Written by: John Stocco
Twitter: @realJohnStocco
We’re seven weeks through the college football season, and I’d say we have a pretty good sense of what these teams are. We know the elite teams, and we know the teams that are just kinda faking this thing until they get beat by a superior opponent. Through seven weeks, it's time to start putting together your resume for the College Football Playoff, and it’s time to put out our very first best four of college football.
The Top Four.
1, Alabama
Top to bottom this is the best team in college football. Tua is living up to all the hype, Najee Harris is starting to pick up his game, and they might have the best wide receiving core I think I’ve ever seen. Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and Jaylen Waddle. Just give me one of those guys on the Bears and I’ll never complain about football ever again. Their rushing attack is vulnerable, but their pass defense is elite as always. I mean, does it really matter though? Against any defense Alabama can put up 28 plus points with the amount of weapons they have. Nick Saban is the greatest college football coach of all time, Tua is on his way to a potential Heisman and the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Jerry Jeudy isn’t that much farther behind him. They have the best coaches, the best players, and the best system. Sometimes it’s just as simple as that when you see Alabama dominating their opponents.
2, Ohio State
The circus left town and Ohio State is back to strictly business. The circus being Urban Meyer and the off the field drama that seemed to cost Ohio State that one lousy loss every single year that would keep them out of the College Football Playoff. I don’t see any of that this year. Just place Alabama in the midwest, and there you have Ohio State. In just a short amount of time, Ryan Day has proved himself in being one of the best coaches in college football. Drawing up perfect game plans every week and playing to their strengths. Justin Fields is widening more eyes every weekend, and by that I mean keeping Georgia fans up at night, while surrounding him with world-class collegiate athletes, and Chase Young is living inside opposing quarterbacks nightmares. When it comes to Ohio State I don’t wanna hear about the strength of schedule. No matter which any team plays it becomes pretty obvious which teams are the real deal and which teams are just slipping by. Ohio State has put on some serious beatdowns against their opponents this year, and they’re doing it with ease. Honestly, it looks way too easy for Ohio State. They have the most athleticism in the Big Ten, they have the most speed in the Big Ten, they have the most firepower in the Big Ten, and they have the best football out of any program in the Midwest. Really, it isn’t even close.
3, LSU
If you don’t think this LSU team can beat Alabama then you’re crazy. LSU is a force to be reckoned with this season and putting them at number three might be a little disrespectful. LSU has ownership of the two most impressive wins in all of college football. The scoreboard didn’t do them justice in Austin but if you watched every snap of that game, it was clear that LSU was by far the better team over Texas. Then the Florida Gators make their way to Death Valley and in fairness to the Gators, they put up a terrific fight. In the end, LSU was the better team before the game, and they sure looked like the best team after the game. Joe Burrow is a Heisman candidate, and now with his great play has put himself in talks of being a first-round quarterback in the NFL draft. This was a guy that had a 6th round grade from some of the draft experts. It’s one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history. Their wide receivers match Alabama’s as the best in the game, and I’d say their defense is the best in the nation. LSU is legit, and this is a team that can end up beating Alabama, winning the SEC, and going to win the National Championship.
4, Oklahoma
The Sooners can score with the best of them. Lincoln Riley is the best play caller in the game, and he’s turned around the career of Jalen Hurts. Oklahoma has one of the best offensive lines in the nation, they have receivers that can make plays after the catch at an elite level, and now what’s really scary is how they have turned things around on defense. The Big 12 is known as the conference where defense dies. Every week fans use to see a team put up 56 points, and still lose. That hasn’t been the case in 2019. Oklahoma completely shut down Sam Ehlinger and the Texas offense on Saturday. They sacked Sam Ehlinger nine times. NINE TIMES (Ferris Buehler reference). I’m not ready to put their defense on the level of Alabama and LSU, but even if they become half of what those teams bring on defense, then you can wrap up the Big 12 right now and hand Oklahoma fans tickets to the National Championship. No matter who they have a quarterback, the Sooners have proven that they have a system that works, and that system can outscore any team in College Football. Jalen Hurts didn’t play his best against Texas, and again, the scoreboard didn’t do them any favors. Oklahoma was a lot better than Texas, and they have dominated teams on their schedule. The Sooners have to be in the final four.
Just Out.
5, Clemson: Yes, Clemson is in a terrible conference, but that shouldn’t be an excuse to keep them out. They haven’t been convincing, and Trevor Lawerence hasn’t been as great as everyone expected. Clemson needs to start beating teams in the ACC convincingly. Embarrassing Florida State was a good way to start.
6, Wisconsin: This is a special Wisconsin team, but if we’re being real here, this team isn’t going to get any respect until they face Ohio State. They have a defense that is elite, and they have a rushing attack that is the best in the country. They’re a great team, but it’s all about their head to head matchup against Ohio State.