College Football Power Rankings: Oregon is latest to move to No. 1; undefeated Indiana surges into top 10

It’s the Ducks’ turn to occupy the top spot, but the Hoosiers are one of the hottest teams in the nation

Oct 21, 2024

1:31 pm ET

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2 min read

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Life at the top can be lonely. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, Oregon.

The Ducks climb to No. 1 of the college football season following a wild week on the road in the SEC, where No. 5 Georgia demolished No. 1 Texas and No. 8 Alabama fell (again) in the state of Tennessee, losing to the No. 14 Volunteers after previously falling to Vanderbilt two weeks ago.

We enter Week 9 with a fourth different team at No. 1 in the CBS Sports Power Rankings. Whether the Ducks can hold onto the top spot longer than Texas, which spent two weeks as the nation’s best team, is for Dan Lanning and Co. to figure out. All things considered, Georgia might actually be playing the best ball in the country, but the loss to Alabama on the road in Week 5 clouds the Bulldogs’ résumé. Georgia spent the first four weeks of the power rankings at the top, and Alabama jumped briefly to No. 1 for one week before the Tide’s fiasco at Vanderbilt.

Some may say Oregon’s upcoming schedule looks easy, but nationally-ranked Illinois is quite the game-planning challenge for defenses – and keeping the Illini off the field is paramount to Oregon hitting a rhythm with quarterback Dillon Gabriel. If Illinois dictates the terms Saturday inside Autzen Stadium, a fifth change at the top of the power rankings will be on the horizon — and that name will be familiar: Georgia.

The Bulldogs reminded everyone last week how good it is in the trenches, sacking Texas’ quarterbacks five times in the first half. Georgia can smother teams with ease, as evidenced by their 51-0 record in the last 55 games against teams other than Alabama.

“They’ve been the standard in college football now for about five, six, seven years,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters after the 30-15 loss Saturday. “And I thought we played them really well in the second half. But when you get behind the eight ball with the way we played the first half, it’s a lot to overcome against good football teams.”

The power rankings differ slightly from the sports betting markets. The Bulldogs are the favorites at +350 to win the CFP title at Caesars Sportsbook. Other top contenders to win the CFP are Ohio State at +450, Texas at +475 and Oregon at +500, according to latest odds at Caesars.

Let’s check in with the moves this week in the power rankings, which includes a couple of winners dropping. On paper, Week 9 features several ranked-against-unranked matchups that seem favorable for upsets. Get ready, folks. The season has already been crazy — 10 teams in the AP’s preseason poll are no longer ranked – and it could jump overboard into the deep end during the final six weeks of the season.

Biggest Movers

Teams

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Oregon

Oregon is the easy pick for No. 1, but the Ducks have assassins waiting in the shadows after Texas fell to Georgia. Tread lightly, Ducks. Oregon was in a tough spot after a physically-draining battle against Ohio State, but responded with an impressive 35-0 shutout of Purdue on Friday after traveling 2,000-plus miles on a short week of rest. The defense continues to cook, even with their best player, Jordan Burch, out indefinitely with a leg injury. The win at Purdue is the program’s first shutout on the road since 1992 (Oregon State). Dillon Gabriel remained impressive, completing 21 of 25 passes, and was sacked for the first time in five weeks. Illinois will try to dictate the tempo this week and might be the toughest challenge remaining on the schedule.

7-0

Georgia

Georgia still has that dog in ’em. You got the sense Kirby Smart woke up the Bulldogs at halftime several weeks ago in their eventual loss at Alabama, and they proved it Saturday while devouring the Longhorns in the trenches. Georgia sacked Texas’ quarterbacks seven times, more than doubling the total allowed by the Longhorns’ offensive line all season, and held them to less than 40 yards in the first half. The 23-0 lead at halftime could have been much worse if not for a pair of picks thrown by Carson Beck. More impressive was how Georgia turned Texas back in plus territory with four turnovers on downs across the 50-yard line. The Bulldogs might not be undefeated in the SEC (Texas A&M and LSU haven’t lost a conference game), but the Bulldogs look like the league’s best team.

