Urban Meyer reveals his top three teams in college football entering November

The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings are on the way in short order, but before they debut there’s plenty of time to debate. Who are the top teams in the playoff mix right now?

The hosts of The Triple Option podcast, which includes former coach Urban Meyer and former Alabama running back Mark Ingram, weighed their top three teams nationally this week. Meyer had a fairly conventional answer.

He picked the No. 1, 2 and 3 team in the current AP Top 25. Easy peasey, and he outlined his reasoning for each.

“The Buckeyes are No. 1,” Meyer started. “I think their best win is at Washington. I think going across the country, containing that quarterback like they did. Texas is a shell of themselves, we’re finding out. Illinois is a good, solid team. But to go on the road and win at Washington, not those two wins, but for that win over Washington.”

Barring a real collapse, Ohio State seems like a lock to make the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are undefeated and have a schedule that includes only one more ranked opponent: Michigan.

How about another Big Ten team with a relatively soft close to the season? Meyer’s got that team at No. 2.

“Indiana, they have the best win of the season on the road at Autzen Stadium,” he said. “So they’re No. 2.”

Indiana, which has only four games left instead of five like Ohio State, does not face another ranked opponent. It will, however, play three of the next four on the road.

Meyer was a little more torn on the third best college football team at this juncture. He debated between two SEC teams before ultimately landing on his winner.

“Three and four it doesn’t matter at this point. But I’m going to go with (Texas) A&M,” Meyer said. “I still can’t get over that loss to Florida State, or I would have ‘Bama up there ahead of them. A&M, I watched those guys this week. I went and made sure I watched this quarterback. The wins at Notre Dame and LSU. I just love the way they’re playing. I love the way they’re coached.”

The former Florida and Ohio State coach would harp on that last point, noting one of the reasons Texas A&M is on top of the college football world right now is because of its coaching. He’s a huge fan.

“Mike Elko, I don’t know much. I know he’s well-respected,” Meyer said. “But you talk about a hot coach, man. And you talk about a guy that handles himself the right way. When I really loved him, I was watching a game and he showed a lot of passion on the sideline, which you don’t see sometimes from coaches nowadays. I think he broke like a chair or something and just — at some point, you want your coaches to dive in the middle of it with you.

“To stand there like a statue on the sideline, I’m not a big fan of that. Go get with your guys, man. Go get face to face with them, and you’re in it with them. I’ve got a lot of respect for Mike Elko and that A&M team right now.”