Michigan owns Ohio State — has for four years now.
And yet, since Dec. 1 of last year, the Buckeyes have been the best team in the country. They have a chance to become the first team to repeat as national champions since Georgia in 2021-2022. Standing in their way is the one team Ohio State hasn’t beaten since 2019: the Wolverines.
The superlatives are plenty, and the promise of glory — and richly gold pants — awaits a Buckeye team that looks unstoppable … if it can topple its archnemesis in Ann Arbor this Saturday. But in the rivalry known as “The Game,” nothing is guaranteed.
With that, here’s a look at my top 25 rankings following Week 13 of the college football season:
25. SMU (8-3), Previously Ranked: NR
Week 13 result: Defeated Louisville, 38-6
Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns in a win that puts SMU just one victory away from a second trip to the ACC title game in as many years.
Not bad for a program that was still in Conference USA just 13 years ago, back when playing for a Power 4 conference title seemed as far-fetched as college football paying its players a salary.
24. Arizona State (8-3), Previously Ranked: NR
Week 13 result: Defeated Colorado, 42-17
Arizona State running back Raleek Brown rushed for 258 yards on 22 rushes as the Sun Devils broke open a game they led just 21-17 at the start of the third quarter.
The Sun Devils have a small chance to play in the Big 12 title game, but barring chaos, head coach Kenny Dillingham and his team will have to look back on performances like this to find joy in the regular season.
23. Pitt (8-3), Previously Ranked: NR
Week 13 result: Defeated Georgia Tech, 42-28
Pitt running back Ja’Kyrian Turner rushed for 201 yards and a touchdown, while Panthers linebacker Braylan Lovelace returned an interception 100 yards for a score. If those two players don’t epitomize Pat Narduzzi football, nothing does.
The Yellow Jackets fell behind 21-0 before the end of the first quarter, a deficit made even tougher to overcome when the offense converted just 3 of 14 third downs and QB Haynes King threw as many interceptions as touchdowns (two).
The loss marked Georgia Tech’s first at home since 2023, snapping a 10-game winning streak.
A Pitt win next weekend against Miami, coupled with a loss by SMU or Virginia, would send the Panthers to the ACC title game.
22. USC (8-3), Previously Ranked: 19
Week 13 result: Lost to Oregon, 42-27
The Trojans haven’t beaten the Ducks since 2016, and Lincoln Riley hasn’t defeated a top-10 team since taking over at USC in 2022.
USC has never made the College Football Playoff, and this season doesn’t look like it will be the one to change that.
21. James Madison (10-1), Previously Ranked: 23
Week 13 result: Defeated Washington State, 24-20
The Dukes leaned on running back Wayne Knight, whose 58-yard touchdown run sealed the victory and kept JMU in the hunt for the Group of 6 CFP spot. They are the only Group of 6 team without a loss in conference play.
20. Tennessee (8-3), Previously Ranked: 22
Week 13 result: Defeated Florida, 31-11
The Vols looked like the kind of team that makes most of us believe — myself included — the SEC is as deep as these rankings make it seem. This kind of effort, this kind of win, against a program that has shown itself capable of knocking off a top 25 team (Texas) is the kind of performance Vols fans expect.
19. Navy (8-2), Previously Ranked: 21
Week 13 result: Idle
18. North Texas (10-1), Previously Ranked: 20
Week 13 result: Defeated Rice, 56-24
Mean Green QB Drew Mestemaker threw for 469 yards and three touchdowns on just 23 attempts — an incredible 20.4 yards per pass — while the North Texas offense racked up 640 total yards in a complete dismantling of Rice.
This performance should serve as a loud statement as to why UNT deserves consideration as the best team in the Group of 6.
17. Virginia (9-2), Previously Ranked: 17
Week 13 result: Idle
16. Utah (9-2), Previously Ranked: 16
Week 13 result: Defeated Kansas State, 51-47
The Utes gave up 472 rushing yards at home, and still managed to win. Utah and Kansas State combined to rush for 634 yards and 1,125 total yards in a game that surely felt like a personal kick in the pants for both defensive coordinators — at the front and not the back.
15. Michigan (9-2), Previously Ranked: 15
Week 13 result: Defeated Maryland, 45-20
The Wolverines entered the game without star tailbacks Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, but freshman RB Bryson Kuzdzal stepped up with 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns, helping Michigan secure a win that keeps them in the hunt for a CFP berth.
With Ohio State still on the schedule — a program Michigan has dominated since 2021 — everything is still to play for.
14. Vanderbilt (9-2), Previously Ranked: 13
Week 13 result: Defeated Kentucky, 45-17
Yet another outstanding performance from Heisman candidate Diego Pavia was somewhat overshadowed by history: Vanderbilt won nine games in the regular season for the first time since 1915, marking the program’s second-ever winning season in SEC play since the conference expanded in 1992.
