Brock’s 2023 College Football Top 25 – Week 8

1. GEORGIA BULLDOGS (7-0) (LW: 1)

The Bulldogs won 37-20, but you’d expect a wider margin from them against Vanderbilt. I think it was the schedule spot more than anything else. When you’re coming off a home game against a ranked team, it’s tough to get amped up for a 12pm game at Vanderbilt.

2. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (7-0) (LW: 2)

This team is just obliterating everything in their path. If they can’t win it all this year, then I don’t know when they will.

3. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (6-0) (LW: 3)

This was the first time the Seminoles have looked like a Top 5 team since Week 2. It looks like they could have another dynamic WR in the making with Hykeem Williams, which makes this offense even scarier – if that’s at all possible.

4. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (6-0) (LW: 4)

The Buckeyes took care of business against Purdue, but they have a huge one on deck. Penn State visits Columbus this week to start the “Big 3 Round Robin” in the Big Ten. With the way Michigan has looked, this is very nearly a must-win.

5. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (6-0) (LW: 5)

Penn State just pummeled Massachusetts, 63-0. They’re going to have to earn a win the hard way when they travel to Ohio State this week in a game that will have major Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff implications.

6. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (6-0) (LW: 6)

Oklahoma had a bye on Saturday. This week they will try to stay undefeated against new conference foe UCF.

7. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (6-0) (LW: 8)

That was a season defining win for Washington, and possibly Michael Penix’s “Heisman moment”. Penix was clearly in pain when the Huskies took over on downs at midfield, down by 4, with 2 minutes remaining. All it took was 2 throws to score the game-winning TD. For Penix, it also doesn’t hurt that Caleb Williams went out and laid an egg.

8. TEXAS LONGHORNS (5-1) (LW: 10)

Texas had a bye this past week. This week they will travel to Houston to take on the Cougars, in a game that will have H-Town jumping.

9. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (6-1) (LW: 11)

Milroe still needs to improve for this team to have a realistic shot at the Playoff, but he was good enough to get it done this week, as the Tide took down Arkansas, 24-21.

10. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (5-0) (LW: 12)

Drake Maye’s TD numbers may be taking a big hit this season, but his Tar Heels are undefeated and appear to be on a path to the ACC Championship Game.

11. OREGON DUCKS (5-1) (LW: 9)

I must say, I really didn’t understand Dan Lanning’s decision making on Saturday. He was very aggressive on 4th down, leaving points on the field multiple times. Two of Oregon’s best drives involved taking deep shots to push the ball down the field. Yet, on the final drive, it appeared that he was playing for a field goal, not a touchdown. I don’t understand wanting to put the game on the foot of a kicker, with momentum against you, in one of the most hostile & loudest environments in college football.

12. MISSISSIPPI REBELS (5-1) (LW: 14)

The Rebs had a well-deserved bye this past week. They will travel to Auburn to take on the Tigers this weekend, as they try to stay in the mix in the SEC West.

13. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (6-2) (LW: 21)

You can’t bounce back better than that. After a shocking 13-point loss to Louisville last week, the Irish played their 4th consecutive primetime game in as many weeks – against the reigning Heisman winner, no less. There were obviously questions of fatigue, as well as motivation, now that their Playoff hopes are all but dead. They answered those questions by stymying the best QB in the country en route to a 28-point victory.

14. OREGON STATE BEAVERS (5-1) (LW: 15)

This Beavers team is tough. I didn’t know what to expect after they lost that shootout to Washington State. Sometimes a loss like that can throw a team off track – but not the Beavers. Since that loss, they have had three double-digit wins, with two of those coming against ranked opponents.

15. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (5-1) (LW: 16)

The Vols earned themselves a big win over Texas A&M on Saturday, sending the Aggies back to Texas with a 20-13 loss. That means the Vols are still hanging around in the SEC East with Georgia circled on their calendars.

16. DUKE BLUE DEVILS (4-1) (LW: 17)

This is such a hard-nosed Duke team. They were able to gut out a 24-3 victory over NC State this week to improve to 5-1.

17. USC TROJANS (6-1) (LW: 7)

I feel like a fool for believing in this team. They still have a shot at the Playoff, but I don’t know how you can win a national title with a defense like this.

18. LSU TIGERS (5-2) (LW: 18)

LSU pieced together a solid game against Auburn, which is good news for Tigers fans. The Playoff is obviously a long shot, but a 48-18 victory over Auburn shows that this team is heading in the right direction.

19. UTAH UTES (5-1) (LW: 19)

Another Rising-less victory for the Utes. This win had to feel good since for Utes fans since they finally produced some offense. This was the first time they have put up 4 TD’s against an FBS opponent this year.

20. CLEMSON TIGERS (4-2) (LW: 24)

Clemson had a bye this week. They will try to hand the Hurricanes a 3rd straight loss on Saturday. This will be a big game for my personal pride, seeing as I have the Tigers ranked 20th while they don’t even crack the AP’s Top 25 teams.

21. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (6-1) (LW: 13)

Talk about a letdown. Louisville took it to Notre Dame last week, and sometimes teams will have issues the following week after winning a big game – but that’s no excuse to lose by 17 to Pitt.

22. MISSOURI TIGERS (6-1) (LW: NR)

Missouri handed Kentucky a 17-point home loss in a terrific bounce back performance after dropping a home game to LSU.

23. TULANE GREEN WAVE (5-1) (LW: NR)

Tulane is another team that doesn’t have any noticeable wins, but their only loss came to Ole Miss. They have won every other game by double-digits.

24. IOWA HAWKEYES (6-1) (LW: NR)

The Penn State loss no longer looks as bad, since the Nittany Lions are just mowing down everyone they face. This Iowa team has one of the best defenses in the country. The offense is far from prolific, but they’ve been good enough to get past four Power-5 teams so far this season.

25. AIR FORCE (6-0) (LW: NR)

Air Force is now 6-0. They haven’t exactly had the toughest schedule, but they have handled everything that’s been thrown at them, including a win over a Wyoming team coming off a big win of their own.