6-1

Ohio State

Ohio State doesn’t move in the power rankings this week, despite doing so in the other polls, because we dropped the Buckeyes last week to No. 3 after losing to Oregon. Ohio State is still the favorite in the betting markets to win the Big Ten even after losing to Oregon on the road. The Buckeyes rested last week in preparation for Nebraska, which Indiana drilled Saturday. Ohio State will be favored in the Big Ten Championship Game at a neutral site against the Ducks if the two meet again. The toughest game remaining on the schedule is the trip Nov. 2 to Penn State.

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5-1

Miami (FL)

Cam Ward makes up for a lot of Miami’s deficiencies (particularly on defense), and that’s just fine in the ACC. Ward is the biggest and best transfer addition in the portal era, and is delivering Miami a magical season. He was fantastic (again) in a shootout in Louisville, scoring four touchdowns to sneak out with a 52-45 win on the road. He’s the first ACC quarterback this century to throw for 2,500 yards and 24 touchdowns through seven games. Louisville is a top-25 type team that has suffered heartbreak in back-to-back games against SMU and Miami, so it’s difficult to view the win as anything but a top-25 quality triumph for the Hurricanes. Keep doing you, Cam.

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7-0

Penn State

Penn State got a much-needed breather this week after its comeback victory at USC. Up next is a sneaky difficult game at Wisconsin, which has won three straight games, including back-to-back road games for the first time since 2014. The Badgers will be jumping around and primed for an upset Saturday. A win by the Nittany Lions sets up a monster showdown in Happy Valley against Ohio State for what likely will determine a spot in the Big Ten Championship.

6-0

Texas

For all the hype, Texas fell flat on its face against Georgia in a game that will be most remembered for the Bulldogs’ domination and Texas’ students throwing trash on the field and successfully getting a penalty call reversed. The 30-15 loss wasn’t just a setback, it was a reality check. After the largest home loss by an AP No. 1 team since 1982, the Longhorns don’t just deserve to slip a spot or two, they deserve to tumble in the rankings. The first half of the schedule was incredibly weak, buoyed only by a once-impressive road win at Michigan, which may struggle to reach a bowl game. Steve Sarkisian’s decision to bench Quinn Ewers in favor of Arch Manning, only to go back to Ewers, will raise questions in the locker room, leading one to wonder how the Longhorns respond this week heading into Vanderbilt. The Longhorns look the part of a top-five team, and they certainly have the pieces, but the resume doesn’t scream top five yet.

6-1

Indiana

If you don’t believe in the Hoosiers yet, I don’t know what else they can do to convince you. Indiana smoked Nebraska 56-7 for its largest margin of victory ever in a Big Ten game, and did so with quarterback Kurtis Rourke sitting on the bench most of the second half with a thumb injury. Indiana hasn’t allowed a single point in the first quarter all season and hasn’t trailed at all while scoring 40-plus points in six straight games. Coach Curt Cignetti doesn’t much care what you think of him – just Google him, as he’d say – but the dude just wins and has the Hoosiers on track for a remarkable season. Indiana is a legitimate playoff contender and it’s not crazy to consider they will be 9-0 and favored when Michigan comes to Bloomington in November. The loss of Rourke (thumb) this week ahead of hosting Washington, however, could threaten that unblemished record.

7-0

Clemson

Clemson has won six straight since its 34-3 blowout loss to Georgia and enters a bye week following yet another double-digit win. The Tigers have outscored opponents by 22 points during this winning streak, including the 48-31 win against Virginia last week. Cade Klubnik has thrown two-plus touchdowns in six straight games, the second-longest streak in school history. The Tigers seem destined to appear in the ACC Championship Game with the offense clicking lately, though the trip to Pitt on Nov. 16 will likely determine that. Even with another loss, the Tigers should be in the CFP with two setbacks … right?

6-1

Texas A&M

The Aggies are 4-0 in the SEC for the first time in eight years and are a sneaky contender in the conference championship race – remember, they face Texas in College Station to end the season. The country will take notice if they’re able to knock off top-10 LSU this week at Kyle Field. The 34-24 win at Mississippi State will not get much notice because of the score, but for those who have paid attention, the Bulldogs have improved week to week despite losing every game against FBS foes. The lack of eyes on Texas A&M is just fine with coach Mike Elko, who operated in near silence since arriving in College Station, a stark contrast from his successor, Jimbo Fisher, who seemingly had to deal with drama every week.

