miami in the conference title game with a trip to the College Football Playoff up for grabs.

7. Miami Hurricanes

Like SMU, the Hurricanes have also put up big numbers on offense and currently lead the country with 44.7 points per game. They started out the season 9-0 before suffering their first loss against Georgia Tech two weeks ago.

Miami can still clinch its spot in the ACC title game with a win against Syracuse to close out the season Saturday. It will need QB Cam Ward, who leads the country with 34 passing touchdowns, to have another big game.

8. Georgia Bulldogs

After a wild week of upsets in the SEC, Georgia officially clinched its spot in the conference title game with tiebreakers. It marks the Bulldogs’ fourth straight appearance in the SEC Championship, though they won only one of the past three.

They currently come in at No. 10 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, so they might need a conference title to feel comfortable about their chances. Georgia will face the winner of this weekend’s rivalry game between Texas A&M and Texas for the league crown.

9. Tennessee Volunteers

The Vols moved up from No. 13 all the way to No. 9 in Dan Mullen’s top 25 after losses from a number of other SEC teams on the CFP bubble. They can finish out the year with a 10-2 record if they win against Vanderbilt this week, which might be enough to earn an at-large bid.

Running back Dylan Sampson has been the heartbeat of the offense with an SEC-leading 1,307 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns this season. If Tennessee does reach 10 victories, it would mark the second time it has done so in four years under coach Josh Heupel.

10. Boise State Broncos

The Broncos are the favorite to win the Mountain West and represent the non-power conferences in the College Football Playoff. They escaped an upset bid from Wyoming on Saturday to pull away in the fourth quarter for a 17-13 win.

Running back Ashton Jeanty is one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy and surpassed 2,000 yards rushing for the season over the weekend. He makes Boise State a dangerous team to face if the do make the CFP, as they took Oregon down to the wire in their only loss earlier this year.

The rest of Dan Mullen’s top 25 college football rankings

11. Indiana
12. Ole Miss
13. South Carolina
14. Clemson
15. Arizona State
16. Alabama
17. Texas A&M
18. BYU
19. Iowa State
20. Tulane
21. UNLV
22. Kansas State
23. Duke
24. Colorado
25. Army