Rising Stars Texas & Colorado Dominate College Football, Alabama & Clemson Decline

On Sep 10, 2023

Meta Title: College Football Review: Upsets and Highlights from the Gridiron

Meta Description: Get the lowdown on all the recent college football action, featuring powerhouse programs Alabama and Clemson, exciting upsets, and unexpected series highlights.

Two weeks into the season, college football heavyweights Alabama and Clemson are already 1-1, marking the first time this has happened in two decades. The last time this scenario unfolded was back in 2003, when Clemson, under Tommy Bowden’s leadership, lost to Georgia, and Alabama, under Mike Shula, fell to Oklahoma.

Many are questioning whether this signals the end of an era for these dominant teams. After all, the Tigers have missed the College Football Playoff (CFP) in the last two seasons, and Nick Saban’s teams have suffered at least two game losses in recent years. However, it may be too soon to write off these powerhouse programs. The Texas victory over Alabama, for instance, was the first double-digit home loss for Saban since 2003.

Shock Upsets and Narrow Escapes

Several surprising upsets have taken place, including a win for underdog Rice over Houston, Washington State’s victory over No. 19 Wisconsin, and Southern Illinois’ defeat of Northern Illinois. There have also been some narrow escapes, with Ole Miss barely pulling off a win over Tulane, and Utah surviving against Baylor.

Entering the Political Arena

Adding to the excitement, former President Donald Trump was seen flipping burgers at an Iowa State fraternity tailgate party. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders and his team have been scoring points with ease. Colorado, led by Sanders, emerged victorious over Nebraska, scoring a whopping 81 points in their first two games.

Struggling Giants and Rising Stars

While Colorado is seeing success, Texas A&M is facing a slump after their loss to Miami. On the flip side, the Pac-12 started this season 18-0 in non-conference games, and the ACC continues its strong performance against the SEC.

College Football Rankings: The Top 10

Let’s take a look at the current top 10 rankings. Unlike other rankings, ours focuses solely on current season performance, disregarding any pre-season polls or last season’s results. This means you won’t see Georgia or USC in the ranking but might be surprised to find Duke!

Our approach often rewards teams with challenging early-season opponents, leading to an unusual mix of teams early on. However, by mid-season, our top 10 aligns closely with most others.

Without further ado, here is the Top 10:

Texas
Colorado
Notre Dame
Florida State
Utah
North Carolina
Washington
Penn State
Ohio State
Duke