The biggest weekend of the college football season is upon us as the power rankings head into Rivalry Week. Not a whole lot changed last week, although there were some teams on upset alert early on. Only one of the top 18 teams in the country lost as Oklahoma State was blown out at home by Kansas State. All but every other team in the Top 25 – except for No. 19 North Carolina State, who lost at Wake Forest – earned wins.
Alabama continues to lead the way as they prepare for a massive Iron Bowl this weekend. It’s a bigger game for Auburn than Alabama, though, as the Tide could conceivably lose this week and still win the SEC Championship and still get into the College Football Playoffs. A host of other teams will be watching closely, though, to see if the Crimson Tide falls. If Auburn can manage to beat Alabama, the power rankings will be thrown into complete disarray, which is how a lot of people like it to be.
Here’s a look at how the odds makers view the teams as we head into rivalry week.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Last Week: 1
National Championship Odds: -200
The Crimson Tide (11-0, 7-0 SEC) thrashed Mercer 56-0 at home as Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa combined to go 14-of-18 for 265 yards and six touchdowns, while the Crimson Tide also ran for 265 yards and two scores. It was a perfect warm-up game for the Crimson Tide, who head to Auburn on Saturday for a game to decide who wins the SEC West and go on to face Georgia.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
Last Week: 2
National Championship Odds: +500
The Sooners (10-1, 7-1 SEC) rolled over Kansas 41-3 on the road as Baker Mayfield was 20-of-30 for 257 yards and three touchdowns, but he made more headlines for an obscene gesture he made towards the Jayhawks. The Sooners clinched a spot in the Big 12 title game with the win over Kansas, and now they’re just waiting to see who they will face as they prepare to host West Virginia on Saturday.
3. Clemson Tigers
Last Week: 4
National Championship Odds: +800
The Tigers (10-1, 7-1 ACC) racked up 662 yards of offense in a 61-3 rout of The Citadel at home as Kelly Bryant was 17-of-22 for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Tee Higgins had six catches for 178 yards and a pair of scores, and Deon Cain had five receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers. Clemson has already clinched their place in the ACC title game, where they will take on Miami, but first, they’ll visit their state rivals from South Carolina on Saturday.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
Last Week: 8
National Championship Odds: +800
The Buckeyes (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) raced out to a 28-0 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 52-14 walloping of Illinois at home. J.T. Barret was 11-of-19 for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Mike Weber ran 11 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns (Barrett also added a rushing touchdown) for the Buckeyes, who piled up 325 yards on the ground. The Buckeyes will now head to Michigan for their rivalry game on Saturday as they are already in the Big Ten title game against Wisconsin.
5. Miami Hurricanes
Last Week: 3
National Championship Odds: +1000
The Hurricanes (10-0, 7-0 ACC) scored the final 30 points of the game to beat Virginia 44-28 at home as Malik Rosier was 15-of-28 for 210 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, and he also ran for 38 yards and a score on nine carries. Travis Horner had 17 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown for the Hurricanes, who will face Clemson in the ACC title game, but on Friday, they’ll travel to Pittsburgh.
6. Auburn Tigers
Last Week: 5
National Championship Odds: +1000
The Tigers (9-2, 6-1 SEC) ran for 317 yards in a 42-14 win at home over Louisiana-Monroe, led by Kerryon Johnson, who had 22 carries for 137 yards and a score. Jarrett Stidham was 18-of-24 for 235 yards and a score for the Tigers, who have settled up a huge Iron Bowl with Alabama, who will visit Auburn on Saturday. The winner takes the SEC West and they will go on to meet Georgia in the SEC title game.
7. Georgia Bulldogs
Last Week: 7
National Championship Odds: +1000
The Bulldogs (10-1, 7-1 SEC) ran for 381 yards in a 42-13 romp over Kentucky at home as Nick Chubb had 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 carries, while Sony Michel had 87 yards and three scores on 12 carries. Jake Fromm was 9-of-14 for 123 yards, a touchdown and a pick for the Bulldogs, who will await the winner of Alabama-Auburn for the SEC title game, but first, they will visit Georgia Tech on Saturday.
8. Wisconsin Badgers
Last Week: 6
National Championship Odds: +1200
The Badgers (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) outscored Michigan 17-3 in the second half of a 24-10 win at home as Alex Hornibrook was 9-of-19 for 143 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Jonathan Taylor had 19 carries for 132 yards for the Badgers, who will take on Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. On Saturday, the Badgers will try to remain unbeaten as they head to Minnesota.
9. USC Trojans
Last Week: 9
National Championship Odds: +6500
The Trojans (10-2, 8-1 Pac-12) finished up their regular season with a 28-23 win over UCLA at home as Sam Darnold was 17-of-28 for 264 yards and an interception, and he also ran for a score. Ronald Jones had 28 carries for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Trojans, who have long clinched the Pac-12 South and now they’re just waiting to see who they will play out of the trio of Stanford, Washington and Washington State; the latter two teams will play each other on Saturday.
10. TCU Horned Frogs
Last Week: —
National Championship Odds: +12500
The Horned Frogs (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) ran for 204 yards in a 27-3 win over Texas Tech on the road as Shawn Robinson was 6-of-17 for 85 yards and a touchdown, and he also had 10 carries for 84 yards. Kyle Hicks added 81 yards on 22 carries for the Horned Frogs, who will host Baylor on Friday in their regular-season finale. A win would put the Horned Frogs in the Big 12 title game against the Sooners, who beat the Horned Frogs 38-20 at home two weeks ago.
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