We’ve hit the halfway point of the regular season, and the D Poll looks almost unrecognizable. The preseason’s top four—Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Clemson—have all fallen out at one point, and that’s just scratching the surface of the chaos. Parity is everywhere, and it’s made this poll as unpredictable as the season itself. That’s great for entertainment, but it makes ranking these teams each week a serious challenge. Who’s actually good, and who’s just a flash in the pan? It’s the question we’ve all been wrestling with for seven straight weeks.
What is the D Poll? This is my space to rank college football teams based on the criteria I’ve determined to be the best: vibes, feelings, and winning. It’s a fluid entity that constantly shifts with the ever-changing dynamics of the season, though with the campaign hitting its stride there’s less movement now than there was at the beginning of the year when everybody was trying to find their footing. Still, don’t be surprised if a big win shoots a team into the top 10, or if a loss plummets them into the depths (because bad vibes, obviously).
I always like to preface the D Poll with the fact that everybody ranks college football teams differently. My strategy is to rely on vibes and feelings, while others might seek to determine which teams would be favored over others. It’s a subjective exercise, so having a different ranking is OK. This is just a silly poll—the stakes aren’t that serious. While I would love for the D Poll to determine which teams make the College Football Playoff, it unfortunately doesn’t. Maybe one day.
Here’s the D Poll for Week 8. If you have any qualms with any team’s placement, take it up with my personal assistant, Toby the cat.
Note: Only teams in the top 10 are going to get a little blurb. That’s just the way life goes sometimes. For any of the teams I don’t write about, just dwell on the vibes and feelings surrounding their season so far.
1. Indiana (+6)
Week 7 result: 30-20 win at Oregon
The Indiana Hoosiers have never been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, and that didn’t change this past week even after going on the road and beating the Oregon Ducks. But the D Poll is here to correct the sins of the Associated Press, which means that Indiana, a school that had only six victories over top-10 teams prior to winning at Oregon, is the No. 1 team in the nation. My friends, that is just astounding.
If you’re taken aback by this, don’t be. Just accept the fact that Indiana is good now. I know it might shake the foundation of your college football world, especially if you’re a fan of, say, Alabama or Ohio State, but this is just the new reality for this season. Curt Cignetti has led the greatest college football turnaround in my lifetime, and it should be no surprise that me, the vibes guy, has decided to award one of the best vibes teams of the 21st century with the No. 1 ranking in this week’s D Poll.
There are obviously football reasons to catapult the Hoosiers up to this spot. For one, the team just went on the road and beat a squad that a lot of people have claimed is the best in the nation. Secondly, it wasn’t a fluke. Indiana straight up put Oregon in a locker, dominating on the lines of scrimmage all afternoon. This is not your grandma’s Indiana football program. Heck, this isn’t even the Indiana football program of two years ago. This is a new entity that’s dangerous and can win a national championship. How about them apples?
So, just prepare yourself for a lot of Indiana propaganda on this site, especially if they keep winning. I’m a fan of what’s going on in Bloomington. And don’t you dare accuse me of being a bandwagoner. I was on the Hoosier train from the beginning last season, and I’m happy to still be on it right now.
2. Ohio State (-1)
Week 7 result: 34-16 win at Illinois
The Buckeyes are just straight up clinical. All business. They show up, get the job done, and move on. Nothing’s complicated. It just looks easy.
For most teams, playing Illinois on homecoming in a stadium packed with orange and fans yelling their heads off would cause at least a little intimidation. Not Ohio State. Like I said, it’s all business. By halftime, the Buckeyes were up 20-3, and that was curtains. Illinois made a little push in the second half with two touchdowns, but every time the Illini showed some life, Ohio State responded with a big play to take the momentum right back.
While Indiana sits at No. 1 based on vibes, there’s really no doubt in my mind that Ohio State has the best roster in the country. It might not have the big-name wins that Indiana or Miami do, but it doesn’t really matter. When you watch them play, it’s clear this is the most complete, well-rounded team in the nation. There’s no chaos. No panic. Just precision. Can anyone actually slow them down? I’m not so sure. It feels like the Buckeyes are just methodically marching toward something big—and no one’s been able to make them flinch yet.
