Top College Football Resumes: Oklahoma moves to No. 1

The resume rank is starting to look a lot more like the actual polls. The difference? In the resume rank, earning the biggest win of the season — at this point in the season — can vault a team from outside the top 10 into the No. 1 spot. That probably wouldn’t happen in Week 12, but it’s early enough to still have some pretty wild swings. So congratulations to the Oklahoma Sooners on the biggest move of the season so far.

Last week, we discussed the balance of Who You’ve Played and How You’ve Played. This week, Georgia found the perfect balance of both. Meanwhile, Michigan’s How You’ve Played continues to be so consistently good that it doesn’t seem necessary to wait until the Wolverines play an elite opponent (which isn’t happening until November) to recognize that Michigan is annihilating everything in its path.

1. Oklahoma

Will Oklahoma stay here? That’s up to the Sooners. But for the moment, Oklahoma has the best win of the season after Dillon Gabriel led a thrilling game-winning drive to beat Texas in Dallas. Oklahoma’s defensive improvement showed up in an incredible goal line stand and as the Sooners forced multiple turnovers. Plus, Gabriel showed he might be the best QB on the field in Oklahoma’s remaining games (one of which might be a rematch against Texas).

2. Georgia

There was the team that so many people — including me — predicted would win a third consecutive national title. Having Carson Beck throw to set up the run confounded Kentucky, and the Wildcats never stood a chance as the Bulldogs rolled to a 51-13 win. Now that we know this type of performance is in Georgia’s repertoire, it’s difficult to imagine the Bulldogs losing when this version of them plays. The question is why it took so long for this version to show. It wasn’t because of competition. Kentucky is the best team Georgia has played. Maybe the Bulldogs just wanted to feel challenged.

3. Michigan

I kept Michigan off this list for the previous weeks because the Wolverines haven’t played anyone particularly good. Minnesota isn’t great, either. But at some point the way the Wolverines just smash everyone in their path — home or road — deserves some credit. Consistency matters, and Michigan has been devastatingly consistent.

4. Florida State

Florida State falling isn’t so much their fault as it is a reappraisal of their best wins plus game-to-game performance. The Seminoles’ win against Virginia Tech on Saturday was just fine. But LSU and Clemson aren’t helping Florida State as much as they could be.

5. Ohio State

The Buckeyes struggled early against Maryland but put the Terrapins away in the final quarter-and-a-half. Their win at Notre Dame doesn’t look as good in light of the Fighting Irish’s loss at Louisville, and the Buckeyes’ rushing issues without injured Treyveon Henderson sent up some red flags in terms of handicapping how they’ll match up against Penn State and Michigan. But the good news for Ohio State is they get to prove themselves on the field against those teams.

6. Penn State

The Nittany Lions were off and face UMass on Saturday in a tuneup for the trip to Columbus that will help define their season.

7. Louisville

Much of the optimism surrounding Jeff Brohm’s first year running the program at his alma mater centered on a fortunate ACC schedule draw. But on Saturday, the Cardinals looked like a group that could handle just about anyone. Brohm is probably glad he doesn’t have to face Florida State or North Carolina in the regular season, but if Louisville keeps winning, the Cardinals could face one of those teams in Charlotte.

8. Oregon

Oregon and Washington had a week off ahead of a clash in Seattle that will help define the Pac-12 race and the College Football Playoff race. The winner of this game will land at or near the top of this ranking next week.

9. Washington

For the Huskies and the Ducks, Saturday’s matchup feels different than, say, Oklahoma-Texas. In the Red River Rivalry, it feels like Texas will get another crack at Oklahoma barring a disaster down the Big 12 stretch. While this could be the first of two Oregon-Washington matchups this season, the winner will be in a much stronger position in a loaded Pac-12. Both of these teams still have to play Utah, USC, Oregon State and Washington State. While Oregon or Washington likely will be favored in those games, either one could lose to any of those teams. Having the head-to-head matchup in hand will be critical.

10. Texas

Yes, Texas lost Saturday. But it lost in the final minute to an undefeated team that it likely will face again in its conference title game. The Longhorns’ win at Alabama still means quite a bit — especially since the Crimson Tide took control of the SEC West on Saturday by winning at Texas A&M. There is a strong chance Texas doesn’t lose between now and a date with the Sooners on Championship Saturday. And then they’d have a chance to redeem themselves.