College Football Rankings 2013: Projecting Week 8's Top 25 Teams
The Top 25 polls are set for a major shakeup after Week 7's games.
The biggest game of the week is the Oregon Ducks' matchup with the Washington Huskies, who are fresh off a loss to the Stanford Cardinal.
Johnny Manziel's date with the Ole Miss Rebels, who are coming off a loss to Auburn, is sure to provide some drama in the top 10 as well.
Check out what next week's polls should look like after this week's action.
Rankings from the latest AP Poll are used throughout this article.
25. Virginia Tech
1 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 24
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Beamer ball is back in Blacksburg in 2013.
Since Virginia Tech's Week 1 loss to top-ranked Alabama, the Hokies have gone on a 5-0 tear. They are undefeated in ACC play and climbing the rankings.
This week, the Hokies face a 3-1 Pittsburgh team, whose only loss came to the Florida State Seminoles. While these two teams are sure to have a shootout, Virginia Tech's defense, which ranks 12th in points allowed, according to ESPN, should be enough to propel the Hokies past Pittsburgh.
The only reason the Hokies will dip one spot in the rankings is because Ole Miss will knock off Texas A&M, which will force Oklahoma State, Northern Illinois and the Hokies back.
24. Northern Illinois
2 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 23
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Akron Zips
Quarterback Jordan Lynch is at it again as he has the Northern Illinois Huskies undefeated at 5-0. Currently, he is 13th in the country in total offense with 329.2 yards per game.
This week, the Huskies face the Zips of Akron, who are most famous for nearly knocking off the Michigan Wolverines earlier this season.
But don't expect the Huskies to succumb to the same problems that Michigan faced against this team. Northern Illinois has the fifth-best rushing attack in the country, according to ESPN, and that will be enough to wear down the Zips.
Like Virginia Tech, though, Northern Illinois will move down in the rankings since Ole Miss will upset Texas A&M.
23. Oklahoma State
3 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 22
Week 7 Prediction: Bye Week
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are fresh off a thrilling 33-29 win over the Kansas State Wildcats last week. They scored 10 unanswered points late in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Now Oklahoma State, which is 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, has a week off to prepare for a stretch of six straight conference games, three of which are on the road.
Quarterback J.W. Walsh continues to establish himself as the starter for head coach Mike Gundy, racking up 1,209 yards passing and 12 total touchdowns.
With Ole Miss upsetting Texas A&M, the Cowboys will move down one slot in the rankings in Week 8.
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22. Ole Miss Rebels
4 of 25
This Week's Ranking: Unranked
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Texas A&M
The Ole Miss Rebels are on the heels of two straight losses to Alabama and Auburn and looking for a bounce-back win.
While the schedule stays hard with Texas A&M slated for this week, the Rebels are anxious to prove that they're a team to be reckoned with in the SEC. And this week, they'll do just that by upsetting Johnny Manziel and the Aggies.
The Rebels, who are 3-2 overall this season, run a balanced offense behind quarterback Bo Wallace and running back Jeff Scott.
The Rebels shine in pass coverage. The team ranks 18th in the nation in passing yards allowed, as quarterback average just over 185 yards through the air per game against Ole Miss.
That means Manziel will be limited in how he can affect the game through the air, which opens the door for the upset.
With two losses on the docket, don't expect the Rebels to climb any higher than 22nd in the rankings this week. But they have a high ceiling if they pull off the upset against Texas A&M.
21. Fresno State Bulldogs
5 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 21
Week 7 Prediction: Bye Week
Quarterback Derek Carr has become a dark horse in the Heisman Trophy race by leading the Fresno State Bulldogs to a perfect 5-0 start.
The Bulldogs have racked up wins over Rutgers and Boise State—both by one point apiece—which have thrust them into the rankings.
Carr has been one of the nation's most prolific passers. He ranks fourth in the country in passing yards with 1,864 and second in passing touchdowns with 19.
The Bulldogs have this week off, so they'll stay static in the rankings. But expect this team to make a run at a BCS bowl in a similar way that Northern Illinois did last year.
20. LSU
6 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 10
Week 7 Prediction: Loss vs. Florida
Last week, the LSU Tigers bounced back from their 44-41 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs with a 59-26 thrashing of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Now the Tigers face another elite SEC opponent, the Florida Gators, this week.
The Gators have seen a spark in their offense since quarterback Tyler Murphy took over. And with only two games of tape on Murphy, the Tigers won't have much to study defensively.
That's a big reason why the Tigers will fall to the Gators on Saturday.
While LSU has put up the ninth-most points per game in the nation, according to ESPN, the Gators defense has allowed the fourth fewest.
The Tigers' best offensive weapon, running back Jeremy Hill, will run into problems against a stout Florida defensive line. The Gators rank second in the country in rush defense, with teams averaging just 65 yards a game.
The Tigers will fall to 20th in the rankings after suffering their second loss in three games.
19. Texas Tech
7 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 20
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Iowa State
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are one of just three undefeated teams left in the Big 12. And this week, they face the Iowa State Cyclones, who are coming off a controversial loss to the Texas Longhorns.
The big storyline heading into this game is the health of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was injured in last week's game against the Kansas Jayhawks.
An Associated Press report said that Mayfield suffered no structural damage and will return, although there is no timetable.
"The walk-on's injury doesn't "appear to be a season-ending type," Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "Timetable-wise, I'm not sure yet but that was good news."
Kingsbury said he's not sure whether Mayfield will start or even play against Iowa State this week.
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Regardless of Mayfield's health, the Red Raiders should be able to take care of a weak Iowa State team at home on Saturday. That'll move Texas Tech up a spot in the rankings.
18. Northwestern
8 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 19
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Wisconsin
Coming off a tough loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes, Pat Fitzgerald's Northwestern Wildcats hit the road to face the Wisconsin Badgers.
Wisconsin is a dangerous team in the Big Ten and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. The Badgers' only losses are to Arizona State (in controversial fashion) and Ohio State.
Nevertheless, Northwestern still looked like one of the elites in the Big Ten against Ohio State despite losing the game. And the Wildcats will be playing with chips on their shoulders.
Expect Northwestern to dispatch the Badgers and move up a spot in the rankings.
17. Texas A&M
9 of 25This Week's Ranking: 9
Week 7 Prediction: Loss vs. Ole Miss
Johnny Football and company are set to take on one of the nation's premier pass defenses, which could cause problems for the Texas A&M Aggies.
The Aggies have been inconsistent this season, as they've struggled to put away teams like Rice and Arkansas.
Manziel has been great, leading the team in both passing and rushing in his Heisman Trophy defense season. But the Ole Miss Rebels possess the country's 18th-best pass defense, which could cause problems for the turbulent star. And since the Aggies are coming off a bye week, they will also have to deal with some rust.
The Rebels are coming off two tough losses to Alabama and Auburn and are hungry for a season-defining win. Expect it to come against the Aggies.
Not only will a loss to Ole Miss diminish Manziel's chances of repeating as the Heisman Trophy winner, but it will also cost Texas A&M eight spots in the rankings.
16. Michigan
10 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 18
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Penn State
Michigan has been inconsistent this year despite being undefeated at 5-0. Although the Wolverines have beaten Notre Dame this year, they also barely squeaked by against Akron and UConn.
Nevertheless, the Wolverines have a perfect record that will be put to the test on the road this weekend at Penn State.
MLive.com lists the Wolverines as just a three-point favorite against the Nittany Lions.
But if quarterback Devin Gardner and company can just get going offensively, they should be able to outperform Penn State on the scoreboard. The Wolverines average about a touchdown more per game than the Nittany Lions, according to ESPN.
A win on the road against Penn State will look good on Michigan's resume and should move it up two spots in the standings.
15. South Carolina
11 of 25This Week's Ranking: 14
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Arkansas
The South Carolina Gamecocks should remain approximately in the same ranking this week as they prepare to face a struggling Arkansas Razorbacks team.
However, the drama surrounding Jadeveon Clowney's decision to sit out against Kentucky because of an injury is worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
South Carolina has also struggled in its last two games, barely beating UCF 28-25 and then eking out a win against Kentucky, 35-28.
Arkansas is of a similar pedigree of those teams, so the Gamecocks should be fine at least for one more week.
14. Miami (FL)
12 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 13
Week 7 Prediction: Bye Week
The Miami Hurricanes are undefeated at 5-0 heading into their bye week.
The season in South Beach has been defined by the team's Week 2 win over the Florida Gators. Since then, the Hurricanes have bested Savannah State, South Florida and Georgia Tech.
Running back Duke Johnson is having a great season with 552 yards and four scores. According to ESPN, the Hurricanes are also the 12th-best defense with only 16 points given up per game.
The Hurricanes face the North Carolina Tar Heels in Week 8 following this week off.
13. Baylor
13 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 15
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Kansas State
The Baylor Bears boast one of the nation's best offenses and are one of just three undefeated teams left in the Big 12 at 4-0.
Behind the two-headed monster of quarterback Bryce Petty and running back Lache Seastrunk, the Bears are first in the nation in scoring and passing yards and second in rushing yards, according to ESPN.
This week, the Bears travel to Manhattan, Kan. to face the Kansas State Wildcats.
It was last year's upset win over then-No. 1 Kansas State that not only dashed the Wildcats' national title hopes but sparked a sort of revival in the Baylor program. Baylor hasn't lost a game since that win last year.
Kansas State is also struggling defensively this season, giving up 24.4 points per game.
Expect the Bears to continue their streak this week and move up to No. 13 in the rankings.
12. Florida
14 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 17
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. LSU
The Florida Gators are poised to shoot up the rankings this week with a win over the LSU Tigers.
This week will be quarterback Tyler Murphy's first true test as the starter for the Gators.
In his first two starts, he secured wins against Kentucky and Arkansas. But now the former backup faces one of the elite SEC teams in LSU.
He has been a spark for the Gators offense, which sputtered in its first few weeks.
Florida's great defense and Murphy's ability to improvise with his legs should be enough to pull off the upset against LSU and launch the Gators up the rankings.
11. Oregon
15 of 25This Week's Ranking: 2
Week 7 Prediction: Loss vs. Washington
The Oregon Ducks have yet to face a ranked team this season, and that will come back to bite them this week as they face an angry Washington Huskies team.
It's no secret that the Ducks offense hasn't skipped a beat since Mark Helfrich took over as head coach. The Ducks are second in the nation in scoring and third in rushing yards, according to ESPN. But they haven't played any real competition yet.
On the other hand, the Huskies are enraged after a heart-breaking loss to the Stanford Cardinal and want to keep their Pac-12 hopes alive. Also, the Huskies offense has been terrific this year as well, ranking in the top 25 of both passing and rushing yards per game, according to ESPN.
The Ducks haven't faced any adversity this year, while Washington has to respond to it this week. And that's the X-factor in this huge Pac-12 showdown.
This loss for Oregon will send it plummeting out of the Top 10.
10. Washington
16 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 16
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Oregon
While Oregon could fall out of the Top 10 with a loss to the Washington Huskies, a win over the nation's second-ranked team will shoot the Huskies into the Top 10.
Washington is reeling from a tough loss to Stanford and looking to rebound with a statement win. This team knows what it's like to have a chip on its shoulder, while Oregon has cruised through an easy schedule up to this point.
The Huskies are also a terrific defensive team, giving up just under 15 points per game, according to ESPN.
The Ducks haven't faced a team of that caliber on either side of the ball this year, and that could overwhelm them early.
Expect Washington to deliver a huge upset to the Ducks and shoot up to No. 10 in the polls.
9. Oklahoma
17 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 12
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Texas
The Oklahoma Sooners are the highest-ranked team in the Big 12 and one of just three undefeated teams left in the conference.
This week, the Sooners renew one of college football's best rivalries as they travel to the Cotton Bowl for the Red River Shootout against Texas.
The Sooners have dominated this matchup as of late, winning the last three including 2012's 63-21 beatdown.
Texas is also struggling this season, going 3-2 to start with a controversial win over Iowa State.
If the Sooners dominate this game, which they should, it will not only send them into the Top 10 of the polls but could spell the end of Mack Brown's tenure as the head coach of the Longhorns.
8. UCLA
18 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 11
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. California
The California Bears are one of the worst teams in the nation in defending the pass, ranking 115th in passing yards allowed per game.
That means Heisman Trophy candidate Brett Hundley is poised to have a field day for the Bruins.
The Bruins are a perfect 4-0 and have become a contender for a Pac-12 title. And this won't be the week the trend bucks, as the Bruins should have no problem taking care of the Bears.
Expect this win to prove UCLA's worth as a Top 10 team.
