1 Word to Describe Every Top 25 College Football Team Entering November
There is a time and place for long-winded analysis. But when you're trying to learn about the entire AP Top 25, hundreds of words on each ranked team might not be enjoyable to read.
College football fans, you've come to the right spot.
As we did heading into October, let's travel across the Football Bowl Subdivision and highlight each program in the latest AP poll. While a brief explanation will follow for all 25 teams, we've picked a single word to describe their current situations.
The word is largely based on a team's performance to date but also considers its outlook for November.
25-21. Fresno State, Louisiana, SMU, Penn State, Coastal Carolina
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25. Fresno State Bulldogs: Advantaged
Fresno State has bounced in and out of the Top 25 this season, joining the poll following a victory at UCLA and exiting the rankings after a loss to Hawai'i. Thanks to a win over then-unbeaten San Diego State on Saturday, the 7-2 Bulldogs are back. Fresno State, SDSU and Nevada all have one Mountain West loss, but the Bulldogs defeated both programs head-to-head.
24. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns: Close
Holding a 7-1 overall record with a 5-0 mark in Sun Belt action, Louisiana is a single win away from sealing its fourth straight trip to the conference title game. That victory can come as early as Thursday night against Georgia State, which is 4-4.
23. SMU Mustangs: Irked
Saturday night, Houston's last-minute kick-return touchdown led to SMU taking its first loss of the campaign. While it's no shock the Mustangs fell on the road to a one-loss Houston team, how they dropped the game must be annoying. They'll be aiming to move past the setback Saturday at Memphis.
22. Penn State Nittany Lions: Tumbling
Penn State opened the year 5-0 and rose to No. 4 nationally, but hopes of a Big Ten championship run have vanished in three straight losses. Iowa, Illinois and Ohio State all defeated the Nittany Lions, who still need to play Michigan and Michigan State.
21. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers: Peaked
Behind a 6-0 start, Coastal Carolina improved its regular-season record to 17-0 since the beginning of 2020. However, a midweek trip to Appalachian State brought a 30-27 loss and mangled CCU's hopes of a New Year's Six bowl. That's unlikely to happen, barring losses from Fresno State, Houston, SMU and UTSA.
20-16. Houston, Iowa, Kentucky, BYU, UTSA
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20. Houston Cougars: Arrived
Texas Tech defeated Houston in the opener, but the Cougars have rattled off seven consecutive wins. Saturday's last-minute triumph over No. 19 SMU has vaulted Houston into the Top 25, giving the program only its second AP ranking since 2016.
19. Iowa Hawkeyes: Exposed
One month ago, we labeled Iowa an "unbalanced" team. And in October, the offense's shortcomings crushed the Hawkeyes. Twice. They fell to Purdue 24-7 and Wisconsin 27-7, gaining a combined total of just 427 yards in the two losses. Although the Hawkeyes remain in the Big Ten title race, their upside is clearly low.
18. Kentucky Wildcats: Disappointed
No shame in a loss to top-ranked Georgia. Mississippi State, on the other hand, was a frustrating defeat for Kentucky, which kicked off the campaign with a 6-0 record. There is good news, though. If the Wildcats win out, they'll earn the program's first 10-win regular season in 44 years.
17. BYU Cougars: Intriguing
Too bad BYU isn't in the Pac-12, huh? The Cougars are a perfect 4-0 against the Conference of Champions this season. Nevertheless, a 7-2 record and season-ending trip to USC give BYU an interesting storyline. Could the Cougs steal an NY6 bid?
16. UTSA Roadrunners: Legendary
We're not suggesting that 2021 UTSA will be an iconic team in college football history. For the school itself? No question about it. Heading into November, UTSA has already matched a program record with eight wins and landed the first AP appearances in its short history.
15-11. Ole Miss, Baylor, Texas A&M, Auburn, Oklahoma State
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15. Ole Miss Rebels: Injured
This is not intended to excuse the Rebels' loss at Auburn in Week 9. Simultaneously, this offense is banged up. Star quarterback Matt Corral is dealing with two bad ankles, and top wideouts Dontario Drummond, Braylon Sanders and Jonathan Mingo are all hurt. November may be a rough month for Ole Miss.
14. Baylor Bears: Sneaky
Oklahoma is undefeated. Texas is not back. Iowa State struggled in September but ended Oklahoma State's unbeaten year. Texas Tech fired head coach Matt Wells. Oh, and by the way, if Baylor topples both TCU and Oklahoma over the next two weekends, the Bears will share the Big 12 lead. How about that?
13. Texas A&M Aggies: Managing
Texas A&M's inconsistency is best evidenced in a loss to Mississippi State that preceded a shocking upset of No. 1 Alabama. Zach Calzada has mustered only 6.6 yards per pass attempt—barely a top-100 mark in the nation—yet the Aggies are 6-2.
