The Confidential

The Confidential’s College Football Top 25: Week 1

Each week, the Confidential will provide its ranking of the top 25 teams in College Football.  Here is the Week 1 version, with analysis of the top 15:

1. USC:  Who is going to beat them?  They have Oregon and Notre Dame at home.  In past years, they have beaten themselves though.
2. LSU:  Look at LSU’s schedule–they host Alabama.  That could be the deciding factor between those two schools.
3. Alabama: Not only do the Crimson Tide travel to LSU, they also have to go to Arkanas and Missouri, while also playing Michigan.
4. Florida State: The Confidential likes to pick on FSU fans, but this should be a very good Seminoles team.
5. Oklahoma: The Sooners fall out of the top 5 because they have a trip to Morgantown–a unique place to play and a very possible defeat.
6. Wisconsin: The big game on the schedule is the week 5 matchup at Nebraska.  Otherwise, Wisconsin misses Michigan, hosts Ohio State, and will close the season at depleted Penn State.  Very favorable.
7. Oregon: Nothing challenging on the OOC slate.  They travel to USC though, which should be a great game.
8. South Carolina: Not sure how they will win at LSU, but they get to host Georgia.  That will help.
9. Georgia: No LSU.  No Alabama.  No Arkansas.  Still, we see the Bulldogs losing to South Carolina on the road.
10. Michigan State: If the Spartans get by Boise State, they host Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State.  The tough road game is rival Michigan.
11. West Virginia: This season could be very tough for the Mountaineers as they adjust to playing far away.  Or the Big XII will have trouble adjusting to it.
12. Arkansas: The Razorbacks host Alabama and LSU this year, but must travel to South Carolina and Auburn.  Not sure about John L. Smith though.
13. Michigan: Not quite buying into the Wolverines yet.  Neutral game against Alabama, plus road games against Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State.
14. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to discount the Hokies and their continued ability to finish reasonably well ranked.  This year should be more of the same.
15. Clemson: The Tigers get to host Virginia Tech, but Auburn in Atlanta and Florida State in Tallahassee could mean a 2-2 start.
16. Texas
17. Ohio State
18. Nebraska
19. Boise State
20. Oklahoma State
21. TCU
22. Stanford
23. Louisville
24. Kansas State
25. Florida

So there it is.  If this isn’t the way the standings wrap up at the end of the year, well… sorry.