College Football Rankings 2012: Projecting Week 4's Top 25 Teams

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

After witnessing Arkansas lose to a much lesser Louisiana-Monroe team in Week 2, Alabama should have no problem remaining No. 1 heading into Week 4.

As both ULM and Oregon State so illustriously pointed out last week, upsets lurk in the dark on any given Saturday. So who will shake up the polls this upcoming Saturday?

With pivotal clashes in the SEC, along with a USC-Stanford matchup in the Pac-12 going down, could we witness an upset that transforms the dynamic of the entire college football season?

With all of that in mind, these are the projected Top 25 teams following all of the action next Saturday. Did the sport get all of its wacky upsets out of the way in Week 2?

1. Alabama

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

For the sake of pleasing Nick Saban, Alabama will have its hands full with Arkansas next Saturday.

Tyler Wilson, even if he isn't healthy enough to give a full effort, should shred this defense apart piece by piece.

Even more so, AJ McCarron and the offense will need to bring their A-games to move the football on this defense that allowed 550 yards against ULM.

Give me a break. Alabama wins big against a morally depleted Arkansas squad.

Prediction: Alabama wins 38-16

2. USC

Harry How/Getty Images

No upset here.

The Trojans got their bad play out of their system against Syracuse in Week 2, and when they play Stanford Saturday, they should return to form.

Matt Barkley should have another big day through the air, considering Stanford gave up 358 passing yards against Duke. Add in the fact that Stanford barely escaped San Jose State by a score of 20-17 in Week 1, and USC should cruise here. Heck, there's a better chance Michael Scott becomes best friends with Toby Flenderson than Stanford upsetting USC.

All Trojans in this one, despite Stanford's home-field advantage.

Predicted Score: USC wins 41-20

3. LSU

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

LSU could play its third stringers against Idaho and still win impressively.

The Tigers are riding high after a dominant 41-3 win against Washington, and when the Vandals stroll into Baton Rouge, LSU will trample them.

LSU's reserves will be in before halftime, as the Tigers will lay out Idaho like a sack of potatoes.

Predicted Score: LSU wins 45-3

4. Oregon

Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images

Oregon has yet to face stiff competition this year, and it shows in the stat lines.

But because Chip Kelly and the Ducks are so flashy on offense, voters and fans alike drool over this team's offensive production.

It's kind of hard not to when you see De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner running all over the place. This Saturday, the Ducks get Tennessee Tech, and they just might put 50 points on the board before the half again.

That would certainly make Lee Corso a happy swimmer.

Predicted Score: Ducks win 56-10

5. Florida State

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Even though they've played against Murray State and Savannah State, it's hard not to be impressed with Florida State.

The Seminoles are averaging 62 points per game, and to be completely honest, that number could be a whole lot higher.

So happy ventures, Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons come to town with a 2-0 record, including a one-point victory against North Carolina.

But Wake Forest finds out the difference between North Carolina and Florida State, as E.J. Manuel picks this defense apart.

Predicted Score: 37-13

6. Oklahoma

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Bye week

7. Michigan State

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Michigan State will become the first team to beat two ranked teams this season, and that will shoot them up the polls.

With Le'Veon Bell leading the way, the Spartans will win a war of ground and pound to squeeze past Notre Dame at home.

As Leonidas did, the Spartans will protect their home turf with an impressive victory, except, you know, no front kicks into the pit of death.

With the win, the Spartans will improve to 3-0 and have a true dark horse Heisman candidate in Bell.

Predicted Score: Michigan State wins 24-20

8. Georgia

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

The Georgia Bulldogs proved in a win against Missouri that even without Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Cummings and Alec Ogletree they're a Top 10 team.

With Jarvis Jones making plays all over the field on defense and Aaron Murray and Todd Gurley handling the offense, the Bulldogs could easily make a run in the SEC.

But first they'll have to get by Florida Atlantic. That shouldn't be too difficult, but Mark Richt and the Bulldogs do tend to play to their opponent—not this week.

