The SEC and Big Ten are the two best leagues in the sport, and it seems like the SEC has proven once again that it is the favorite to win the national title. Not only because five of the top six teams ranked here come from the SEC, but because Michigan has shown that it can win against a ranked opponent in the Big Ten, despite being one-dimensional, but can also be soundly beaten by an SEC team (Texas) in the same place.

Oklahoma proved to have one of the best defenses in the country, but the Sooners lost by double digits at home because the offense couldn’t hold its own. In the SEC, one-dimensionality doesn’t lead to victory. In the Big Ten, you can beat a top-ranked opponent with a QB who poses no threat to beat you on the field.

With Georgia And Alabama Since this is the big game of Week 5, the question will not be if either of them makes the College Football Playoffs, but what seed they will receive.

Here’s a look at my top 25 rankings after Week 4 of the college football season:

1. Georgia (3:0)

Result week 4: idle

2. Texas (4:0)

Result week 4: UL Monroe defeated 51-3

In Arch Manning’s debut as a starter, the Longhorns outscored the Warhawks 21-0 in the first quarter. Manning finished the game completing 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Texas running back Jaydon Blue contributed 124 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the win.

3. Ohio State (3:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Marshall, 49-14

Ohio State managed 569 yards of offense on just 57 plays. Running back Quinshon Judkins rushed for 173 yards on just 14 carries, while TreVeyon Henderson contributed 76 yards and two scores to the win.

The Buckeyes managed to score a touchdown on four plays of 40 yards or more.

4. Tennessee (4:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Oklahoma25-15

Tennessee’s offense didn’t have to do much to win on the road against a top-20 opponent. The Vols’ defense sacked Oklahoma’s quarterbacks three times and forced three turnovers in a game where the offense could do little. Winning an ugly game against a tough opponent is the mark of a national title contender.

5. Ole Miss (4:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Georgia Southern 52-13

Lane Kiffin’s Rebels have yet to play a ranked opponent. In fact, only one of the Rebels’ opponents, Wake Forest, plays in a Power 4 conference. But Kiffin’s team has scored at least 40 points in every game it has played and allowed a total of 22 points in the four games leading up to SEC play.

6. Alabama (3:0)

Result week 4: idle

7. Penn State (3:0)

Result week 4: Kent State defeated 56-0

Drew Allar completed 17 of 21 passes for 309 yards and scored three touchdowns in a decisive victory. The Nittany Lions outgained the Golden Flashes 718 to 67.

Kent State has now lost its last two games by a combined score of 127-0.

8. Oregon (3:0)

Result week 4: idle

9. Miami (Florida) (4:0)

Result week 4: South Florida defeated 50-15

Cam Ward left no doubt as to who the best player in the state of Florida is, posting 404 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and just one interception in a win over a Bulls team that knocked Alabama into the red just two weeks ago.

10. Utah (4:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Oklahoma State 22-19

Utah went to Stillwater and went home with a win. And the Utes did it despite Cam Rising being out with an injury.

They did it by holding Ollie Gordon to 42 yards on 11 carries and keeping starting quarterback Alan Bowman on the bench for much of the second half.

And they did it with Micah Bernard rushing for 182 yards – the most yardage by a Utah tailback against a higher-ranked opponent since 2018.

11. Missouri (4:0)

Result week 4: Vanderbilt defeated 30-27 in 2OT

Missouri running back Nate Noel rushed for 199 yards on 24 attempts in a nerve-wracking win over Vanderbilt.

12. Clemson (2-1)

Result week 4: Defeated NC State 59-35

The Tigers led the Wolfpack 45-7 at halftime. This is the second straight game in which Clemson has scored at least 59 points after scoring just three in the season opener against Georgia.

13. Michigan (3-1)

Result week 4: Defeated USC27-24

It’s not that Kalel Mullings rushed for 159 yards on 17 attempts. It’s that Alex Orji completed just 7 of 12 passes for 32 yards in this win.

14. Illinois (4:0)

Result week 4: Nebraska defeated 31-24 in overtime

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer threw for 215 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Illini to their first 4-0 start since 2011 and their second win against a higher-ranked team in the same season since 2007.

15. State of Iowa (3:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Arkansas State 52-7

This is the same Arkansas State team that beat Michigan 28-18 a week earlier. The Cyclones are a legitimate contender for the Big 12 title.

16. USC (2-1)

Result week 4: Lost to Michigan, 27-24

Miller Moss threw the ball 51 times for 283 yards in the loss. The Trojans seemed much better on defense over the first three weeks, but with the game on the line and Michigan looking to run the ball, D’Anton Lynn’s unit couldn’t get a stop. USC lost 290 yards on the ground and was beaten by a team that couldn’t throw the ball with a slingshot.

17. Oklahoma (3-1)

Result week 4: Lost to Tennessee, 25-15

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables had to pull starting quarterback Jackson Arnold from the game in the second quarter after he threw an interception and dropped the ball in Tennessee’s red zone. He finished the game 7 of 16 passing for 54 yards, two turnovers and two sacks. However, the defense held an offense that averaged 63.9 points per game this season to just 25.

18. BYU (4:0)

Result week 4: Defeated State of Kansas38-9

Despite allowing 224 rushing yards and 130 more yards than they could manage, the Cougars swept the Wildcats at home and earned their first win against a higher-ranked opponent this season.

19. LSU (3-1)

Result week 4: UCLA defeated 34:17

Garrett Nussmeier threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ win over the Bruins. The redshirt junior QB has thrown for over 300 yards in three of LSU’s four games this season. In the only game in which he didn’t throw for over 300 yards – a 36-33 win at South Carolina – he threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns.

20. Louisville (3:0)

Result week 4: Defeated Georgia Tech 31-19

Tyler Shough completed 13 of 19 passes for 269 yards in the win. Louisville has won 13 of its first 15 regular season games in the Jeff Brohm era.

21. State of Oklahoma (3-1)

Result week 4: Lost to Utah, 22-19

This is a good Oklahoma State team, but going up against Kyle Whittingham and Utah’s defense is no easy task. After being benched following an ineffective first half, QB Alan Bowman returned midway through the fourth quarter and threw two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough and the Pokes suffered their first loss of the season.

22. Notre-Dame (3-1)

Result week 4: Defeated Miami (OH), 28-3

Riley Leonard threw for 154 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Notre Dame’s defense has allowed a total of 10 points in its last two games.

23. State of Washington (4:0)

Result week 4: Defeated San Jose State 54-52

Jake Dickert’s team is 4-0 after a high-scoring win over San Jose State. Sophomore John Mateer has been a star through the first four weeks of the season. He was outstanding on Friday, throwing for 390 yards and four touchdowns while adding another 111 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

24. UNLV (3:0)

Result week 4: idle

25. State of Kansas (3-1)

Result week 4: Lost to BYU, 38-9

There’s no getting around it – this was an ugly loss for Chris Klieman’s team. The Wildcats gained more yards than the Cougars, but it was the team’s three turnovers that cost them the win.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The number one college football show.“Follow him at @RJ_Young And Subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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