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6-1

Iowa State

The Midwest is thriving this season. The Cyclones are 7-0 for the first time since 1938, but had to work extra hard into the night to maintain the unblemished record with a 14-point comeback against giant killer UCF. Rocco Becht led a game-winning touchdown drive with 30 seconds remaining for the 38-35 win. Becht rushed for a career-best 97 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner. The Cyclones can celebrate for now, but that defensive line must tweak a few things after giving up 354 rushing yards, the most since Matt Campbell’s first season as coach (2016).

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7-0

LSU

It’s time to pay attention to LSU, one of only two remaining teams with an undefeated SEC record.The Tigers drilled Arkansas 34-10 behind an impressive defensive performance led by Whit Weeks, who tipped and picked off a pass in the backfield to set up a touchdown near the goal line to separate the Tigers from the Hogs in the second half. Cade Durham has emerged as a great running back, scoring eight touchdowns in the last five games, including all three touchdowns in the win against the Hogs. Garrett Nussmeier was on point most of the night despite not throwing a touchdown. The trip to Texas A&M, the only other undefeated SEC team, might be the best game in the country this week.

6-1

Notre Dame

Notre Dame is still on track for a playoff spot. The Irish have bounced back nicely since the shocking loss to Northern Illinois, winning five straight, the program’s best streak under coach Marcus Freeman. The Irish drilled Georgia Tech 31-13 on the road behind Riley Leonard’s third multi-touchdown game on the ground, tying for the most by a Notre Dame quarterback since 2000. The showdown this week with nationally-ranked Navy will be unlike many in recent memory. Get ready for plenty of running by the quarterbacks.

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6-1

Tennessee

Puff away on those cigars, Vols. Tennessee is back in the SEC championship hunt with a 24-17 win against Alabama. The defense continues to carry the load for the Vols, who have held eight straight teams under 20 points. The offense is still in neutral and was held scoreless in the first half for the third straight game, the worst streak since 1963. Nico Iamaleava missed several deep throws, but connected in big moments, including the razzle-dazzle touchdown to Chris Brazzell for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. The MVP of the offense is Dylan Sampson, who has rushed for 17 touchdowns, the most in the SEC in this century. He chewed up 139 yards and a pair of scores Saturday, eclipsing 100 yards for the sixth time this season.

6-1

Alabama

Alabama has an identity problem. Is the defense the problem? Maybe. Is the offense too inconsistent? Yes. The Tide are susceptible every week in the SEC, and after a decade of near invincibility, it’s strange seeing the Crimson helmets hanging low on the shoulders during and after games. Alabama is an undisciplined team. Fifteen penalties in the 24-17 loss at Tennessee proved costly, as did the strange fourth-and-22 call by Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide have more than one loss before November for the first time since 2007, Nick Saban’s first season at Alabama. Up next is Missouri, which screams of a get-right game for the Tide to win by double digits.

5-2

BYU

Don’t call it luck. BYU is magic. The Cougars moved to 7-0 with an incredible game-winning touchdown drive with 10 seconds remaining after Oklahoma State grabbed the lead. Jake Retzlaff overcame two interceptions to throw for 218 yards and a pair of scores, including the 35-yard, game-winning pass to Darius Lassiter. The Cougars also got stronger last week with the return of LJ Martin, who rushed for a career-high 120 yards as he continues to bounce back from an early-season injury. BYU doesn’t have a game against a ranked opponent remaining on the schedule, though back-to-back road trips await with UCF and rival Utah in the next three weeks.

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7-0

Boise State

Ashton Jeanty rested this week as Boise State had a bye week ahead of a gigantic showdown against UNLV in Las Vegas. At stake is the national ranking and the top spot in the Mountain West. Can Jeanty record his fourth (!) 200-yard performance of the season against UNLV? We think so. The Rebels’ strength on defense is in the secondary. The Friday night game provides Jeanty an incredible national showcase to secure his spot atop the Heisman Trophy charts, where he sits today with 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns.

