College Football Rankings 2015: Week 3 Poll Standings, Schedule and Predictions
This Saturday was more like it in college football. After a typical opening weekend filled with powerhouses hosting overmatched competition, the schedule heated up to produce some memorable affairs in Week 2.
The SEC, college football's mighty conference that logged an all-time high of 10 Top 25 teams last week, faced some uncharacteristic issues Saturday as a whole. Not a conference used to early upsets, previously ranked Arkansas suffered a shocking home defeat to Toledo while Auburn had to work some magic to avoid the same against FCS foe Jacksonville State.
The Tigers' near defeat resonated with the voters, who dropped Auburn from sixth all the way to No. 18 in the Associated Press poll for the Week 3 poll. Including Oklahoma's come-from-behind win over Tennessee, the SEC lost three teams from the Top 25.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Of course, no outcome loomed larger than Michigan State's holding off of Oregon in a so-called early-season national quarterfinal. The Spartans got a big win at home, propelling them to fourth and dropping the Ducks to 12th.
Let's take a look at the entire Top 25 for the coming week in three polls, including the Amway coaches, Associated Press and Bleacher Report rankings before glancing at the weekend's top games.
Week 3 College Football Top 25
| 1 | Ohio State Buckeyes | Ohio State Buckeyes | Ohio State Buckeyes |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | Alabama Crimson Tide | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 3 | TCU Horned Frogs | TCU Horned Frogs | Michigan State Spartans |
| 4 | Michigan State Spartans | Michigan State Spartans | TCU Horned Frogs |
| 5 | Baylor Bears | Baylor Bears | Baylor Bears |
| 6 | USC Trojans | Florida State Seminoles | USC Trojans |
| 7 | Georgia Bulldogs | USC Trojans | Clemson Tigers |
| 8 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Georgia Bulldogs | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| 9 | Florida State Seminoles | Clemson Tigers | UCLA Bruins |
| 10 | UCLA Bruins | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 11 | Clemson Tigers | Ole Miss Rebels | Ole Miss Rebels |
| 12 | Oregon Ducks | UCLA Bruins | Oregon Ducks |
| 13 | LSU Tigers | Oregon Ducks | Florida State Seminoles |
| 14 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | LSU Tigers | Texas A&M Aggies |
| 15 | Ole Miss Rebels | Auburn Tigers | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets |
| 16 | Oklahoma Sooners | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | LSU Tigers |
| 17 | Texas A&M Aggies | Oklahoma Sooners | Oklahoma Sooners |
| 18 | Auburn Tigers | Texas A&M Aggies | Auburn Tigers |
| 19 | BYU Cougars | Arizona Wildcats | Arizona Wildcats |
| 20 | Arizona Wildcats | Missouri Tigers | Utah Utes |
| 21 | Utah Utes | Utah Utes | Wisconsin Badgers |
| 22 | Missouri Tigers | BYU Cougars | BYU Cougars |
| 23 | Northwestern Wildcats | Wisconsin Badgers | Missouri Tigers |
| 24 | Wisconsin Badgers | Northwestern Wildcats | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| 25 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | Oklahoma State Cowboys | Northwestern Wildcat |
Week 3 Top 25 Schedule
| - | Thu., Sept. 17 | - | - |
| 7:30 p.m. | No. 11 Clemson at Louisville | ESPN | Clemson |
| - | Fri., Sept. 18 | - | - |
| 8 p.m. | No. 9 Florida State at Boston College | ESPN | FSU |
| - | Sat., Sept. 19 | - | - |
| 12 p.m. | Connecticut at No. 22 Missouri | ESPN | Missouri |
| 12 p.m. | Nevada at No. 17 Texas A&M | SEC Network | A&M |
| 12 p.m. | Tulsa at No. 16 Oklahoma | Fox Sports 1 | OU |
| 12 p.m. | Air Force at No. 4 Michigan State | ABC | MSU |
| 12:30 p.m. | No. 23 Northwestern at Duke | ESPN3 | Duke |
| 2 p.m. | Georgia State at No. 12 Oregon | P12N | Oregon |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU | CBS | LSU |
| 3:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois at No. 1 Ohio State | ABC/ESPN2 | Ohio St. |
| 3:30 p.m. | Troy at No. 24 Wisconsin | BTN | Wisc. |
