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College Football Power Rankings: Say hello to the Spartans at No. 1
By Dennis Dodd
*****DELETED PART OF ARTICLE TO SATISFY RIVALS CONSTRAINTS ON IMAGES****
The Spartans are No. 1.
For now at least, the Buckeyes are not worthy of the top spot in the Power Rankings. I've made that clear already.
Michigan State has beaten a top 10 team, and so have the four teams below Ohio State this week in spots 3-6.
At this point, Ohio State is relying more on its reputation than anything else. Hey, it's early, and we know that. We're entering Week 4, and all we know for sure about this season is very little.
Why LSU is the best team in the SEC West
But as of today in the Power Rankings?
• Notre Dame is on the edge of playoff contention.
• Half the SEC (seven of 14) is ranked, though there's been a substantial shift.
• It's a new world order, at least in the Pac-12 South after USC was upset and UCLA was impressive against BYU.
• The Big 12 has some work to do.
Before we get to the rankings, here is this week's fantasy College Football Playoff:
Semifinal (Cotton Bowl): No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Ole Miss
Semifinal (Orange Bowl): No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 LSU.
RANK TEAM
1
Michigan State (Last week -- 3): Senior wide receiver Aaron Burbridge has four 100-yard games in his career, three of them in the last three weeks. Burbridge had career highs in catches (eight), yards (156) and touchdowns (three) in a tidy win over Air Force. Right now, the Spartans look like the best team in the Big Ten -- and the country.
2
Ohio State (1): We now enter the soap opera phase of the season for the Buckeyes. Ohio State was sluggish again. Cardale Jones turned it over a couple of times. J.T. Barrett took over against Northern Illinois. Now, the same old questions are back. Who's starting next week against Western Michigan? “Good question,” Urban Meyer said.
3
LSU (16): Leonard Fournette (228 rushing yards) could have set LSU's single-game rushing record (250), but why risk his health? Auburn was so thoroughly beaten by the third quarter, Fournette deserved a breather. Forget the Heisman Trophy, the kid should be thinking about the NFL. Alas, he's a sophomore.
4
Ole Miss (19): The Rebels beat the Tide in consecutive seasons for the first time ever. How did it happen so fast for Hugh Freeze? He upgraded at quarterback (Chad Kelly), Laquan Treadwell is healthy, and Robert Nkemdiche is NFL-ready. There is a changing of the guard in the SEC. The West Division now goes through Baton Rouge and Oxford.
5
Notre Dame (7): To my Irish fan on Twitter: OK, I believe in Will Fuller. The receiver became the first Notre Dame wideout to put up three straight 100-yard receiving games to open a season since Tom Gatewood in 1970. C.J. Prosise had the second-longest touchdown run in school history (91 yards) vs. Georgia Tech.
6
UCLA (9): While you were sleeping these last four years, Jim Mora Jr. became the fastest-starting UCLA coach in history. Through 43 games, Mora is 32-11; no other Bruins coach has begun his career with as good a record. UCLA is clearly a top 10 team after avoiding BYU's end-game magic. On a night when Josh Rosen played like a freshman (three picks), Paul Perkins rushed for 219 yards.
7
TCU (4): The defensive injuries are starting to have an effect. SMU scored 37 points, put up 23 first downs and gained 508 yards. It didn't matter that QB Trevone Boykin accounted for six touchdowns in a 19-point win. Big 12 play opens next week for the Horned Frogs against suddenly formidable Texas Tech.
8
Baylor (5): A week on the couch (bye) for the Bears while the Big 12 around them went 5-2 in nonconference games. Plucky Rice is up next. The Owls (2-1) are playing two Big 12s in the nonconference slate. Texas already beat the Owls.
9
Oregon (6): Jeff Lockie apparently can play. All it took was a broken right index finger for him to get the start over Vernon Adams. Coach Mark Helfrich took the safe route and started Lockie, who completed 23 of 31 against Georgia Southern in a 33-point win. The Ducks still need a healthy Adams next week in the Pac-12 opener against Utah.
10
Georgia (11): Could the Dawgs be any better? QB Greyson Lambert completed an NCAA-record 24 of 25 against South Carolina, including 20 passes in a row. RB Nick Chubb contributed 159 yards. Get-off-my-lawn coach Steve Spurrier could only mutter, “We got clobbered.”
11
Florida State (10): The Everett Golson Experiment continues to pay off. Last year, Golson committed 22 turnovers with Notre Dame. Through a 3-0 start, FSU as a team hasn't coughed up the ball once. Can Jimbo Fisher coach quarterbacks or what?
12
Alabama (2): So many issues, beginning at quarterback. Don't forget the penalties and suddenly leaky defense. Sure, Ole Miss got some breaks, but Reggie Ragland was right before the season when he said, “Guys aren't scared to play us anymore.” First time ever Bama has given up at least 43 points twice in a three-game span in Tuscaloosa.
y.
Michigan State moved into the No. 1 spot in the Week 3 Power Poll. (USATSI)
Topics: Alabama Crimson Tide, Baylor Bears, Brigham Young Cougars, Clemson Tigers,Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, LSU Tigers, Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes, Michigan State Spartans, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers,Northwestern Wildcats, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Ole Miss Rebels, Oregon Ducks, Southern California Trojans, Stanford Cardinal,TCU Horned Frogs, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Tech Red Raiders, UCLA Bruins, Utah Utes,NCAAF
ABOUT DENNIS DODD
Anyone in need of a credential from all the BCS title games? Dennis Dodd has them. In three decades in the business, he's covered everything from the Olympics to Stanley Cup to conference realignment. Just get him on campus in a press box in the fall. His heart lies with college football.
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College Football Power Rankings: Say hello to the Spartans at No. 1
By Dennis Dodd
*****DELETED PART OF ARTICLE TO SATISFY RIVALS CONSTRAINTS ON IMAGES****
The Spartans are No. 1.
For now at least, the Buckeyes are not worthy of the top spot in the Power Rankings. I've made that clear already.
Michigan State has beaten a top 10 team, and so have the four teams below Ohio State this week in spots 3-6.
At this point, Ohio State is relying more on its reputation than anything else. Hey, it's early, and we know that. We're entering Week 4, and all we know for sure about this season is very little.
Why LSU is the best team in the SEC West
But as of today in the Power Rankings?
• Notre Dame is on the edge of playoff contention.
• Half the SEC (seven of 14) is ranked, though there's been a substantial shift.
• It's a new world order, at least in the Pac-12 South after USC was upset and UCLA was impressive against BYU.
• The Big 12 has some work to do.
Before we get to the rankings, here is this week's fantasy College Football Playoff:
Semifinal (Cotton Bowl): No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Ole Miss
Semifinal (Orange Bowl): No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 LSU.
RANK TEAM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
y.
Michigan State moved into the No. 1 spot in the Week 3 Power Poll. (USATSI)
Topics: Alabama Crimson Tide, Baylor Bears, Brigham Young Cougars, Clemson Tigers,Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, LSU Tigers, Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes, Michigan State Spartans, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers,Northwestern Wildcats, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Ole Miss Rebels, Oregon Ducks, Southern California Trojans, Stanford Cardinal,TCU Horned Frogs, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Tech Red Raiders, UCLA Bruins, Utah Utes,NCAAF
ABOUT DENNIS DODD
Anyone in need of a credential from all the BCS title games? Dennis Dodd has them. In three decades in the business, he's covered everything from the Olympics to Stanley Cup to conference realignment. Just get him on campus in a press box in the fall. His heart lies with college football.BIGGEST STORIES
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