7. Louisville
19 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 8
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Rutgers
This week could be the last time that the Louisville Cardinals face a team legitimately capable of beating them.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 4-1 this year, with their only loss coming to Fresno State. They also rank 23rd in the nation in scoring with 40 points per game.
That's got to be an area of concern for the Cardinals. But with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, Louisville won't allow this one to slip.
Louisville is coming off a dominating 30-7 win over Temple and has won every game by double digits. So this game should be business as usual for the Cardinals.
6. Georgia
20 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 7
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Missouri
Because the Missouri Tigers have quietly gone 5-0 to start the season, the Georgia Bulldogs find themselves facing a ranked opponent this week.
But the Bulldogs are playing some of the best football in the country behind quarterback Aaron Murray and surely won't let this game slide.
The Tigers are giving over 22 points per game and haven't faced an offense nearly as prolific as Georgia's. However, Missouri is eighth in the country in points scored per game at 46.6. That means a battered Georgia defense can't allow their focus to slip.
This game could be better than most thought it would be at the start of the season. But Georgia is still fighting to get back in the national title chase after a Week 1 loss to Clemson, so the Bulldogs won't let the Tigers get the best of them.
5. Florida State
21 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 6
Week 7 Prediction: Bye Week
After starting the season 5-0, the Florida State Seminoles get this week off before facing third-ranked Clemson on Oct. 19 in a game that will all but decide which ACC team will stay in the national title chase.
The biggest surprise for the Seminoles has been the play of quarterback Jameis Winston. He's one of the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy, ranking fifth in completion percentage and leading the nation's third-best scoring offense, according to ESPN.
This week is important for Florida State as it looks to get healthy and stay focused on the huge game coming up in two weeks.
But for now, Oregon's loss to Washington will move the Seminoles up a spot.
4. Stanford
22 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 5
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Utah
The Stanford Cardinal are feeling good about themselves after their huge win against the Washington Huskies last week.
Now the Cardinal gets a cooldown week as they face the Utah Utes, one of the lower-tier teams in the Pac-12.
The Utes are 62nd in the country in points allowed, giving up over 26 per game, according to ESPN.
Stanford is better than Utah in nearly every facet of the game, and it should take care of this game easily. And that should propel the Cardinal into the fourth spot in the polls.
3. Ohio State
23 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 4
Week 7 Prediction: Bye Week
After a grueling start to the season that included Braxton Miller missing two games due to injury, the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes finally get a week off.
The Buckeyes are coming off a defining win at Northwestern, which was the ESPN College GameDay featured game of the week.
In that game, the Buckeyes looked like the national title contenders they were boasted as at the beginning of the season.
Now with their season nearly half over, the Buckeyes are still a perfect 6-0. They'll face Iowa on Oct. 19 in a game that should pose no problems.
2. Clemson
24 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 3
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Boston College
The Clemson Tigers, led by Heisman Trophy candidate Tajh Boyd, are looking like one of the nation's best teams early on.
So this week's matchup against the Boston College Eagles shouldn't be a problem. Although, Boston College did give Florida State difficulty earlier this year when the Seminoles escaped with a 48-34 win.
Obviously the Tigers can't overlook this game and have to win to keep their national title hopes alive. But after this matchup, they've got Florida State on the docket. So it's important that the Tigers go into that game as healthy as possible.
The Tigers should bury the Eagles early and, with Oregon's loss, go into their game with the Seminoles as the No. 2 team in the country.
1. Alabama
25 of 25
This Week's Ranking: 1
Week 7 Prediction: Win vs. Kentucky
Don't let the Kentucky Wildcats' 1-4 record fool you. This week's matchup between the Wildcats and top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide could be closer than you think.
The Wildcats gave problems to both Louisville and South Carolina this year, although both those games were losses.
Nick Saban said that he sees Kentucky as a better team than most 1-4 squads are, according to Hunter Ford of Capstone Report.
"“We expect this to be a difficult game,” Saban said. “I think our players need to prepare for this team with a lot of respect, and I think our players understand how difficult it is to play on the road in our league.” Saban said the Tide would face “greater resistance” as each week progresses in SEC play. “The games in front of us will be more and more challenging,” he said.
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However, Saban is a great coach and won't let Kentucky knock the Crimson Tide off their path to a three-peat. Expect Alabama to keep its grasp on the top spot in the polls in Week 8.
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