| 3:30 p.m. | Texas San Antonio at No. 25 Oklahoma State | Fox Sports 1 | Ok St. |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame | NBC | Georgia Tech |
| 6 p.m. | South Carolina at No. 7 Georgia | ESPN | Georgia |
| 8 p.m. | SMU at No. 3 TCU | FSN | TCU |
| 8 p.m. | Stanford at No. 6 USC | ABC | USC |
| 9:15 p.m. | No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama | ESPN | Alabama |
| 10:30 p.m. | No. 19 BYU at No. 10 UCLA | Fox Sports 1 | UCLA |
| 10:30 p.m. | No. 21 Utah at Fresno State | CBSSN | Utah |
| 11 p.m. | Northern Arizona at No. 20 Arizona | P12N | Arizona |
No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama
Don't get me wrong, both of these teams have been focusing on the business at hand and taking care of their first two opponents of the season. But the date of September 19 has been circled on the calendars of both the Ole Miss Rebels and Alabama Crimson Tide for many months.
Come Saturday, an entire year of unrest and insanity in a brewing SEC West rivalry will come to fruition as the Rebels attempt to pull off a massive upset for the second-straight year. The program may still be riding a high from its upset of the Crimson Tide in 2014.
With that said, to say Nick Saban's crew will come into Saturday's contest with something to prove would be a striking understatement. Alabama's defeat in Oxford last season is still fresh in the minds of many of these players, who will be intent on returning the favor.
Either way, folks, , including Fox Sports' Tim Brando, began talking about the contest as soon as Week 2 play concluded:
Ole Miss should threaten to test Alabama once again in Saturday's game, with an offense that is peaking to start the season. In the first two games, the Rebels have put up an astounding 149 points—more than 70 in both contests.
But this isn't the same Crimson Tide defense with gaping holes in the secondary and issues all over the back end of the defense. So far in 2015, Alabama has shown in shutting down Wisconsin and Middle Tennessee State that it is much improved on that side of the ball.
If that's the case and Ole Miss doesn't have Bo Wallace to will the Rebels offense to 30-plus points, Alabama should win comfortably at home.
Prediction: Alabama 31, Ole Miss 17
No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame
There's no rest for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and their crazy schedule. One week after escaping an incredible road test from Virginia and losing their star quarterback for the season, Notre Dame turns around to host Top 15 foe Georgia Tech.
Somehow, the Fighting Irish found a way to win in Virginia Saturday, but they lost something—someone, rather—that could seriously derail their season. Malik Zaire, at 20 years old, was turning into a star before our very eyes, making some incredible plays in the game that Notre Dame will miss for the rest of the year.
With that said, many like the Irish's chances of still running the table, including Bleacher Report's Matt Miller:
Of course, coming from behind against Virginia is one thing, but winning without Zaire for 60 minutes against this Georgia Tech team will be a tough sell. The Yellow Jackets are stout across the board defensively, enough to contain Notre Dame's many playmakers.
Despite still struggling to reach the Top 15, Georgia Tech is impressing many folks, including Dan Wolken of USA Today:
It's Georgia Tech's offense that should truly scare Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame coaching staff. While the Yellow Jackets won't rack up the passing yards like Virginia did Saturday, the Cavaliers still rushed for four yards per carry—which Georgia Tech should easily surpass.
The ACC's leading rushing team by nearly 400 yards already this season, Georgia Tech's triple-option attack will be too much for Notre Dame to handle. Expect the Yellow Jackets to pull off the upset in South Bend.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Notre Dame 28
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
