Justin's CFP Top 25 — Week 4 College Football Power Rankings

Three weeks into the college football season, we're finally starting to figure some things out.

Some preseason contenders look exactly as advertised.

Some teams are significantly better than expected.

And some of the teams everyone buried after one bad Saturday might not be dead quite yet.

These aren't the AP rankings.

These aren't based strictly on record.

These are power rankings — who I think the 25 best teams in college football are right now.

And yes, I already know some of you are going to hate this list.

Let's get into it.

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1. TEXAS

The Longhorns have the best win in the country, and I don't think it's particularly close.

Texas has elite talent and depth everywhere, and after coming back to beat Ohio State, the Longhorns followed it up by handling UTSA 30-6.

Oh yeah...

They also have Arch Manning.

Now the fun starts. Texas heads to Knoxville this weekend before entering an absolutely brutal stretch of SEC football.

For now?

They're the best team in the country until somebody proves otherwise.

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2. MIAMI

The Canes can beat you in multiple ways.

Their defense has shown it can turn things up when necessary, while offensively Miami can attack you both on the ground and through the air.

And Darian Mensah is elite.

Miami went on the road and beat Wake Forest 33-20, and while it wasn't necessarily a dominant performance from beginning to end, the Canes continue to show they have another gear when they need it.

This team is built for a playoff run.

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3. GEORGIA

Georgia doesn't mess around.

The Dawgs have now produced three straight blowout victories, including a 45-17 demolition of Arkansas.

That's what elite programs do.

They don't spend September playing with their food.

Georgia is strong basically everywhere, has ridiculous depth and continues to play to the standard we've come to expect from Kirby Smart's program.

Nobody wants to see this team in December.

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4. OHIO STATE

Remember:

These are power rankings.

I wasn't completely sold on Ohio State earlier this season, especially after the loss to Texas.

I'm getting there now.

We already knew the Buckeyes had offensive talent.

The question was whether the defense would become elite.

So far?

That answer appears to be yes.

Ohio State just destroyed Kent State 59-3 and has allowed just three points in each of its two wins.

The Texas loss still matters.

But Ohio State remains one of the most talented teams in the country.

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5. NOTRE DAME

The talent is undeniable.

Notre Dame is loaded.

The Irish are 3-0 after beating Michigan State 27-10, and they've looked like one of the most complete teams in college football.

My problem?

The schedule.

We still need to see Notre Dame truly tested.

The Miami game is going to tell us a lot more about this team than anything we've seen so far.

Until then, they're staying right here.

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6. OLE MISS

I have a very detailed explanation for this ranking.

Trinidad.

Chambliss.

That's it.

That's the analysis.

Okay, maybe not entirely.

Ole Miss just beat LSU 32-24 and has already stacked multiple quality wins.

The Rebels are dangerous, confident and have a quarterback playing as well as anybody in the country.

Trinidad Chambliss has officially turned Ole Miss into a legitimate playoff threat.

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7. LSU

I already know I'm going to get flak for this one.

I don't care.

Yes, LSU lost.

But they went on the road into one of the most hostile environments in college football and were within striking distance against an Ole Miss team I have ranked sixth.

I'm not burying LSU because of that.

The Tigers are still talented.

They're still dangerous.

And they're still capable of beating almost anybody in the country.

This team is a problem.

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8. INDIANA

The Josh Hoover addition through the transfer portal is looking better every week.

Indiana is 3-0 and just shut out Western Kentucky 38-0.

But unlike last season, the schedule isn't going to let the Hoosiers cruise forever.

We're going to learn exactly how good this team is soon enough.

Ohio State.

Then Michigan.

Back-to-back.

Survive that stretch and Indiana won't just be in my top 10.

We'll be talking about them as one of the best teams in the country.

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9. USC

The offense is rolling.

The fast starts are working.

And the Trojans are undefeated.

USC beat Rutgers 42-35, and honestly, a fake-punt conversion was one of the few things that prevented the Trojans from blowing that game completely open.

Now comes the fun part.

Oregon.

USC-Oregon this weekend has massive Big Ten and playoff implications.

