Wasserman’s College Football Top 10 Ranking: Georgia’s scare at Kentucky drops Bulldogs out of top spot

It’s a new era of college football.

When the College Football Playoff committee starts releasing rankings later this season, they aren’t going to be the end-all, be-all given the new seeding rules of the 12-team field. But the rankings are still fun and people are still going to fight over them. They still matter.

So every weekend, after the dust settles from the games, I’m going to unveil my updated top 10.

1. Texas (3-0)

Other programs not as deep as Texas may look at a game where its starting quarterback left in the second quarter as a bad week. For Texas? Well, it turned to Arch Manning and he dazzled everyone . After replacing Quinn Ewers , who left with an abdomen strain, he accounted for five total touchdowns and led the Longhorns to a 49-7 win over UTSA. Texas has the best resume, has looked the most explosive and the Ewers injury doesn’t seem serious. Things are going great in Austin.
Last week’s rank: 2

2. Georgia (3-0)

It was rational to come into the season wondering if Georgia was going to just embarrass everyone on its schedule. It got off to a fast start this season with a blowout of Clemson in the opener, but the Bulldogs’ win over Kentucky on Saturday night was anything but impressive. Actually, it was concerning. You can now question whether Georgia has enough offensive firepower to finish this SEC schedule without a loss. Nevertheless, the Bulldogs are still unbeaten and have a quality win. Get ready for the Alabama game in two weeks.
Last week’s rank: 1

3. Ohio State (2-0)

Ohio State didn’t have a game Saturday, but the Buckeyes are probably the most talented team in college football. It’s more than fair to consider Ohio State the favorite to win the national title this year given it has a legitimate case for the best offense and defense in the sport. The Buckeyes, however, cannot be ranked ahead of Texas or even Georgia until they beat someone with a pulse. They won’t have a chance until Ohio State travels to Oregon on Oct. 12.
Last week’s rank: 3

4. Tennessee (3-0)

People will gripe about Tennessee being ranked ahead of Alabama and other SEC teams in this poll, but the Volunteers are for real this year. If you don’t know it now, you will. Tennessee star quarterback Nico Iamaleava doesn’t even have to fill up the stat book for the Volunteers to roll over opponents. Tennessee scored 65 points in the first half of its inhalation of Kent State on Saturday. Next week, Tennessee goes to Norman for a big-time matchup with undefeated Oklahoma.
Last week’s rank: 4

5. Alabama (3-0)

Alabama may have been in a one-possession game with USF in the fourth quarter last weekend. That may have caused some panic. But Alabama waltzed into Camp Randall and abused Wisconsin on Saturday, beating the Badgers 42-10 without breaking a sweat. Jalen Milroe keeps getting better, receiver Ryan Williams is an emerging star and the defense was effective. The next time we see Alabama will be in two weeks when it hosts Georgia.
Last week’s rank: 5

6. Oregon (3-0)

Oregon was in a one-possession game in the fourth quarter against Idaho in week one. The Ducks almost lost to Boise State at home in week two. People were starting to worry this team may not be very good. But Oregon bounced back in a big way in week three, blowing out rival Oregon State 49-14 in the Civil War Rivalry. Oregon got off to a slow start, but it is definitely one of the two best teams in the Big Ten.
Last week’s rank: 8

7. Miami (3-0)

Miami ’s season-opening blowout of Florida is getting less and less impressive as the weeks go by, but the Hurricanes are legit. Cam Ward ’s impressive season continued Saturday with a 346-yard, five-touchdown performance in Miami’s 62-0 win over Ball State. A lot can still happen this year, but the Hurricanes should be considered the favorite to win the ACC right now.
Last week’s rank: 6

8. Ole Miss (3-0)

Ole Miss looks exactly like the team we’d thought it would be so far this year. It has three wins and it has scored 40 or more in all three games. In a 40-6 win over Wake Forest on Saturday, Jaxson Dart threw for 377 yards and two touchdowns. This roster is good enough to compete for big things in the SEC and it has a pretty long runway before a four-game stretch against LSU, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia that begins on Oct. 12.
Last week’s rank: 7

9. Missouri (3-0)

Maybe Boston College is much better than we thought heading into the season? The ranked Eagles were a tough out for Missouri at home on Saturday as a top-25 team, but the Tigers held on to a 27-21 win at home. The scoreboard was closer than the game was in the second half once the Tigers got things rolling. Mizzou is going to be a fixture in the top-10 this season because it has one of the easiest schedules of any SEC team. Make no mistake about it, though: the Tigers are good.
Last week’s rank: 9

10. Penn State (2-0)

Penn State has played in two games and both told a very different story. One was a blowout win over West Virginia that looked like the beginning of Drew Allar’s arrival. The other was a near-loss to Bowling Green in its own stadium. Penn State had an idle week this week before a very easy three-game stretch against Kent State, Illinois and UCLA. On Oct. 12, it travels to USC for a game that will be quite revealing for both the Nittany Lions and the Trojans.
Last week’s rank: 10

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