This morning was one of the first major tests for me with this ranking system. I put in all the scores correctly. I ran the program. And of course this is what it spit out. Then my dilemma. Do I move things around to make them truly “my” rankings or do I remain faithful to the program and trust that things will be right by the end of the year? In the end, I decided to have faith. This methodology was rigorously designed. It might get some offseason tweaks, but it’s not fair to start inserting my own views after only six weeks. Alabama remains first, because the loss was close and because of what the entire body of work of six games shows they have done. My suspicion is that as Georgia continues winning eventually, they will pass Alabama, but that doesn’t mean they have a better total body of work…yet.

1. Alabama (5-1) (Power: 1, Resume: 2, Last Week: 1)

Ok here’s where we can talk about the game itself. Pass interference or not, it obviously was, Alabama still had a chance to get off the field and committed a senseless penalty. Georgia fumbled three times and Alabama recovered zero. Alabama did intercept a Gunner Stockton pass…that led to zero points. Even after the missed pass interference, they were already in field goal range. Alabama had opportunities to win and did not capitalize. That’s why they lost, not because of one missed call.

2. Notre Dame (6-0) (Power: 2, Resume: 3, Last Week: 3)

Notre Dame looks like they are rounding into peak form right as they reach the meat of their schedule. I predicted C.J. Carr vs. Darian Mensah in the first weekend of November to be a battle for the Heisman…feeling pretty good about that pick now.

3. Miami (5-0) (Power: 3, Resume: 12, Last Week: 4)

I wish one other hurricane had decided it needed a bye week…

4. Georgia (6-0) (Power: 4, Resume: 10, Last Week: 9)

My thoughts on Georgia have been made very clear. This might feel like a slight. I felt like it was a slight this morning too, but these rankings are going to be more fluid as weeks progress.

5. UCLA (5-0) (Power: 10, Resume: 1, Last Week: 7)

Hopefully the Nico Iamaleava injury isn’t too serious, because that offense was running on smoke and mirrors when he didn’t return in the second half. This defense might deserve more attention than it’s getting though.

6. Houston (5-1) (Power: 6, Resume: 8, Last Week: 11)

I’m not entirely sure a road win over this Kansas State team is as impressive to me as the ranking system, but the Coogs are a threat in the Big XII.

7. Texas (5-1) (Power: 8, Resume: 5, Last Week: 2)

For all of the grit Texas showed battling back to beat Ohio State in week two, they showed an equal amount of collapse this week. They had that game locked up about four different times and couldn’t do it. The Longhorns are officially pretenders.

8. Indiana (6-0) (Power: 9, Resume: 11, Last Week: 10)

The Hoosiers aren’t as good as they were last were. Fortunately for them, that’s true for three-fourths of the Big Ten.

9. Ohio State (5-1) (Power: 5, Resume: 21, Last Week: 9)

I’m probably not alone in still being dumbstruck by the fact that this team lost to Texas.

10. BYU (5-0) (Power: 16, Resume: 4, Last Week: 12)

I would make a case that these Coogs are actually tops in the Big XII. This week they have a chance to prove it. LJ Martin likely being out is a bummer, but they’ve proven that they can still run the ball without him.

11. Utah (5-0) (Power: 11, Resume: 14, Last Week: 14)

I pointed this out last week and I’ll do it again this week. The top tier of the Big XII has consistently shifted up the rankings together over the last few weeks. This is the best conference race in the sport.

12. Oklahoma State (4-1) (Power: 13, Resume: 16, Last Week: 19)

Oklahoma State losing Tulsa is going to go down as the weirdest result of the season.

13. Mississippi State (4-1) (Power: 19, Resume: 9, Last Week: 15)

A well-timed bye week for Clanga. LSU, Oklahoma and Texas in back-to-back-to-back weeks is a brutal stretch of defenses for Kamario, but if the line holds up they are also big opportunities.

14. Texas Tech (5-0) (Power: 20, Resume: 6, Last Week: 13)

Like Indiana, the Red Raiders clearly aren’t as good as they were last year. The difference is the Big XII, as a whole, has leveled up.

15. Pitt (5-1) (Power: 14, Resume: 17, Last Week: 5)

The “What if?” game is one of the most maddening things about sports fandom. Nationally, the “What if Mason Heintschel stays healthy?” question won’t get much attention, but it should.

16. Missouri (5-1) (Power: 18, Resume: 13, Last Week: 21)

Ahmad Hardy’s eventual return has been much anticipated, but this offense seems to be good regardless. Could they be great with Hardy and Jamal Roberts as a two-headed monster?

17. LSU (4-2) (Power 7, Resume: 34, Last Week: 6)

My how the mighty (Tigers) have fallen.

18. Oregon (3-2) (Power: 12, Resume: 29, Last Week: 16)

Speaking of fallen…what has happened to this offense? Dylan Raiola, after an admirable job replacing Dante Moore a week ago, looked like the Monstars stole his talent last week. Expect Dante Moore back this week to try to salvage the season.

19. Kentucky (5-1) (Power: 30, Resume: 7, Last Week: NR)

The Cardiac Cats strike again! Will Stein deserves a ton of credit for infusing this program with life and swagger.

20. Wake Forest (5-1) (Power: 22, Resume: 18, Last Week: NR)

The right to play Miami in the ACC championship game is very much up for grabs. Why not the Deacs?

21. UCF (3-3) (Power: 15, Resume: 35, Last Week: 17)

This was the second week in a row the Knights blew an early double-digit lead. These games feel like microcosms of Scott Frost’s whole career.

22. Ole Miss (4-1) (Power: 33, Resume: 15, Last Week: NR)

The Florida loss looks even more inexplicable after the Gators got housed by South Carolina in The Swamp this week. One blip doesn’t necessarily mean this team isn’t playoff-caliber.

23. Tennessee (5-1) (Power: 23, Resume: 26, Last Week: 20)

The Vols quarterback situation is a problem. Expect some more losses for this team as the schedule gets tougher.

24. Nebraska (5-1) (Power: 21, Resume 33, Last Week: 22)

Brian Hall can call me an idiot all he wants. This team proved it belongs, even in a loss, this week.

25. Oklahoma (3-2) (Power: 25, Resume: 25, Last Week: NR)

Red River is always wild. The Sooners’ defense and special teams might be good enough for eight or nine wins, but Mateer and the offense won’t be enough to elevate them back to contender status.

First Five Out: Iowa, James Madison, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin

The Dropouts: Florida, Northwestern, James Madison, Wisconsin

Cover Photo Courtesy of Gary Cosby Jr./USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images