We've now had two weeks of the college football season to understand a little bit more about teams. We've seen some surprises (ahem, Oregon), some controversy already (looking at you, Michigan), and some pretty big games as well (Ohio State vs. Texas, anyone?).
One guy we like to follow in the college football universe is Fox College Football analyst Joel Klatt. He's about as unbiased and insightful as anyone out there, and throughout the season, he provides his top ten. It used to be a post on social media (X), but now he shares his opinion rankings on his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show."
Last week, Klatt had Ohio State No. 1 heading into the matchup with Texas, and this week, he of course dropped the Buckeyes, but not as far as the pollsters
did because of old-school thinking that permeates the traditional college football polls. Imagine that.
Here is a look at what Klatt has for his top ten, including where Ohio State landed after the loss in Week 2.
No. 10 - Utah Utes (not in Klatt's top ten last week)
What We Say
Coming into this season, it was a big unknown on what to expect from Utah with long-time head coach Kyle Whittingham moving on. However, the Utes have looked balanced on offense and stingy on defense through the first two games of the season. The schedule isn't super easy, but it also isn't like most of the other so-called contenders for the College Football Playoff, so if Utah continues to play and look as good as it has when the competition rises in league play, it could be there at the end.
No. 9 - USC Trojans (No. 10 last week)
What We Say
USC has looked like it can score against anyone on offense, but there are still questions about the defense -- especially the secondary (when have we heard that before?). The Trojans will most likely not be tested this week on the road to Rutgers, which is playing the worst in the Big Ten right now, but in two weeks, a game against Oregon might tell us a lot about both of those teams.
No. 8 - Alabama Crimson Tide (not in Klatt's top ten last week)
What We Say
Don't look now, but Alabama is playing really well, in fact, finding a bit of a rushing game even. If the Tide can continue to get better, show that balanced attack on offense, and find a way to navigate a very difficult schedule, it might find itself in position at the end of the season again to make a run in the CFP.
No. 7 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish (No. 5 last week)
What We Say
Klatt dropped the Fighting Irish in his rankings because of struggles in the running game. While that's true, we think he's being a little too harsh because the rest of the phases of the team have been pretty dominant. The schedule for Notre Dame is one of the easiest of any team up here, so even if the running game is a big problem, we may not see it result in anxiety until a clash with Miami in November.
No. 6 - Indiana Hoosiers (No. 8 last week)
What We Say
If you believe in Curt Cignetti, and there's really no reason not to, then what we've seen against very inferior competition is exactly what you believe we'll see when the road gets harder. Quarterback Josh Hoover hasn't been asked to do a whole lot so far, but he's looked good when called upon. There's really no sort of a test until maybe at Nebraska, just a game before Ohio State comes to town.
No. 5 - LSU Tigers (No. 3 last week)
What We Say
LSU did not look good at all against Louisiana in the first half, and a lot of that had to do with three picks by quarterback Sam Leavitt. In other words, folks are beginning to pump the brakes while on the way to changing Lane's. It's just a half, and we know Leavitt has a history of being really good, so we'll see how things go as the Tigers get into the meat of their schedule. This week at Ole Miss should be interesting, to say the least.
No. 4 - Miami Hurricanes (No. 4 last week)
What We Say
Miami has outscored its opponents 122 to 13 through two games, but do we really know anything about the 'Canes with the competition that's come to Hard Rock Stadium? We think we know the offense is really, really good with Malachi Toney at receiver and Mensah at quarterback, but how will Miami match up with teams that have similar talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball? This team looks to easily be the class of the ACC, and we can't wait for the tussle vs. Notre Dame down the line on November 7. Until then, it might be cruise control.
No. 3 - Georgia Bulldogs (No. 6 last week)
What We Say
This feels more like it for Georgia after being at No. 6 last week. Kirby Smart has stacked up recruiting classes as good as anyone, and the Bulldogs have looked good on both sides of the ball through two weeks, which is all that we can judge right now. Is it fool's gold or not -- we'll find out in the teeth of the SEC schedule.
No. 2 - Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 1 last week)
What We Say
Klatt actually used his brain and only knocked Ohio State down one spot after a one-point loss to a top-five team on the road (unlike the old poll-voter method). There are still problems to address with holding back pressure on the offensive line and being able to finish in the red zone. Still, a lot of that had to do with the opponent, and if the Buckeyes can go undefeated or lose one (maybe two) games the rest of the way, everything is still on the table. Now, to get some of those things corrected heading into the rest of the slate.
No. 1 - Texas Longhorns (No. 2 last week)
What We Say
For three quarters of the game against Ohio State, it looked like Texas was going to fall short in a big game again. But give the Longhorns credit because they stormed back and made the plays they needed to be the No. 1 team. It wasn't perfect, but the talent on the roster is evident. There's still plenty of huge obstacles ahead, but it doesn't make sense to have any other team here than Texas.
Joel Klatt's full rankings
Thoughts on @joelklatt's latest Top 10? pic.twitter.com/eII0Rt9eo5
— The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football on FOX Pod (@JoelKlattShow) September 14, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State still high in Joel Klatt's top ten opinion rankings