Still.
How about Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia: 32-of-38 for 469 passing yards with five total TDs.
13. Notre Dame (9-2), Previously Ranked: 11
Week 13 result: Defeated Syracuse, 70-7
The Fighting Irish led 35-0 after one quarter of football. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries. The Notre Dame offense ran for 324 yards on just 24 rushes — 13.7 yards per rush — with six touchdowns.
Normally, I’d say something offensive about Syracuse here, but I’m afraid the Orangemen won’t be able to defend themselves.
12. Alabama (9-2), Previously Ranked: 12
Week 13 result: Defeated Eastern Illinois, 56-0
Eastern Illinois accounted for 34 total yards. That’s not a typo, a misprint or a joke. It’s a statement of fact.
The Tide offense didn’t have to do much in this game, but what it did was more than enough, especially on the ground: 49 rushes for 269 yards — 5.5 yards per carry — and eight rushing touchdowns. And that came against a program nowhere near Bama’s weight class, which has the same number of losses and basically plays an ACC schedule.
11. Miami (Fla.) (9-2), Previously Ranked: 18
Week 13 result: Defeated Virginia Tech, 34-17
Miami QB Carson Beck was elite against a piss-poor Hokies team that spent the week celebrating the hiring of James Franklin. Beck completed 27 of 32 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns, including 12 completions to Miami’s best player, Malachi Toney, who finished with 146 yards and a score.
Miami is ranked where it is because it beat Notre Dame, and Notre Dame is ranked below Miami because it lost to the Canes. Same number of losses, similar schedules — one just won the head-to-head.
Someone tell the CFP selection committee. I’m not convinced they watched any games this weekend.
10. Texas (8-3), Previously Ranked: 10
Week 13 result: Defeated Arkansas, 52-37
Texas QB Arch Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 389 yards and four TDs in a lopsided win over a Razorbacks team that hasn’t beaten an SEC opponent all year. It was a superlative performance for a team that has shown both brilliance — like their win against Oklahoma — and inconsistency — like their loss to Florida — and is likely to miss the CFP for the first time since 2022.
9. BYU (10-1), Previously Ranked: 9
Week 13 result: Defeated Cincinnati, 26-14
BYU held serve, leaving UCF as the only obstacle between them and a likely rematch with Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game, offering their first chance at a conference championship and a CFP berth.
8. Texas Tech (10-1), Previously Ranked: 8
Week 13 result: Idle
7. Oklahoma (9-2), Previously Ranked: 7
Week 13 result: Defeated Missouri, 17-6
Oklahoma’s defense is the second-best unit in the country, and it has proved that by surviving the SEC’s murderers’ row and showing the league that the Sooners are just as lethal to ranked SEC teams as anyone.
6. Ole Miss (10-1), Previously Ranked: 6
Week 13 result: Idle
5. Oregon (10-1), Previously Ranked: 5
Week 13 result: Defeated USC, 42-27
The Ducks held USC to just 1.7 yards per carry on the ground, securing win No. 10 and strengthening their case for an at-large berth to the CFP.
This version of Oregon feels a lot like last year’s Indiana team — good enough to earn an invitation, but whether the Ducks can do what that Hoosiers team couldn’t remains the question: win a CFP game.
4. Georgia (10-1), Previously Ranked: 4
Week 13 result: Defeated Charlotte, 35-3
Kirby Smart owns everybody but Alabama, and that includes the Charlotte 49ers, who were held to a hapless 1-for-11 on third down and just 39 rushing yards.
Look, I know UGA is good. You know UGA is good. And beating up Charlotte in November does nothing to change anyone’s mind. Honestly, it feels like Georgia would love to take this week off, but the schedule won’t allow it.
3. Texas A&M (11-0), Previously Ranked: 3
Week 13 result: Defeated Samford, 48-0
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed threw three touchdowns in the first quarter before head coach Mike Elko told his Heisman candidate to take a seat — another classic case of November SEC scheduling arrogance. The Aggies spent the afternoon punching down on an FCS program from Birmingham, Alabama, one that even fired its head coach earlier this year.
2. Indiana (11-0), Previously Ranked: 2
Week 13 result: Idle
1. Ohio State (11-0), Previously Ranked: 1
Week 13 result: Defeated Rutgers, 42-9
Ohio State outscored Rutgers 28-6 in the second half, and its defense continues to look like the best unit in college football. The Buckeyes have allowed 16 points or fewer in every game this season, including no more than 10 in each of their last three contests.
But the real test comes Saturday, when the undefeated Buckeyes face a Michigan team they haven’t beaten since 2019 and are 0-4 against over the last four years. A win would not only keep Ohio State’s perfect season intact but also strengthen their position in the College Football Playoff race.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
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