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    • College football coaching rankings projection: Can Oregon top Texas?
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    College football coaching rankings projection: Can Oregon top Texas?

    Kathleen William Posted on

    College football coaching rankings projection: Can Oregon top Texas?

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    The debate for No. 1 in the new U.S. LBM Coaches Poll will focus on Texas and Oregon. Will the Longhorns retain their top spot or will voters be swayed by the Ducks' win over Ohio State?

    Look for the Ducks to add to a big chunk of the Longhorns' lead and get a dozen or more first-place votes. But Texas took care of business in the rivalry against Oklahoma and was expected to remain ranked No. 1 as the only undefeated team in the SEC.

    The next question is where Ohio State falls after starting the weekend ranked No. 2. There are reasons for a small drop to No. 3 as the two teams swap positions after a narrow win at Oregon. Another option for No. 3 is Penn State after the Nittany Lions' overtime win in Southern California.

    Teams like Alabama and Tennessee pulled out narrow wins as heavy favorites, with the Volunteers needing overtime to get past Florida.

    Here's what this week's top 10 should look like after another wild Saturday:

    1. Texas (6-0)

    The Longhorns looked a little sluggish coming out of the gate against Oklahoma, but eventually pulled away for a solid 34-3 win. The gap between these two rivals is obvious. One is a national championship contender and the other could struggle to reach six wins and a bowl game.

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    2. Oregon (6-0)

    Let's be honest: Ohio State probably would have moved up to No. 1 in this week's poll if the Buckeyes had gotten the road win. But that can't be said for Oregon, despite a 32-31 win that underscored the program's reputation as one of the best in the FBS. The Ducks will settle for No. 2 and a slew of first-place votes, despite becoming the first Big Ten team to top Ohio State, along with Michigan, since Purdue in 2018.

    3. Penn State (6-0)

    Penn State trailed Southern California 20-6 at halftime, but came out big in the second half thanks to a good performance from quarterback Drew Allar and some late defensive stops to secure a 33-30 win in overtime. The Nittany Lions aren't perfect, but they look good enough to finish near the top of the Big Ten and make the playoffs.

    4. Ohio State (5-1)

    Given the lack of solid options, there's a good chance the Buckeyes could simply swap spots with the Ducks and land at No. 3 in the new poll. Although Ohio State's perfect record gives Penn State a lead, it should stay ahead of Georgia and push the Bulldogs down one spot to No. 5.

    5. Georgia (5-1)

    It's been a bit of a rocky road for Georgia since SEC play began. There was a narrow win against Kentucky, the loss against Alabama, a less impressive win against Auburn and Saturday's 41-31 win against Mississippi State. In addition to allowing 30 points on one of the league's weakest teams, quarterback Carson Beck threw two more interceptions, giving him five points in his final three games.

    6. Miami (6-0)

    The Hurricanes were out of action this week, but return to Louisville next Saturday for an interesting road trip. That's one of four projected bowl teams they'll play until the end, along with Duke, Georgia Tech and Syracuse. It's not a very hard schedule.

    7. Alabama (5-1)

    The loss to Vanderbilt didn't knock Alabama out of the top 10, and neither will an ugly win against South Carolina. But you can't ignore some of the warning signs that come from a close matchup against an opponent outside of the Crimson Tide's weight class. This team looked extremely beatable since they jumped out to a big lead early in the win against Georgia.

    8. LSU (5-1)

    Trailing by a touchdown with just a few minutes left in regulation, LSU scored with under 30 seconds left, forced overtime and then beat Mississippi 29-26 for a huge win with far-reaching playoff implications. That may be enough to push the Tigers ahead of Alabama — they probably deserve it — but voters are more likely to reward them with a two-spot lead over last week's poll.

    9. Clemson (5-1)

    As winners of five in a row, Clemson will return to the top 10 for the first time since the 2023 preseason poll. The Tigers have come a long way since their opening game loss to Georgia, with huge gains especially on the offensive side of the ball. With Cade Klubnik playing like an All-America candidate, Clemson has scored 40 or more points in four of those five wins, including a 49-14 win Saturday against Wake Forest.

    10. Tennessee (5-1)

    Needing overtime and scoring just 23 points to beat Florida isn't going to impress anyone, especially a week after Tennessee's offense suffered a similar rout in the loss to Arkansas. As a result, the volunteers lose a place in last week's survey. But with few legitimate options to take his place — perhaps Notre Dame or Iowa State — Tennessee shouldn't fall too far behind.

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    Kathleen William
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