Georgia flexes its muscles.

Predicted Score: Georgia wins 44-17

9. South Carolina

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Like most teams in the Top 25 in Week 3, South Carolina inherits an easy game in UAB.

But luckily for Heisman-hopeful Marcus Lattimore, this will give him a chance to pad his stats.

As Dylan Thompson proved against ECU last Saturday, the Gamecocks can still win big without Connor Shaw at quarterback.

Lattimore will have a big day rushing and Jadeveon Clowney will get a few sacks in a one-sided victory.

Predicted Score: South Carolina wins 38-10

10. West Virginia

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

How many points will West Virginia post on James Madison?

Here's a better question: Can the Mountaineers avoid an upset against James Madison? If the school sounds familiar, this is the same university that upset Virginia Tech in 2010—in the same sort of way ULM shocked Arkansas this past weekend.

Could fans experience deja vu Saturday?

Though an upset is tempting to predict, it's just not going to happen against West Virginia. This offense is too explosive to keep James Madison within striking range, and Geno Smith will turn in another monster day for the Mountaineers.

Predicted Score: West Virginia wins 59-20

11. Clemson

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Furman doesn't stand a chance against Clemson.

Tajh Boyd, Andre Ellington and DeAndre Hopkins will be too much for Furman to overcome.

Oh, just in case you were wondering, Sammy Watkins will be back in action Saturday. So the only advice Furman gets in stopping this team comes from the words of the villain from the movie Taken: "Good luck."

Expect a blowout in this one.

Prediction: Clemson wins 42-10

12. Virginia Tech

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Pittsburgh's defense is horrendous.

Furthermore, Pitt is not a good football team. Virginia Tech, on the other hand, is.

Expect Logan Thomas to have a field day against this defense that's allowed more than 30 points to both Youngstown State and Cincinnati.

Predicted Score: Virginia Tech wins 35-9

13. Ohio State

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Urban Meyer and Braxton Miller certainly complement each other, don't they?

With Meyer's offense, Miller is used almost in the same way Meyer used Tim Tebow. He runs the ball effectively and is able to throw efficiently when needed.

For this very reason, the Ohio State Buckeyes will avoid an upset against Cal Saturday. Cal has plenty of playmakers—Keenan Allen being the most notable—but this is the same team that dropped its opener against Nevada.

Ohio State wins a high-scoring affair.

Predicted Score: Ohio State wins 44-30

14. Texas

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Texas gets to prove itself nationally by taking on an SEC opponent. Well, kind of.

The Longhorns will play at Ole Miss, and though the Rebels will be the Longhorns' best opponent to date, Ole Miss is far from an elite SEC club.

In fact, it just might be the worst team in the conference. Keeping that in mind, Texas didn't look crisp in its season opener against Wyoming but certainly picked it up against New Mexico last Saturday.

Texas wins, but it wins a close one, as Donte Moncrief and the Rebels show up to play.

Predicted Score: Texas wins 30-23

15. Kansas State

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Don't sleep on Kansas State.

Collin Klein and the Wildcats have looked great this season, but they've flown under the radar a little bit.

They've won both games by more than 38 points, and one of those wins came against the University of Miami. Oh, how the mighty have fallen...

As they inherit North Texas this Saturday, you better believe the offense will be lighting up the scoreboard again.

Predicted Score: Kansas State wins 48-13

16. TCU

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Upsets are for the birds—just not in the form of a Jayhawk.

The storyline so far in Week 3 is that every favored team wins, and it continues with a TCU victory against Kansas.

This Kansas team is coming off of a one-point loss to Rice, while TCU is 1-0 with a 56-0 victory against Grambling State.

Horned Frogs assert their will early.

Predicted Score: TCU wins 38-17

17. Tennessee

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Are the Vols back?