12: Auburn Tigers: Improving
Despite a 3-1 start to the season, Auburn had meandered through a couple of uninspiring wins. Perception has since changed with a strong month. After clipping LSU on the road and falling to Georgia, the Tigers upended No. 17 Arkansas and No. 10 Ole Miss. Their reward for navigating that gauntlet? Texas A&M in Week 10.
11. Oklahoma State Cowboys: Hopeful
The second-tier portion of the Big 12 schedule is basically done, and Oklahoma State carries a 7-1 record into November. West Virginia, TCU and Texas Tech remain on the slate before the season-ending showdown with Oklahoma. If the Pokes are 10-1 entering that game, they'll be a legitimate CFP threat. Snapping a six-game skid to the rival Sooners will then be the challenge.
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10-6. Wake Forest, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Ohio State
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10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Historic
For the first time in program history, Wake Forest owns a Top 10 ranking in the AP poll. But will the Demon Deacons move higher? Their explosive offense has overwhelmed what can be acknowledged as a favorable schedule. The final month, though, has the Deacs traveling to North Carolina, hosting NC State and heading to both Clemson and Boston College. If they finish 12-0, it'll be well-earned.
9. Michigan Wolverines: Frustrated
They have been here before. After a 9-0 start in 2016, the Wolverines fell to Iowa and Ohio State late in the season. They opened the 2018 campaign 10-1 before Ohio State smacked U-M. And in 2021, a 7-0 record vanished at the hands of rival Michigan State. If your glass is half full, the season isn't totally lost. But a 3-4 record against MSU and yet another Top 25 road letdown isn't helping Jim Harbaugh's job security, and Ohio State awaits in November.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Impactful
The best-case scenario remains a CFP berth. However, that will require a heavy dose of chaos in Notre Dame's favor because the team ultimately lacks a major win. On the other hand, the Irish avoiding a second loss would provide a massive boost to Cincinnati's chase for a spot in the playoff. But if Notre Dame drops another game, Cincinnati will probably get nervous.
7. Oregon Ducks: Annoyed
Uh, hello, we beat Ohio State! Right now, this is among the most worthwhile debates in the poll. Although the Ducks hold a 7-1 record, their fans would readily admit the offense is a work in progress. Yet we beat Ohio State! On the road! And are still ranked behind the Buckeyes. We're very interested in how the CFP selection committee ranks Oregon and Ohio State in Tuesday's ranking.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes: Rising
Ohio State looked much stronger in October after a shaky September. C.J. Stroud rested his injured shoulder in a blowout win against Akron and has since thrown for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns with zero interceptions in four games. The Buckeyes end the regular season with Michigan State and Michigan.
5-1. Michigan State, Oklahoma, Alabama, Cincinnati, Georgia
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5. Michigan State Spartans: Dreaming
If you projected MSU to start 8-0, please let me know which lottery to enter. Wake Forest is also a surprise team in 2021, but the Spartans have made the strongest statement to date. Their comeback win over Michigan cleared a path to a Big Ten title—and, subsequently, the CFP. Kenneth Walker III is a top Heisman Trophy candidate. It's safe to suggest MSU fans are dreaming of that incredible triple.
4. Oklahoma Sooners: Preparing
The opening month looked bad. The first two minutes against Texas were miserable. But a quarterback change from Spencer Rattler to Caleb Williams has ignited the Sooners, who fought back to beat the rival Longhorns and have defeated TCU, Kansas and Texas Tech with Williams as the starter. Following an idle week, OU wraps up the regular season at Baylor, home to Iowa State and at Oklahoma State. It's time for Williams to shine—or fade.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide: Dangerous
Be ready to hear questions about two-loss Alabama making the CFP. After all, the 7-1 Tide are ranked ahead of three undefeated Power Five programs right now. The more likely reality is Alabama must upend Georgia in the SEC Championship Game to reach the playoff, but the nation's No. 2 scoring offense is capable of dethroning the Dawgs.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats: Justifying
Sure, there is always an opponent. Mostly, though, Cincinnati is playing against itself. Fair or not—and my vote leans toward not—the 8-0 Bearcats have to prove themselves on a larger scale each weekend. For example, a close victory at Navy is judged more harshly than MSU's tight wins against Nebraska and Indiana. Every game is scrutinized. But hey: so far, so good.
1. Georgia Bulldogs: Devastating
Last month, we called the Dawgs a "suffocating" team. Which synonym would you like? Any of smothering, overwhelming or stifling fit the mold. Instead, our focus is on the feeling UGA leaves for its opposition. No matter the level of optimism on the other sideline, the Dawgs demolish that hope. They've surrendered only 53 points in eight games and just clinched the SEC East. The full expectation is Georgia would be CFP-bound at 12-0 regardless of the result in the SEC Championship Game.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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