3. Miami (-2)
Week 7 result: BYE
No game for Miami, and it still dropped two spots. That’s just the way life goes in the D Poll. It’s very much a “what have you done for me lately?” ranking. I need good vibes to keep a team super high, and since Miami didn’t do anything to provide those this weekend—to no fault of its own, of course—I can’t justify keeping the Hurricanes at No. 1 or No. 2.
Everything I’ve said about them still stands, though. The Hurricanes easily have the best talent on the lines of scrimmage of any team in the country and are ridiculously deep at receiver and in the secondary. And Carson Beck, while not a world-beater, has gone above and beyond the expectations I had for him before the season. He’s played within himself, he’s made smart decisions, and he’s shown real poise when things get tough. That’s all Miami needs—just a steady hand at quarterback to let the rest of the talent take over.
Just remember, Miami’s biggest opponent the rest of the way is themselves. They’ve been prone to shooting themselves in the foot in years past, and if they can stay out of their own way, they should be holding the ACC trophy when it’s all said and done.
4. Texas A&M (NR)
Week 7 result: 34-17 win vs. Florida
There’s no telling how the rest of the season will go for Texas A&M, but this is undoubtedly the best start the Aggies have had in a very long time. And I’m sure they found some joy in the fact that they did this past weekend what their hated rival in Austin couldn’t do: beat Florida.
It’s the first 6-0 start for Texas A&M since 2016, which means that the 8-4 curse could finally be in the rearview mirror. Of course, anything can happen over the next six games, but everything’s looking up for now. The Aggies are playing confident, composed football. The defense looks fast and mean, and the offense isn’t a complete mess like those Jimbo Fisher units that made me want to pull my hair out. I’m sure if you told an Aggie at the beginning of the season that by Week 8 they’d be the best team in the state of Texas, they’d be absolutely thrilled.
The vibes are fantastic in College Station. Reveille’s probably the happiest dog in America right now.
5. Texas Tech (+3)
Week 7 result: 42-17 win vs. Kansas
The Red Raiders were fined for throwing too many tortillas on the field, but that doesn’t matter because they’re really good, guys. Like, really good. In fact, just go ahead and deliver the Big 12 title to Lubbock already. It’s a wrap—nobody is going to beat this team at its peak.
Kansas tried its best to make it a game on Saturday and failed miserably. Texas Tech ran for more yards (372) than Kansas put up all evening (319). If that’s not the stat of the week, I don’t know what is. The offense is balanced, the defense is disciplined, and Joey McGuire has that locker room completely bought in.
I saw some discourse online about how there are six teams in the Big Ten—Indiana, Ohio State, USC, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington—that could win the Big 12. While half of those schools most certainly would have a claim there, let’s not pretend that Texas Tech isn’t at least as good, if not better, than USC, Nebraska, and Washington. Because let’s face it, we’re looking at a situation where the Big 12, the league that’s long been heralded as the most competitive in the sport, is going to have a champion that’s a foregone conclusion by Halloween, and it’s all because of Texas Tech. The Red Raiders’ spending spree over the offseason has paid off wonderfully.
6. Oregon (-3)
Week 7 result: 30-20 loss vs. Indiana
Punishing Oregon too much for losing to the best team in the country (according to this very poll, of course) seems a little harsh. As such, a simple drop of three places is sufficient. The Ducks are obviously still elite, though maybe not as dominant as we all once thought.
Part of that comes from Penn State’s downfall, as that win in (Un)Happy Valley seems to have aged like milk. But I’m a proponent of grading a win when it took place, and it’s totally reasonable to believe that the reason Penn State has spiraled is because of Oregon. Why deduct the Ducks for sending a team into the abyss? They should be rewarded, if anything.
Still, the Indiana loss showed some cracks. The offensive line looked shaky, giving up six sacks, and the defense allowed Indiana to control the tempo far too easily. The Ducks still have everything to play for, but they’ve got some things to clean up. The good news? Dan Lanning’s squad got to taste its own blood before it was too late. Now that they know they’re not invincible, maybe that edge returns—and Oregon can get back to looking like Oregon.
