1. Alabama Crimson Tide: There’s really nothing more for me to elaborate on. They’re at the top of the mountain and then some while everyone else is simply looking up at them. Once again, they will never rebuild, they will always just reload, plain and simple. Last weekend, they won their 99th consecutive game against an unranked opponent. Today begins SEC play and they will make their first trip to the swamp in a decade when they meet up with the Florida Gators. This is a rematch of last year’s SEC title game.
2. Georgia Bulldogs: I like what I’ve seen from them early on. Defense will forever be their mantra. So far in this young season, they’ve yet to allow an offensive touchdown. They physically dominated the Clemson Tigers in week one and when they played UAB last weekend, their lone touchdown was on a pick six. Back to this defense. They have ten sacks so far this season. Is this the biggest threat to a certain team who also plays in their conference? Only time will tell moving forward. When this team is healthy, they’re a tough out. Watch for them.
3. Oregon Ducks: I was high on them coming into the year and they’ve made me look good so far. What a win in Columbus last weekend against the Ohio State Buckeyes. This was the perfect opportunity for them to introduce themselves to the rest of the country outside of the west coast and they did just that. What made that win more impressive was the fact they were able to be successful without Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jordan Flowe, their two best defensive players. A win like that can set the tone for the remainder of your season.
4. Iowa Hawkeyes: This is the most physical team in the nation. Each tier of the defense is strong. They have the pass rushers that can dominate up front, the linebackers can play from sideline to sideline and the secondary can cover and create turnovers. Continue to watch for Riley Moss. (You better have game with that last name). Last weekend when entering the game against the Iowa State Cyclones, I asked could Spencer Petras make a big throw when it was needed. He answered the call and delivered. When I was on College Football Showdown before week two, my radio buddy Israel Rivera said Iowa has what it takes to be a playoff team. They could win the Big Ten West.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions: Six wins in a row and counting dating back to last season. What’s impressed me has been their defense. Yes, they lost Micah Parsons to the NFL, but other guys have been stepping it up. They punched Wisconsin in the mouth in week one and dominated Ball State in week two. Their red zone defense has been excellent, and they do such a great job of making teams one-dimensional. Tonight, the white out game returns. I can’t wait to preview that.
