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At the halfway point in the college football season, there are only 12 unbeaten teams remaining (less than 10%) out of the 130 FBS large division schools in the SwampSwami College Football Top 25.
This week, we will review the entire 130 team field to allow you to see how your favorite team(s) are ranked after conclusion of play on Saturday, October 12. Before we review the teams, let’s have a quick review of how I determine the rankings for the college football teams.
- I start with the final AP rankings from the previous season. Since Clemson finished #1 at the end of last year, they remain #1 until they are beaten this season. The same thing goes for any of the 2018 AP Top 25 teams from last year. That’s the reason why Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, Penn State, and Boise State are ranked at the top group of my poll this season. Until they lose in 2019, they will maintain a priority. And why not? They were last year’s best teams and haven’t lost a game this season (yet).
- The next group will be the remaining unbeaten teams in 2019. Those teams (like the remainder of my team rankings) are based upon what is the BEST WIN that team has achieved in the 2019 season (not conference, school size, TV ratings, or reputation).
- The same methodology follows for the once-beaten schools. Take a look at the team record of that school’s best win in 2019. A victory over a 5-1 team takes preference over having your best win over a 4-2 team, for example. A win over an FCS team is the least persuasive win in my methodology. For ties within a cluster of teams, the margin of victory in their most significant victory becomes the final arbiter.
- Repeat Step #3 for the two-loss teams. Then the three-loss teams, etc.
- For the unfortunate three college football teams without a win, I ranked them based on total number of losses (New Mexico State – you already have seven!) and “best loss” this season.
Let’s start with this week’s SwampSwami College Football Top 25 for the week ending Saturday, October 12:
Congratulations to our newest additions to this week’s Top 25! Teams entering the upper echelon are:
#16 Temple – The Owls ended the unbeaten season for the Memphis Tigers on Saturday. By virtue of Temple’s “best win” coming over a 5-1 team, the Owls are in the thick of the race to win the American Conference.
#18 Notre Dame – The Fighting Irish have lagged in our poll due to the lack of a signature win. With 4-2 Louisville’s upset of previously unbeaten Wake Forest, 5-1 Notre Dame’s rank was enhanced and the Fighting Irish enter our top group beginning this week.
#20 Navy – The Midshipmen are now 4-1 this season after clobbering Tulsa’s Golden Hurricane 45-17 this weekend. Navy owns a win over 4-2 Air Force earlier this season.
#22 Michigan – The overhyped 5-1 Michigan Wolverines are finally starting to show signs of life. Michigan’s best win is a narrow 10-3 win over the 4-2 Iowa Hawkeyes in Ann Arbor.
#23 San Diego State – The 5-1 Aztecs knocked-off previously ranked Wyoming by a 26-22 count on Saturday to move into this week’s Top 25 poll for the first time.
#25 Utah – The Pac-12 Utes are a nifty 5-1 on the season, but their signature win this season is beating a 3-3 Washington State team. With their remaining schedule, the Utes can keep climbing in my poll as long as they keep winning!
Now let’s reveal SwampSwami’s current rankings through October 12 for all of the remaining teams in the 130-team FBS major college grouping:
