ESPN shakes up Top 25 Power Rankings after Week 13 of College Football

The final week of the regular season, sometimes called Rivalry Week, is finally here. Now, teams are set to try and finish strong, making their final pitches for the College Football Playoff. Before that, though, ESPN took the time to pause and update its Top 25 Power Rankings following Week 13.

The Week 13 slate wasn’t seen as the most exciting week of matchups around the country. That doesn’t mean there weren’t any important games or any Top 25 games that were played. On top of that, plenty of teams have shifted simply based on how they played in the week that was.

ESPN has the goal of looking at where teams stand at the current moment in time with these power rankings. That means that they’re not predicting how these teams end up ranked at the end of the year. Instead, it’s about this moment, following Week 13 of play.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes were without a pair of star receivers against Rutgers over the weekend. It didn’t slow the offense down, though, and they put up 42 points in the win to move to 11-0. It was their fourth time this season scoring more than 40 points in a game.

The Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff, but they finish their season with The Game. Ohio State has lost to Michigan four straight times and, with Big Ten Championship implications on the line, they want to change that in Ann Arbor.

2. Indiana Hoosiers

The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off a bye week but didn’t budge in the ESPN rankings. The late bye week was a quirk in the schedule for Indiana in a season where every team had two weeks off. Certainly, it did give them a chance to get healthy going into the final regular season game.

This year, Indiana is wrapping up on the road against Purdue. On paper, it should be a lopsided game. Games have been won on paper and lost on the field before, though, so Indiana can’t be caught looking ahead.

3. Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M took care of business against an overmatched Samford team this weekend. Now, sitting at 11-0, the Aggies are hoping to wrap up their first unbeaten regular season since going 10-0-1 in 1994.

Standing in the Aggies’ way is rival Texas. Texas A&M is set to take on the Longhorns in Austin with plenty on the line for Texas as well. A win would send Texas A&M to the SEC Championship Game. It would also all but clinch a spot in the CFP.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia finished up its SEC schedule already, and took on Charlotte as a non-conference opponent last week. It was never a particularly close game, though, and the Bulldogs had plenty of depth players get on the field in the second half.

Next week, it’s Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. Georgia Tech is also making an appearance in the ESPN Power Rankings, but has been slipping amid late-season struggles. Uniquely, this year the game will be off-campus, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

5. Oregon Ducks (+2)

The Oregon Ducks moved up two spots in the ESPN Power Rankings. That’s the most any team in the Top 10 moved up and it came on the back of a convincing win for the Ducks over USC at home over the weekend.

Oregon wraps up the season on the road against Washington. That’s a game, regardless of the College Football Playoff, that they always want to win. This year, depending on how things break, it could go a long way as far as seeding is concerned, though.

6. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss had a bye week, but all eyes have still been on Oxford. After all, the saga surrounding head coach Lane Kiffin is boiling over, as he decides where he’s going to coach next season. That’s despite being in the CFP race. Despite all of that, ESPN hasn’t moved them in the power rankings.

More importantly, a decision is expected from Kiffin after the Egg Bowl. That’s a desperately important game for Ole Miss to win, both for CFP seeding and bragging rights within the state. They’ll have to do so amid the distraction.

7. Texas Tech Red Raiders (-2)

The Texas Tech Red Raiders slipped two spots in the ESPN Power Rankings. That’s despite not playing a game and having a bye week. Still, coming off four straight wins, the Red Raiders are positioned well.

Texas Tech wraps up the regular season against West Virginia. They’ll be a heavy favorite to win that, just as they’ll be favored to win the Big 12 and go to the CFP. That’s regardless of how far they slip in the ESPN Power Rankings.

8. Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners added one of the biggest wins of the weekend, knocking off Missouri in a defensive struggle. There, the Sooners once again showed off their excellent defense. Despite that, ESPN has kept them steady in the Power Rankings.

It seems like Oklahoma is in a good position to make the CFP. That, of course, depends on the chaos around the sport, though. For their part, the Sooners will do what they can to focus on beating a very talented LSU team.

9. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama is still sitting strong at No. 9 in the ESPN Power Rankings. That comes after they dispatched an overmatched Eastern Illinois team. Still, it wasn’t enough to move the needle any further.

Wrapping up the season, Alabama needs to travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium and find a way to win the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide will be a favorite, but that’s never meant much on the road against Auburn and chaos could be around the corner. Importantly, a loss would be their third for putting together a CFP resume.

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame dominated Syracuse 70-7 in a game that was 21-0 before the Irish offense took the field. Still, ESPN kept Notre Dame steady in the Power Rankings. Of course, that likely says more about what ESPN thinks of Syracuse.

Notre Dame will wrap up the season on the road against Stanford. Again, they’re expected to be a heavy favorite. Then, it’s a waiting game to see other results and see if it might affect their chances to get into the CFP this season.

11. BYU Cougars
12. Miami Hurricanes (+1)
13. Utah Utes (-1)
14. Vanderbilt Commodores (+2)
15. Michigan Wolverines (+3)
16. Texas Longhorns (+1)
17. Virginia Cavaliers (+2)
18. Tennessee Volunteers (+2)
19. USC Trojans (-5)
20. North Texas Mean Green (+2)
21. Tulane Green Wave (NR)
22. SMU Mustangs (NR)
23. Pitt Panthers (NR)
24. James Madison Dukes (-3)
25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (-10)