7. Alabama (+3)
Week 7 result: 27-24 win at Missouri
Faurot Field’s north end zone is in the middle of a $250 million renovation, and it’s created a pretty ugly backdrop for Missouri home games. What wasn’t ugly, though, was Alabama’s dismantling of the Tigers on Saturday. The Tide did everything they needed to get the win: Ty Simpson hit some big-time throws, Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy was held to just 52 yards, and Bama dominated the time of possession by nearly 17 minutes.
I know I have Texas A&M ranked higher, but I believe Alabama is the favorite to win the SEC. There are few teams that have a better quarterback than Simpson, and with an offensive scheme like Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb’s, there’s really no ceiling for this offense. The defense isn’t perfect, but it’s disciplined and opportunistic. That loss to Florida State still doesn’t make sense to me, but the Tide are clearly improving.
8. Ole Miss (-2)
Week 7 result: 24-21 win vs. Washington State
Ole Miss wasn’t prepared to play Washington State, and it still won. That’s positive, I guess.
It was obviously a look-ahead spot to this week’s game against Georgia, and the Rebels clearly believed that talent alone could get them by Washington State. And for a good chunk of Saturday afternoon, it appeared that that assumption was incorrect. With a little over 10 minutes to go in the third quarter, Wazzu went up 14-10. Ole Miss couldn’t sustain drives, and things were looking uncertain. Fortunately, that aforementioned talent eventually showed up, and everybody was happy (for the most part) in Oxford.
Usually, a performance like that against an inferior opponent would warrant a severe drop in the D Poll, but I’m feeling generous. I get how these kinds of games happen. Still, they’re walking a tightrope. One more sleepwalk performance like that, and the Rebels will be falling fast.
9. Georgia Tech (+2)
Week 7 result: 35-20 win vs. Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech’s been known to play with its food as favorites in conference play before, and props to Brent Key and that staff for avoiding that same type of familiar disaster against Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets took the reins early and didn’t let go. That’s improvement if you ask me.
The rest of Georgia Tech’s schedule is filled with teams like Virginia Tech that don’t present major challenges, at least on paper. But as I said, the Jackets have a habit of coming out flat in those types of games. If they can stay focused and avoid those weird, energy-sucking Saturdays, they might just run the table and sneak into the Playoff for the first time in school history.
Come on Georgia Tech! All the information technology bros in the greater Atlanta area are counting on you.
10. Georgia (+2)
Week 7 result: 20-10 win at Auburn
How good is Georgia? They’re obviously not as great as those 2021 and 2022 teams that steamrolled their way to a national title. I mean, they only have two sacks the entire season! That’s not the Georgia Bulldogs I’m familiar with.
My diagnosis is that they’re a good team with a lower ceiling than Georgia fans might be comfortable with. That ceiling could be an SEC title, but a national championship might be too far. Of course, beating up on Auburn is something any good Georgia team is capable of doing, and since that’s exactly what occurred on Saturday night on the Plains, bumping up the Dawgs is easily defendable.
Don’t be surprised if Georgia doesn’t make the College Football Playoff, though. This team has major flaws, and it’s only a matter of time before those are exposed on a big stage. Still, winning is winning, and I have to respect that.
11. BYU (+6)
Week 7 result: 33-27 win at Arizona
12. Tennessee (+1)
Week 7 result: 34-31 win vs. Arkansas
13. Vanderbilt (+1)
Week 7 result: BYE
14. Missouri (-5)
Week 7 result: 27-24 loss vs. Alabama
15. South Florida (+7)
Week 7 result: 63-36 win at North Texas
16. Oklahoma (-11)
Week 7 result: 23-6 loss vs. Texas
17. Virginia (-2)
Week 7 result: BYE
18. Cincinnati (+1)
Week 7 result: 20-11 win vs. UCF
19. Utah (NR)
Week 7 result: 42-10 win vs. Arizona State
20. USC (NR)
Week 7 result: 31-13 win vs. Michigan
21. Memphis (NM)
Week 7 result: BYE
22. LSU (+2)
Week 7 result: 20-10 win vs. South Carolina
23. Nebraska (NR)
Week 7 result: 34-31 win at Maryland
24. Texas (NR)
Week 7 result: 23-6 win vs. Oklahoma
25. Notre Dame (NR)
Week 7 result: 36-7 win vs. NC State
Teams dropped from last week’s D Poll: Florida State, Iowa State, Arizona State, Illinois, Michigan