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While several teams in the SwampSwami.com College Football Top 25 teams had tough games this holiday weekend, our four remaining unbeaten teams dispatched their foes like the Fantastic Four superheroes they have become this season.
Notre Dame, our fourth rated team, unveiled its invisibility during a sluggish first half of their game with USC Saturday. Fortunately, the Fighting Irish showed-up in time for a second half rally to grab the victory and go to 12-0 this season.
Continuing at number three in our weekly poll is UCF. The Knights from Central Florida s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d an early lead over their in-state rival South Florida during an easy 38-10 win. The victory elongated the Knights winning streak to 24 games as they improved to 11-0.
After a “game” start by the South Carolina Gamecocks, our second-rated Clemson Tigers caught fire before halftime and torched their in-state rivals in the second half to secure a 58-35 win.
As in most of their games this season, it was “Clobbering Time” again for the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Though Auburn played a valiant first half, the Tigers (like most of Bama’s foes) were beaten into submission after halftime and vanquished by a 52-21 count.
Special “Standing 8 count” commendations this week go to Texas A&M and LSU for their incredible seven overtime bout won by the Aggies 74-72. This game packed more punches than you will see in the new movie, Creed 2.
Finally, I made a comment at the end of last week’s Top 25 that the Big Ten game between Michigan and Ohio State needed to prove something as I (still do) feel that the competition in the conference is relatively soft. The vaunted Michigan defense gave up a whopping 62 points as Ohio State scored at will on the toothless Wolverines, 62-39.
Ohio State (which climbed to #5 in this week’s rankings) must beat the 8-4 Northwestern Wildcats team this weekend in the Big Ten conference championship. Based on the Buckeyes lack of defense this season, I wouldn’t bet against Northwestern.
Below is the complete SwampSwami.com College Football Top 25 rankings for the week ending November 24, 2018:
| # | Team | W | L | 2017 AP Rank | Best win/loss in 2018 |
| 1 | Alabama | 12 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2 | Clemson | 12 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | UCF | 11 | 0 | 6 | |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 12 | 0 | 11 | |
| 5 | Ohio State | 11 | 1 | 62-39 over 10-2 Michigan | |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 28-21 over 9-2 Army | |
| 7 | Georgia | 11 | 1 | 34-17 over 9-3 Kentucky | |
| 8 | Washington State | 10 | 2 | 28-24 over 9-3 Utah | |
| 9 | Michigan | 10 | 2 | 42-7 over 9-3 Penn State | |
| 10 | Boise State | 10 | 2 | 33-24 over 10-2 Utah State | |
| 11 | Army | 9 | 2 | 42-13 @ 10-2 Buffalo | |
| 12 | Appalachian State | 9 | 2 | 21-10 over 9-3 Troy | |
| 13 | Buffalo | 10 | 2 | 36-29 @ 8-4 Temple | |
| 14 | Cincinnati | 10 | 2 | 34-30 over 8-4 Ohio U. | |
| 15 | Utah State | 10 | 2 | 56-17 @ 8-5 Hawaii | |
| 16 | Fresno State | 10 | 2 | 49-27 over 7-5 San Diego St | |
| 17 | Texas | 9 | 3 | 48-45 over 11-1 Oklahoma | |
| 18 | Washington | 9 | 3 | 28-15 @ 10-2 Wash. St | |
| 19 | Kentucky | 9 | 3 | 26-16 @ 9-3 Florida | |
| 20 | Florida | 9 | 3 | 27-19 over 9-3 LSU | |
| 21 | LSU | 9 | 3 | 36-16 over 11-1 Georgia | |
| 22 | West Virginia | 8 | 3 | 42-41 @ 9-3 Texas | |
| 23 | Syracuse | 9 | 3 | 51-41 over 8-3 NC State | |
| 24 | Penn State | 9 | 3 | 30-24 over 8-4 Iowa | |
| 25 | Utah | 9 | 3 | 40-21 @ 7-4 Stanford |