Let's go.

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10. ALABAMA

If Alabama gets a defense...

Look out.

Kalen DeBoer has this offense humming, and the Crimson Tide just dropped 50 on Florida State.

There's still work to do defensively, but Alabama's path to the playoff is becoming increasingly clear.

And compared with some of the gauntlets other SEC contenders are about to face?

Their schedule is pretty favorable.

Don't be surprised if Alabama quietly works its way right back into the national championship conversation.

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11. TEXAS TECH

Texas Tech has survived the last two weeks.

And sometimes that's exactly what good teams do.

The Red Raiders escaped Houston 28-26 and remain undefeated.

Do I think this team is as good as last year's squad?

No.

But they're still dangerous.

They're still finding ways to win.

And until somebody actually beats them, I'm not moving them very far.

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12. UTAH

Utah is playing angry.

And I love it.

The Utes have unleashed a dangerous dual-quarterback attack, and opposing defenses haven't found an answer for it.

They just dismantled Utah State 33-0.

This team looks like it's playing with a massive chip on its shoulder after Kyle Whittingham left.

Sometimes that kind of motivation disappears after a few weeks.

So far?

Utah looks like it's feeding off it.

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13. MICHIGAN

Speaking of Whittingham...

What exactly is Michigan?

Seriously.

This might be the most bipolar team in college football.

One week they look completely lost.

The next they look like a legitimate playoff team.

Michigan just handled UTEP 52-17 and has plenty of talent.

But I'm still waiting to see which version of this team shows up consistently.

Until then?

Thirteen feels about right.

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14. LOUISVILLE

Louisville is basically one Trinidad Chambliss drive away from being undefeated.

Think about that.

The Cardinals responded to their loss to Ole Miss by beating SMU 41-31, and Lincoln Kienholz continues to look like a stud.

Louisville isn't getting the same national attention as some of the teams above them.

It probably should.

This is a dangerous football team.

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15. MISSISSIPPI STATE

Kamario Taylor is the real deal.

Shout out, Brad.

Mississippi State went into South Carolina and escaped with a 41-34 victory, continuing its best start in years.

There's legitimate excitement around this program again.

And Taylor is a huge reason why.

It's starting to feel a little like the days when Dak Prescott had Starkville believing anything was possible.

That's a pretty good place for Mississippi State to be.

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16. OREGON

I'm not burying Oregon yet.

The Oklahoma State loss looked terrible when it happened.

The close game against Boise State raised even more questions.

But I don't think either result is going to look nearly as bad by the end of the season.

Oklahoma State and Boise State are both capable of putting together solid years.

And Oregon?

There's still way too much talent on this roster to pretend the Ducks suddenly forgot how to play football.

They responded by beating Portland State 84-0.

Now go prove it against USC.

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17. FLORIDA

That was impressive.

Florida went into Auburn and came away with a 44-39 victory, moving to 3-0 and forcing its way into the national conversation.

The Gators have officially earned my attention.

Now they get an even bigger opportunity.

Ole Miss comes to Gainesville this weekend.

Beat Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels?

Florida is going to make a massive jump on this list.

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18. HOUSTON

Yes, Houston lost.

I came away more impressed with them anyway.

The Cougars went on the road against Texas Tech and nearly pulled off the upset, losing 28-26.

Conner Weigman is solid.

Houston competes.

And this team looks capable of being a major headache in the Big 12.

They're 2-1.

Don't overlook them.

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19. TENNESSEE

Faizon Brandon is the real deal.

And Knoxville is starting to believe.

Tennessee is 3-0 and just handled Kennesaw State 42-9.

Now we find out exactly where the Vols stand.

Because Texas is coming to Neyland Stadium.

No. 1 team in the country.

Arch Manning.

National audience.

Knoxville.

Good luck hearing anything.

Pull the upset and Tennessee is flying up these rankings.

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20. WEST VIRGINIA

Can somebody explain to me why this team isn't ranked in the AP Top 25?

West Virginia just went into Virginia and beat the Cavaliers 38-27.

