Texas will stay No. 1 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll after winning at Tennessee, but look for Georgia to get more first-place consideration and another SEC team, Florida, to soar into the top 10.
Where Florida falls and how that impacts Ole Miss and LSU is the most interesting unknown at the top of this week’s poll.
The Gators beat the Rebels 52-28 to move to 4-0 under new coach Jon Sumrall. A week ago, Ole Miss beat the Tigers 32-24 to climb to No. 6, while LSU fell to No. 11.
Ole Miss is already going to drop at least three spots and maybe as many as five. LSU might also drop a spot in the ranking to make room for the Rebels even after dismantling Texas A&M.
The question for voters
is whether Florida has simply looked like one of the best teams in the country after one month. There’s almost no doubt that’s been the case.
Here’s our prediction for how the top 10 will look in the new Coaches Poll, set to be released later on Sunday:
1. Texas (4-0)
Texas committed two turnovers and the offensive line couldn’t get anything done against Tennessee. Luckily, the Volunteers were even more inept and the Longhorns had Colin Simmons, who tied a program record with five sacks.
2. Georgia (4-0)
Georgia doesn’t have the same wins as Texas but has definitely looked more the part of the best team in the country. The Bulldogs ripped Oklahoma to shreds in a 41-13 win and have outscored four teams by a combined 166 points.
3. Notre Dame (4-0)
The Irish didn’t play around with Purdue, unlike UCLA a week before, and had this 49-10 win in the books by halftime. Next week offers a trip to North Carolina that could provide more of test.
4. Indiana (4-0)
At some point, Indiana’s ranking will take a hit for its weak schedule and average performances against opponents such as Northwestern. The Hoosiers were able to hold on for a 29-23 win against the Wildcats and might have more in the tank, though that extra gear hasn’t been evident so far.
5. Miami (4-0)
The only question heading into an expected rout of Central Michigan was whether Darian Mensah would have more touchdowns or incompletions. Well, incompletions, but it was close: Mensah went 23 of 27 for 338 yards and three scores in a 52-3 win.
6. Ohio State (3-1)
The Buckeyes kicked off Big Ten play with a 42-19 romp over Illinois that featured yet another historic day for Jeremiah Smith, who set career highs with 12 receptions for 217 yards and tied the school mark with four touchdown grabs.
7. Alabama (4-0)
Alabama looked like one of the seven best teams in the country during a 49-18 win against South Carolina. Something is starting to click for young quarterback Keelon Russell, who carried over his strong finish against Florida State with five total touchdowns, one on the ground.
8. Florida (4-0)
This would be a huge leap for the Gators. Making a 14-spot jump from last week’s No. 22 ranking can only happen this early in the year. But it’s a possibility based on how voters felt about Ole Miss after its win against LSU and how well Florida has played through four games.
9. Brigham Young (3-0)
BYU might drop down a spot after not playing on Saturday. There are still some serious unknowns about the Cougars, and those questions won’t be answered until after playing Notre Dame in three weeks.
10. Texas Tech (4-0)
The Red Raiders closed out non-conference play with a 49-14 win against Sam Houston State. Things don’t get much tougher than here for Tech, which doesn’t draw BYU or Utah in the regular season and isn’t currently slated to face a ranked opponent.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football rankings projection for US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25 after Week 4
