Woah buddy. Once you get past 21 in this week’s rankings, it becomes almost ridiculous to try and sort out the final 4 spots in a top 25.

Here’s what I settled on for the Week 13 ballot I submitted for Saturday Down South’s official top 25.

1. Oregon (11-0)

Last week: 1

Oregon went on the road to play its eighth game in 8 weeks and rallied in the fourth quarter despite missing its top receiver, its top defensive end, and its starting right guard. No notes.

2. Ohio State (9-1)

Last week: 2

Ohio State looked icky for the first 20 or so minutes against Northwestern and then took control. In a lookahead spot, there’s not much else to say.

3. Indiana (10-0)

Last week: 3

The Hoosiers were on a bye in Week 12.

4. Notre Dame (9-1)

Last week: 4

Notre Dame had a 28-0 lead on Virginia at the half. In its last 5 games, the Irish outscored their opponents 115-24 in the first half. Against that secondary, a big deficit at the half is a death sentence.

5. Texas (9-1)

Last week: 5

I’m very skeptical of Texas. The Longhorns won 20-10 at Arkansas, but it was a 3-point game in the fourth quarter.

6. Penn State (9-1)

Last week: 6

Penn State waxed Purdue 49-10, but that was to be expected. Purdue’s program is in such a state where it can’t even properly paint the endzones.

7. Ole Miss (8-2)

Last week: 8

The Rebels were on a bye in Week 12.

8. Georgia (8-2)

Last week: 13

Georgia is giving all of us whiplash this season, bouncing between elite and mediocre with ferocity. Carson Beck finally looked like himself and the Dawgs rolled Tennessee, 31-17.

9. Miami (9-1)

Last week: 10

The Hurricanes were on a bye in Week 12.

10. SMU (9-1)

Last week: 11

The Mustangs won their seventh in a row by outlasting Boston College, 38-28. This was a 3-point game with 5 minutes to play. SMU got an otherwise meaningless touchdown across the line with 8 seconds remaining.

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11. Tennessee (8-2)

Last week: 7

It was a disappointing day for the Vols, who had a 10-0 lead on Georgia after 1 quarter and then gave up 17 in the second quarter. Georgia flexed in the second half, blanking Tennessee. A slumping Georgia offense being the first all year to break 20 was not what I saw coming.

12. Alabama (8-2)

Last week: 12

Playing Mercer in mid-November is and always will be ridiculous.

13. Boise State (9-1)

Last week: 14

Boise State trailed San Jose State at the end of the first quarter, then put 2 touchdowns on the board in each of the next 3 to run away with it. Ashton Jeanty brought his season total to 26 rushing touchdowns in the process.

14. Texas A&M (8-2)

Last week: 15

Texas A&M beat New Mexico State 38-3. I suppose a 2-8 Aggies team is still better than Mercer.

15. Colorado (8-2)

Last week: 19

Colorado rolled Utah behind another buffet-style performance from Travis Hunter. The Heisman hopeful had 55 receiving yards, an interception, and a 5-yard rushing touchdown on an end-around that saw him standing on the 20 at one point.

16. Clemson (8-2)

Last week: 16

Garrett Riley unlocked this offense when he started weaponizing Cade Klubnik’s legs. Prior to this season, Klubnik had 321 rushing yards in his career. A 50-yard touchdown run with 1:16 remaining to win the game against Pitt pushed Klubnik to 341 on the season.

17. BYU (9-1)

Last week: 9

BYU’s unblemished record was finally stained in Week 12. Kansas won 17-13 despite gaining only 13 first downs and 112 fewer yards than the Cougars. BYU turned it over twice. It felt like a little karmic retribution from some of the magic earlier in the season.

18. Army (9-0)

Last week: 17

The Black Knights were on a bye in Week 12.

19. Tulane (9-2)

Last week: 20

Tulane won its eighth consecutive game and clinched a spot in the AAC title game by smashing Navy, 35-0. The Middies starting quarterback, Blake Horvath, was knocked out early with an injury, but Tulane dominated on the ground. It had 220 rushing yards and held Navy to just 113 total yards of offense.

20. Arizona State (8-2)

Last week: unranked

If we could split the Coach of the Year award, this would be the year to do so. Curt Cignetti deserves it for getting Indiana! to 10 wins, but Kenny Dillingham is equally deserving. Arizona State was picked to finish last in the Big 12. Dillingham was ranked by CBS Sports as the worst coach in the conference in the preseason. A 24-14 win over Kansas State in Manhattan moved the Sun Devils one step closer to the Big 12 title game. They get BYU at home in Week 13. A win likely sets up a Colorado-ASU conference title matchup. Arizona State went 3-9 last season.

21. South Carolina (7-3)

Last week: 23

The growth of LaNorris Sellers in recent weeks has been something to behold. He threw 5 touchdown passes to beat Missouri.

22. Iowa State (8-2)

Last week: unranked

The Cyclones rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 34-17 win over Cincinnati.

23. Kansas State (7-3)

Last week: 18

Kansas State has lost back-to-back games to fall out of the Big 12 title race.

24. James Madison (8-2)

Last week: unranked

The Dukes beat Old Dominion 35-32 for their fourth win in the last 5 games. They still have a shot at the Sun Belt East division title, but they need some help.

25. Washington State (8-2)

Last week: 24

Wazzu lost 38-35 to New Mexico to halt what had been a 4-game win streak. I didn’t like any of my options for the 25th spot.

Dropped out

Louisville (21), LSU (22), Louisiana (25)

Right on the cut line

Missouri, Illinois, Pitt, UNLV

Derek Peterson

Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.