Joel Klatt releases updated Top-10 rankings following Week 12

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt has seen all the polls and decided to make up his own Top 10 coming out of an interesting Week 12 of college football action.

While Klatt agrees with the College Football Playoff‘s Top 3 of Oregon, Ohio State and Texas, below that is where he goes off on his own. Klatt also thinks higher of a quartet of two-loss SEC teams than the Playoff committee and dinged teams with weaker playoff resumes despite win-loss record.

Klatt’s Top 10 is heavily centered around the premier Power 2 conferences, with four representatives from the Big Ten and five from the SEC. Check out how Klatt sees college football’s Top 10 below:

1. Oregon Ducks (11-0)

As if there was any doubt. Actually, for Klatt, there was at least some doubt. Despite every other college football poll coalescing around undefeated Oregon at No. 1, the FOX Sports analyst made it a point to indicate he didn’t “feel great about” the Ducks in the top spot.

That hesitation is likely the result of a harder-than-it-needed-to-be 16-13 win at Wisconsin where the Badgers led 13-6 entering the fourth quarter before Jordan James tied it up with a touchdown run and kicker Atticus Sappington saved the day with a 24-yard field goal with 2:36 remaining.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1)

Klatt obviously feels much better about the Buckeyes ahead of their upcoming Big Ten showdown vs. undefeated Indiana on Saturday in Columbus. It’s the ultimate Prove-It game for both squads, though Ohio State likely has more breathing room to work with given their resume.

Still, with another strong showing from a loaded Buckeyes offense, a convincing win over the Hoosiers could ultimately doom Indiana’s College Football Playoff hopes and lock up another Big Ten Conference Championship Game appearance for Ohio State, all before its usual date with rival Michigan.

3. Texas Longhorns (9-1)

The Longhorns remain in control of their own destiny, needing only to win out the final two games of the regular season to secure a spot in the SEC Championship Game in early December. That, of course, would almost assure Texas a bid in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

But that future is hardly a lock at this point, both given the Longhorns’ offensive inconsistencies last week at Arkansas, as well as the renewed rivalry with the hated Texas A&M Aggies on the horizon in two weeks.

4. Indiana Hoosiers (10-0)

In spite of the increasing outside criticism for its weak strength of schedule, the Hoosiers just continue to win, baby. Indiana’s success in Curt Cignetti‘s first season remains one of the best stories of the college football season, it’s also keeps them in Klatt’s Top 5.

Still, as mentioned above, the Hoosiers face their first true test of the 2024 season Saturday in Columbus, where ESPN’s College GameDay will only add increased eyes on what is arguably the biggest Big Ten game of the season, and perhaps the most impactful for the league’s bid for four or more CFP spots.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-1) +1

The Nittany Lions remain among the college football elite despite its lone loss of the season three weeks ago to Ohio State, giving it arguably one of the best losses this year. Since that setback, Penn State has been dominant, outscoring Washington and Purdue by a combined 84-16 with Minnesota and Maryland ahead.

Klatt clearly values Penn State’s all-around success more than any other metrics to slot it ahead of four two-loss SEC teams that have cannibalized one another creating a log-jam atop that league’s standing.

6. Georgia Bulldogs (8-2) +3

Fresh off its convincing 31-17 home victory over Tennessee on Saturday in Athens, the Bulldogs find themselves as college football’s top two-loss team, at least according to Klatt.

Following what felt like the first complete game from the Georgia offense this season, Klatt leapfrogged the Bulldogs ahead of Ole Miss and Alabama despite the head-to-head losses to both on the year. It’s certainly an interesting development after dropping Georgia six spots following the road loss to the Rebels, but proves Klatt prefers the Dawgs’ full body of work.

7. Ole Miss Rebels (8-2) +1

This is where it gets interesting. Despite being idle coming off its upset of Georgia, Klatt opted to move Ole Miss ahead of an Alabama squad that routed FCS opponent Mercer, 52-7, on Saturday.

The Rebels and Lane Kiffin remain in the running for a first-round Playoff bye so long as they finish out the regular season with wins at Florida and vs. rival Mississippi State.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2) -1

Klatt must not be a fan of November buy games to drop the Tide a spot despite rolling up more than 500 yards of total offense in a Saturday blowout of Mercer.

Nevertheless, Alabama remains in the running to secure a SEC Championship game appearance and a potential rematch with league-leading Texas should both win out. But with in-state rival Auburn on the horizon in two weeks, nothing is guaranteed for the Tide.

9. Tennessee Volunteers (8-2) -4

The Vols fell definitively after its disappointing showing in Athens, but not out of Klatt’s Top 10, so they remain in the hunt for a Playoff bid even if the SEC Championship may be out of reach at this point.

Tennessee saw the welcomed return of star QB Nico Iamaleava, but the youngster never appeared comfortable in his first game back from a concussion suffered two weeks ago against Mississippi State. The Vols will need their QB at full strength if its going to rebound in its final two games against Utep and Vanderbilt.

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-1)

Much like Texas and Ole Miss, Notre Dame was idle in Week 12 and held firm as the final team in Klatt’s Top 10. But that spot remains tenuous, as does its place in the College Football Playoff with games against Army and USC to round out the regular season.

Can Marcus Freeman and company keep its postseason hopes alive by knocking off a surprise Black Knights squad that stands atop the AAC standing this weekend? Well, that result will go along way in determining where the Fighting Irish find themselves in Klatt’s new rankings next week.

Just missed out: Miami Hurricanes, Boise State Broncos, Texas A&M Aggies, Colorado Buffaloes.