2025 NCAA Football (Week 14)

Top 25 (*)

Handled their business

(1) Ohio State, (2) Indiana, (4) Georgia, (5) Texas Tech, (6) Oregon, (7) Mississippi, (9) Notre Dame, (10) Alabama, (11) Brigham Young, (12) Miami, (13) Utah, (14) Vanderbilt, (16) Texas, (17) Southern Cal, (18) Virginia, (24) Tulane, (25) Arizona

Won but did not impress

(8) Oklahoma (Okay, I'll be honest: I'm not in on the Sooners this year; I want to like the QB (meh), I want to like the pass rush (nice but that D is not that great), I want to be impressed with their W's (Alabama and Texas are nice wins, right?); but farting around with an LSU squad that dropped dead a month ago is not so impressive; the argument is that they haven't played their best game yet....but....are we sure about that? I don't think this team is that good)

Bad beat

(15) Michigan (yeah they had a 4-game winning streak on the Buckeyes, but half of those wins were fluky and no one expected them to keep it going; Michigan was nice this year but not top of the table)

(19) Tennessee (Ugh! Getting smoked at home by Vandy doesn't happen often at Rocky Top, but this wasn't a bad season for the Vols, not one of their best but they were in the mix late, played some important games and have room to build for next year--and they better! Getting smoked by Vandy multiple years in a row isn't how Knoxvillians want to live)

(22) Pittsburgh (meh, the Panthers never impressed all season long, they got the sneak attack on Georgia Tech, but they were only marginally more interesting; I wasn't expecting Pitt to put up much against Miami on a mission)

(23) Georgia Tech (meh, I wasn't expecting them to upset UGA, the Yellow Jackets had a nice season but keeping the Bulldogs from destroying them was a pretty good showing, I thought)

Not so good

(3) Texas A&M (I like A&M, they're probably riding higher than they ought to, but they've got to go to Austin and get the W; still in the tourney but they missed out on the SEC championship and an even higher seed in the tourney, which they probably need)

(20) Arizona State (I dunno, I was never in on Arizona State this year but losing at home to in-state rivals is not a good way to go out under any circumstances)

(21) Southern Methodist (The Mustangs have had a nice season, finishing with a W at Cal would've made for a much better season; oh well, they weren't making the ACC final or the big tourney either way, so guess it doesn't matter really)

Next week's championship matches

(AAC) North Texas - (24) Tulane

(Big 12) (11) Brigham Young - (5) Texas Tech

(SEC) (4) Georgia - (10) Alabama

(Big 10) (2) Indiana - (1) Ohio State

(ACC) Duke - (18) Virginia

My top 12 (this week):

(1) Ohio State (the Buckeyes are having one of those dangerous seasons: they're so much better than everyone else that it's hard to tell how good they actually are; there are no cream puffs left on the schedule, so can OSU keep it up against stiffer and stiffer competition? (My guess is they can, but we'll see))

(2) Indiana (Indiana's W at Oregon is arguably the single most impressive W of the season; the Big 10 championship is a fascinating test for the Hoosiers; no pressure, really, they're still in even with an L to Ohio State)

(3) Georgia (not as good as recent UGA vintages but a solid, sharp team that can hang with anyone; they don't have the D this year but I think the offense is better than ya think; they need a strong showing against Bama to secure seeding in the tourney)

(4) Mississippi (I have Ole Miss higher than most because I think their D-line is really really good and they can score with anyone--even without Coach Kiffin (I don't understand how you walk away from a championship run....); I like this team, I think they're really good and getting forsaken by the coach is an extra chip on the shoulder for them)

(5) Oregon (classic Oregon: fast fast fast all over the field, they're never really out of a game; not the top level playmakers but pretty good players all over the place, this team is capable of dialing it up to the competition, too, they're going to be a tough out)

(6) Texas Tech (man these guys just never stop scoring and the D is pretty good, too; they're gonna be a tough out)

(7) Alabama (Bama is the jekyll and hyde team: their best is good enough to beat anyone anywhere, but when their pass rush disappears or the passing game stalls, they can get overtaken with a quickness; (if they beat UGA, do they jump up to a top 4 seed?); I think Bama is the real deal)

(8) Texas A&M (like 'em, don't love 'em; I feel like they've been overachieving all year long, feels like its catching up to them; the QB is nice (not great), the defense is nice (not great), the coaching staff....; they won't go quietly, but I don't think they last long)

(9) Notre Dame (if they can score, they can hang; if their offense stalls, I don't think they get past anyone above them)

(10) Brigham Young (the D is solid, the offense is nice; they'll need some luck but I think they're capable of a solid game against a better opponent and that alone can move them forward)

(11) Vanderbilt (Vandy will go out swinging and I like their chances of sneaking a knockout blow on a big boy not expecting much; Vandy plays smart, they don't make mistakes, you have to play them hard for 60 minutes to get the W--that's why I'd put Vandy in the tourney!)

(12) Miami (I guess most folks would put them comfortably in the top 12 but I think Vandy's W's are more impressive and their L's are, too! If Miami had just handled their business against Louisville and SMU, there would be no debate....but they didn't and I think Vandy had a better season; that said, if Texas Tech destroys BYU and UGA dismantles Alabama, I can see Miami and perhaps Vandy, too, both sneaking in to the tourney--where I would give Miami a puncher's chance against a team that thinks they can coast)

(13) Oklahoma (unless the QB becomes as good as everyone wants him to be, I just don't see the Sooners beating anybody; I don't think they deserve a shot ahead of Miami or Vandy or even a 2-loss BYU or 3-loss Alabama; I'm telling ya, man: OU ain't all that)

(*) I dunno, I just got lazy this fall. Watched a ton of NCAA football--as much as ever--just didn't get all bunged up about recording my thoughts this season. But I'm back at it.