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5-1

Kansas State

Avery Johnson just wins, baby. He threw for a career-high 298 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-18 demolition of a very good West Virginia team on the road. He countered a season-low rushing output from DJ Giddens (57), but the running back still had two touchdowns. K-State is 6-1 for the first time since 2014 and hosts rival Kansas this week in the Sunflower Showdown.

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6-1

Pittsburgh

Pitt was off last week. The Panthers’ revamped offense has been fun to watch (No. 8 in total offense and 10th in scoring), and more of the college football audience will get an opportunity to watch them Thursday night when they host a sharp Syracuse squad. A win there sets up a big matchup at SMU on Nov. 2, as both teams fight for a spot in the ACC Championship (and wait to see if Clemson and/or Miami slip up).

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6-0

SMU

SMU has something special brewing with Kevin Jennings at quarterback. He threw for a career-high 322 yards in the 40-10 win at Stanford, improving to 4-0 as the starter. SMU has won eight straight road games, the best active streak in the country. For all the attention the offense receives, the defense has been just as impressive allowing only 87 rushing yards, ranking seventh nationally, to go along with a top-25 defense and top-11 scoring offense. SMU has won 12 straight conference games dating back to its time in the AAC in 2022.

6-1

Illinois

No team typifies traditional Big Ten football like Illinois. Bret Bielema’s crew is a hard-hitting throwback to the teams of yesteryear, and make no mistake we’re not saying that just because they wore uniforms from 100 years ago in a 21-7 demolition of Michigan this week. Illinois is 3-1 against top 25 teams after going 2-32 in its previous 34 games against ranked teams. More importantly, the Illini are 6-1 for the second time in three years and a legitimate threat to shake things up in the Big Ten title race. The trip to Oregon this week will be a challenge for both teams. The Ducks better buckle up their chin straps.

6-1

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt rallied to avoid disaster against Ball State, scoring 10 unanswered points to win 24-14. The energy was lacking, according to coach Clark Lea. “How many times do you have to be in these games to realize there is never an opportunity where you can come and play out of focus from your own identity or at a lower energy and expect to win?” Lea said. That won’t work this week against Texas, which has much more talent than the Commodores, but that didn’t work out well for Alabama a few weeks ago, either. Diego Pavia will need to be at his best to mount another upset and remain in the top 25.

5-2

Army West Point

Army is still marching behind an incredible rushing attack and an explosive passing game (when needed). Quarterback Bryson Daily scored six touchdowns, including five rushing, to tie the school record in a 45-28 victory against ECU, the program’s first ever against the Pirates. Daily has rushed for 100-plus yards in six straight games, the best streak in school history. The Black Knights are 7-0 for only the second time since World War II and get a bye week to rest for facing Air Force. The trip to resurgent North Texas on Nov. 9 is one to watch.

7-0

Ole Miss

No criticisms to hurl at Ole Miss this week. The Rebels were off. Downtrodden Oklahoma comes to Oxford this week, and anything less than a double-digit win would be a disappointment. Ole Miss’ next two weeks set up well for a nice bounceback (Oklahoma and Arkansas) before hosting Georgia.

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5-2

Missouri

Missouri needed an apparent medical miracle for a comeback win against Auburn, but a win is a win in the SEC. Quarterback Brady Cook injured his ankle on the Tigers’ first possession and was taken to the hospital for an MRI, but returned in the second half with Missouri down two touchdowns. He led two touchdown drives to hand Auburn only its second loss in the last 152 games when leading by 14-plus points in the fourth quarter. Mizzou’s defense stepped up, too, limiting Auburn to only 22 yards in the fourth quarter. Mizzou better get healthy this week – and figure out why its offense has been so inconsistent. A trip to an angry Alabama awaits this week.

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6-1

Navy

Navy and Notre Dame will be a rare ranked-against-ranked matchup this week. The teams are a combined 12-1, their best combined record in their annual showdown since 1945. Navy scored 31 points off five turnovers in its 51-17 win against Charlotte last week. Navy is averaging 44.8 points per game, its best through six games since 1919. Navy last defeated Notre Dame in 2016.

6-0

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