Top College Football Resumes: Washington makes a giant move

The resume ranking got another big shakeup when two teams ranked in last week’s top 10 clashed. Washington’s 36-33 win against Oregon vaulted the Huskies but didn’t drop the Ducks much.

Why?

Because if you come within a field goal on the road of the team we think is one of the best, then you’re also not that far from being one of the best. It always drove me crazy when two top-10 teams would play a close game and the loser would get dropped deep in the poll — especially if the loser was the lower ranked team to begin with. Fortunately, that didn’t happen with the Ducks. They dropped only one spot in the AP poll this week, so they didn’t get punished for coming up just short in a classic. Voters recognized how close the two teams were.

They’re farther apart in this ranking because big wins matter most and Oregon’s wins to this point aren’t great. But the Ducks will have ample opportunity to stack meaningful wins in the season’s closing stretch.

1. Oklahoma

The Sooners were off this week, but their win against Texas remains the best in the nation so far. The issue going forward is that Washington, Georgia and the three Big Ten teams below will have much better opportunities to shine up their resumes in the coming weeks. Oklahoma can only hold serve until the Big 12 title game, where it likely would face Texas.

2. Washington

The Huskies make the big move with a huge win against Oregon, which probably is the second-best win this season behind Oklahoma’s win against Texas. Given how rugged both teams’ remaining schedules are, having that head-to-head win in hand is a massive advantage. 

3. Michigan

When Indiana scored first Saturday, everyone wondered if this was the week the Wolverines looked vulnerable. Nah, Michigan ripped off 52 consecutive points and kept getting young players experience.

4. Florida State

The Seminoles rolled past Syracuse, and the only drama was QB Jordan Travis hurting his left (non-throwing) arm just before the half. But Travis returned to the field in the second half. The Seminoles face Duke this week, but whether this game is competitive could depend on whether Blue Devils QB Riley Leonard can return from an ankle injury suffered against Notre Dame.

5. Georgia

The Bulldogs sleep-walked through an 11 a.m. local start at Vanderbilt and star tight end Brock Bowers left with an ankle injury. X-rays were negative, and the good news for Georgia is the Bulldogs have Saturday off before facing Florida in Jacksonville on Oct. 28.

6. Ohio State

The Buckeyes’ win at Notre Dame looks even better after the Fighting Irish hammered USC on Saturday, but Ohio State players and coaches know they’ll be judged on what they do against Penn State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions come to the Horseshoe this week.

7. Penn State

The 31-0 domination of Iowa looks better every week, but Penn State’s most critical stretch starts Saturday in Columbus. Can the Nittany Lions’ defense slow Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr. and company? Or will Penn State once again be simply a good team that lives a notch below Ohio State and Michigan?

8. North Carolina

This feels like a much more complete team than the one that won the ACC Coastal Division last year. Second-year defensive coordinator Gene Chizik needed time to readjust after an absence from coaching, but he seems quite comfortable now running a defense that specializes in wreaking havoc on opposing QBs. 

9. Oregon

The Ducks aren’t out of the national title race by any stretch of the imagination. But they have lost their margin for error. And the gauntlet standing between them and a rematch with Washington in Las Vegas (Washington State this week, Utah next week, USC on Nov. 11 and Oregon State on Nov. 24) is fairly imposing. If Oregon gets a rematch against Washington, it will have earned it.

10. Texas

To get another crack at Oklahoma, the Longhorns just have to avoid the kind of losses that have plagued Texas for the past 10 years. But this team seems to be built different than those teams. One game to watch: a visit from Kansas State on Nov. 4. The Wildcats may be turning over the offense to five-star freshman QB Avery Johnson, and if his five rushing touchdowns against Texas Tech are any indication, he may change the math for opposing defenses.