And honestly?

They bullied them.

The Mountaineers are playing physical football and deserve more national attention than they're getting.

The AP voters aren't ready yet.

I am.

Welcome to the Top 20.

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21. MISSOURI

The philosophy isn't complicated.

Pound. The. Rock.

Missouri is 3-0 after beating Troy 27-17 and continues to lean on its physical rushing attack.

The big question now is the health of Ahmad Hardy.

Hopefully he's able to get back on the field, because Missouri's ceiling changes significantly with him in the backfield.

For now?

The Tigers keep winning.

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22. VIRGINIA TECH

James Franklin has Blacksburg believing again.

Virginia Tech went on the road and absolutely dismantled Maryland, and the energy around this program feels completely different.

That's exactly why Franklin was brought in.

This isn't just about winning games.

It's about making Virginia Tech football feel relevant again.

So far?

Mission accomplished.

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23. BOISE STATE

The Battle of the Broncos is here.

Boise State heads to Western Michigan in a game with legitimate Group of Five playoff implications.

And that's what makes Boise so interesting.

The margin for error for a G5 team is almost nonexistent.

One bad Saturday can completely change the postseason picture.

Boise has talent.

Now it needs to stack wins.

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24. OKLAHOMA

I haven't given up on Oklahoma.

Not even close.

But we need to see more offensively.

The Sooners survived New Mexico 14-6, and while the defense continues to look legitimate, this offense desperately needs John Mateer to rediscover the version of himself we've seen at his best.

If that happens?

Oklahoma becomes dangerous very quickly.

Until then, they're hanging onto the final few spots.

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25. WASHINGTON

This came down to Washington and Iowa.

I'm going with the Huskies.

Have they played particularly well?

Not really.

Do I completely trust them?

Nope.

But here's the annoying part:

They're 3-0.

At some point, winning games has to matter.

Washington hasn't looked like a Top 25 team consistently.

But until somebody actually puts a loss on that record, they're getting the final spot.

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JUSTIN'S CFP TOP 10

1. Texas

2. Miami

3. Georgia

4. Ohio State

5. Notre Dame

6. Ole Miss

7. LSU

8. Indiana

9. USC

10. Alabama

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JUST MISSED

Iowa

This was basically a coin flip with Washington. Iowa is 3-0 and absolutely deserves consideration.

BYU

Another undefeated team that's going to have every opportunity to prove it belongs.

Penn State

Still unbeaten, but I want to see more before moving the Nittany Lions into Justin's Top 25.

Texas A&M

There's still a ton of talent here, but losing 31-21 at home to an unranked Kentucky team is going to cost you.

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GAMES THAT COULD BLOW UP NEXT WEEK'S RANKINGS

Week 4 is going to change this list.

Texas at Tennessee

Justin's No. 1 team walks into Neyland Stadium against his No. 19 team.

Ole Miss at Florida

No. 6 vs. No. 17.

Trinidad Chambliss gets another opportunity to prove the hype is real.

Oregon at USC

No. 16 vs. No. 9.

This one could completely change the way we view both teams.

Oklahoma at Georgia

Oklahoma gets an opportunity to prove it belongs.

Georgia gets another opportunity to remind everyone why it's Georgia.

Texas A&M at LSU

LSU is already going to get criticism for being No. 7 on this list.

Beat A&M and Justin gets some ammunition.

Lose?

Yeah...

We're going to have a conversation.

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FINAL THOUGHT

We're three weeks into the season.

Nobody has this figured out yet.

That's the entire point.

Texas has the best win in the country.

Miami looks dangerous.

Georgia looks like Georgia.

Ohio State's defense has answered some questions.

Trinidad Chambliss is turning Ole Miss into must-watch television.

LSU is going to make people angry simply by being seventh on this list.

And teams like Mississippi State, West Virginia and Virginia Tech are forcing their way into the conversation.

Now comes the fun part.

Conference schedules.

Ranked matchups.

Hostile road environments.

And fewer excuses.

This weekend is where we start finding out who's actually for real.

— Justin Tapp | Sizzlin Sports