If they beat the Florida Gators at home, they just might be. Derek Dooley has a special quarterback in Tyler Bray, and surrounding the gun-slinger are plenty of offensive weapons. Just imagine what this team could have been had Da'Rick Rogers not broken team rules.

Florida's grit and determination in the second half against Texas A&M were impressive, but can the Gators weather another emotional game, this time against an old SEC rival?

Bray turns out to be the difference-maker, and for the first time in a couple of years, Florida and Tennessee deliver a great game with big ramifications for both sides.

Predicted Score: Tennessee wins 28-24

18. Michigan

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Michigan Wolverines really shouldn't be ranked this high.

Denard Robinson and company not only suffered a huge loss to Alabama in Week 1, but they barely got by an unranked Air Force team.

But with Massachusetts coming to town, this should be a different story.

Michigan fans don't take too kindly to Shoelace being called "Armpunt," so let's just say he turns in another impressive performance rushing.

Predicted Score: Michigan wins 41-20

19. Louisville

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, you really need to make it a point to watch him play.

Bridgewater is a mobile quarterback who is smooth in the pocket and keeps his cool under pressure. More importantly, he has an accurate delivery.

So far, he's 49-of-60 with 576 yards passing and two touchdowns, and after he faces North Carolina, expect those numbers to improve even more.

The Tar Heels proved, in a loss against Wake Forest, that they do not possess a strong pass defense, and Bridgewater takes full advantage Saturday.

Predicted Score: Louisville wins 35-24

20. UCLA

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Jim Mora might be on to something in Southern California.

The atmosphere just has a different feel to it, and after the Bruins knocked off Nebraska at home, expect UCLA to build off of that momentum.

But can a Kevin Sumlin-less Houston team disrupt that momentum?

Nope. Brett Hundley is playing too well right now, and considering the Cougars gave up 56 points against Louisiana Tech over the weekend, Hundley should have another big day for the Bruins.

Predicted Score: UCLA wins 45-27

21. Arizona

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Was it luck that led to an Arizona victory against Oklahoma State?

Some might believe that was the case since the Wildcats beat Toledo in overtime the previous week, but Arizona may have a superstar on its hands in the form of Ka'Deem Carey, who recorded four touchdowns in the win against the Cowboys.

The Wildcats defense might get exposed in an offensive-heavy Pac-12, but it shouldn't against South Carolina State.

Predicted Score: Arizona wins 42-14

22. Mississippi State

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Mississippi State is a really good football team.

The Bulldogs have an athletic quarterback in Tyler Russell, an excellent rushing game behind LaDarius Perkins and one of the best secondaries in college football—with Corey Broomfield and Johnthan Banks leading the way.

But they haven't received the respect they should. Correction: They haven't received it yet.

The Bulldogs were snubbed when they didn't break the Top 25 after beating Auburn in Week 2, but after they manhandle Troy Saturday night, they will jump to the 22nd spot due to Utah upsetting BYU, along with other teams—such as Florida—going down.

Predicted Score: Mississippi State wins 41-3

23. Ohio

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Here's a surprise pick.

After winning for the third straight week, Ohio finds itself breaking into the Top 25.

Ohio proved that it was a fundamentally sound football team when it went into Penn State and upset the Nittany Lions in one of the most emotional days in college football history.

But after squashing New Mexico State last Saturday, Ohio will dump Marshall on its head next weekend, proving that it's worthy of a spot in the rankings.

Predicted Score: Ohio wins 39-23

24. Notre Dame

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Even though they'll lose a close game to Michigan State, the Irish will claim a Top 25 spot.

Why? Well, because it's Notre Dame, a school that always receive votes. So if the game is close and the Irish nearly beat a Top 10 team in Michigan State, they won't fall far.

That's just the way it works in college football. Might as well get used to it.

Predicted Score: Michigan State wins 24-20

25. Oregon State

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Bye week

Oregon State is still voted into the Top 25 after upsetting Wisconsin in Week 2.