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Coming into this week’s Thanksgiving holiday, the top teams in the SwampSwami.com College Football Top 25 kept a firm grip on their leading spots.
Though The Citadel did what LSU and Mississippi State couldn’t do against Alabama (score some points, that is), the top-ranked Tide received a vintage Nick Saban fireside family chat at halftime to ultimately blow-out the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon.
Likewise for my #2, 3, and 4 teams as Clemson cranked-up its offense against Duke, UCF zoomed past Cincinnati, and Notre Dame squeezed the Syracuse Orange.
The University of Central Florida received the royal treatment on Saturday with the ESPN College Game Day show and a prime time showcase game on ABC versus a one-loss Cincinnati Bearkat squad.
The Knights offense resembles the New Orleans Saints explosive unit. UCF has not only won 23 consecutive games, but the Knights have scored more than 30 points in each of those victories. That is simply amazing!
Speaking of underappreciated teams in the eyes of the national media, Washington State (my #7 team) put up 55 points on Saturday night against the University of Arizona. And that was just in the first half! The Cougars clobbered the Wildcats 69-24 in the late game.
After we digest a little turkey on Thursday, this coming weekend will be filled with some key college football games to enjoy along with your leftovers.
No matter who wins the annual Ohio State/Michigan battle this week, the winner will continue to have an uphill battle in moving upward in my poll as your SwampSwami remains a Big 10 skeptic.
On with the countdown!
| # | Team | W | L | 2017 AP Rank | Best win/loss in 2018 |
| 1 | Alabama | 11 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2 | Clemson | 11 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | UCF | 10 | 0 | 6 | |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 11 | 0 | 11 | |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 10 | 1 | 28-21 over 9-2 Army | |
| 6 | Georgia | 10 | 1 | 34-17 over 8-3 Kentucky | |
| 7 | Washington State | 10 | 1 | 28-24 over 8-3 Utah | |
| 8 | Michigan | 10 | 1 | 42-7 over 8-3 Penn State | |
| 9 | Ohio State | 10 | 1 | 27-26 @ 8-3 Penn State | |
| 10 | Utah State | 10 | 1 | 56-17 @ 7-5 Hawaii | |
| 11 | LSU | 9 | 2 | 36-16 over 10-1 Georgia | |
| 12 | Boise State | 9 | 2 | 56-20 @ 9-2 Troy | |
| 13 | Army | 9 | 2 | 42-13 @ 9-2 Buffalo | |
| 14 | West Virginia | 8 | 2 | 42-41 @ 8-3 Texas | |
| 15 | Cincinnati | 9 | 2 | 34-30 over 7-4 Ohio U. | |
| 16 | Fresno State | 9 | 2 | 49-27 over 7-4 San Diego St | |
| 17 | UAB | 9 | 2 | 28-7 @ 7-4 La. Tech | |
| 18 | Appalachian State | 8 | 2 | 35-9 @ 7-4 Ark State | |
| 19 | Buffalo | 9 | 2 | 36-29 @ 7-4 Temple | |
| 20 | Troy | 9 | 2 | 35-27 @ 6-5 UL-Monroe | |
| 21 | Texas | 8 | 3 | 48-45 over 10-1 Oklahoma | |
| 22 | Kentucky | 8 | 3 | 26-16 @ 8-3 Florida | |
| 23 | Florida | 8 | 3 | 27-19 over 9-2 LSU | |
| 24 | Washington | 8 | 3 | 21-7 @ 8-3 Utah | |
| 25 | Penn State | 8 | 3 | 30-24 over 7-4 Iowa |