Joel Klatt’s top 5 college football teams in each power conference

The race to reach the College Football Playoff is heating up.

Just about every team in the nation is at the halfway mark of its regular-season schedule, giving us a good indication of which teams are CFP contenders. So, I decided to rank the top five teams in each power conference along with the top five teams among the independents and non-power conferences.

Let’s get to it!

1. Oregon (6-0)

It’s pretty easy to know who the top team is. Oregon showed that it’s not only capable of beating Ohio State, but it also showed that it can do it by winning at the line of scrimmage. Oregon did a great job running the football, protecting the quarterback and getting pressure on Will Howard late in that game. Oregon won at the line of scrimmage, for the most part, in that game.

Dillon Gabriel also stepped up and played one of his best games in a long time. He left some meat on the bone, too. There were a couple of throws he could’ve made that he just missed on. He really hurt Ohio State on downfield passes, completing all four passes he threw over 20 yards down the field for 177 yards.

My suspicion with Dan Lanning looks correct, as well. I’ve said for a bit that if I could buy stock in any young coach in America, it’d be Lanning. Not only has he built a tremendous roster, but he’s a great outside-the-box thinker. He proved that on the play where Oregon intentionally had 12 players on the field, taking advantage of a loophole in the rule book. 

2. Ohio State (5-1)

Even with the loss, I think we can all say that Ohio State nearly won a tight football game in an incredibly tough environment. There are things Ohio State needs to clean up, but it can look at that game and think, “Let’s go back to the drawing board, fix the things that didn’t work, and we’ll be fine.”

Howard played pretty great in that game. Now, you can argue that he didn’t because he made mistakes on key plays late in that game. But outside of those few plays, Howard played really well.

Ohio State’s defense has to be fixed, though. The structure wasn’t right in the run game and it played man coverage on the outside while failing to get to the quarterback. That was the biggest issue. This team needs to find ways to get pressure on the quarterback. There were too many straight four-man rushes and those guys didn’t win those one-on-one situations. As a result, Ohio State didn’t have a sack. This has happened too often for Ohio State in some of its biggest games lately.

3. Penn State (6-0)

That was a huge win for James Franklin and Penn State at USC on Saturday. I understand that the Trojans‘ record is 3-3, but I don’t think that reflects the quality nature of their team. Remember how the last two seasons have gone for the Nittany Lions. They lost their biggest matchups over the last two years. Penn State doesn’t have Michigan and Oregon on its schedule, so the game at USC was a big hurdle.

That was also a huge game for quarterback Drew Allar. If Penn State lost to USC, Allar was going to be the goat (not the good kind) because of the three interceptions. So, when he’s able to put that behind him and lead Penn State to a 14-point comeback win, that is a huge hurdle to get over. 

You can see the rest of the roster coming along. We know the Nittany Lions can run the football. Their defense might not be as great as it was the last two years, but it’s still a very solid unit. A couple of threats in the passing game have also emerged. Wide receiver Julian Fleming had a pair of big catches on fourth downs in that game, while tight end Tyler Warren had 17 receptions. 

4. Indiana (6-0)

This is where it gets interesting. I think everyone would have the same top three teams in the Big Ten. Curt Cignetti has done a tremendous job at Indiana, turning around this program in an instant. Indiana is No. 2 in scoring in the nation (47.5 points per game). Cignetti beautifully worked the transfer portal, bringing in 27 players with nine of the 13 players that followed him from James Madison starting for this team. The philosophy that he uses is very simple: Go after players who have a ton of experience on winning programs and have a chip on his shoulder. 

That three-prong criteria helped Indiana land quarterback Kurtis Rourke. He’s been sensational for the Hoosiers, ranking second in passing yards and completion percentage in the Big Ten. Rourke also has a good set of receivers to throw to and running backs to play with, as there are JMU transfers at each position. Indiana’s offensive line is also playing better as a group than any of its individual players. 

5. USC (3-3)

There were seven teams I considered for this spot. Any of those seven teams could beat the other any given Saturday, so I went with my gut and put USC here. 

I know USC’s placement at No. 5 might make some upset, but this team is far better than their record and is only three or four snaps away from being undefeated. They also have a win over a top-10 LSU team. They have led by at least seven points in each of their three losses. It really is right there. 

I look at the teams that aren’t in the top five and thought each could easily lose to USC. Now, two of them actually beat USC (Michigan and Minnesota), but I took that list of seven teams and boiled it down to four teams. The other three I thought about putting here were Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. Any one of those teams could be at No. 5, and I like a lot of things those teams do.

1. Texas (6-0)

I feel like this was pretty easy. No one has tested Texas, which has the No. 1 offense and defense in the country. You could argue that its defensive numbers are inflated, but I think that unit is really good. 

When you watch Texas’ tape, you sense that this is certainly one of the best teams in the country, if not the best. The Longhorns have a great offense with a really good offensive line, too. They looked so dominant in the final three quarters of the Oklahoma game. 

2. Georgia (5-1)

Overall, I still love Georgia, particularly quarterback Carson Beck’s experience. But I have a couple of concerns. The Bulldogs haven’t been able to run the football effectively. They have rushed the ball for fewer than 4 yards per carry in half of their games. So, Georgia has been relying on the passing game a bit more, but it doesn’t have the talent it’s had for pass catchers in recent years.  

Georgia is going to need to run the football better in order to slow down a pass rush or create easier opportunities for Beck. 

3. LSU (5-1)

This starts to get hard to rank around No. 3. I really like what quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has done, making big plays in the Ole Miss game on Saturday. Some of the throws he made in that game were tremendous. LSU has been on a roll since it lost to USC in the season opener. Now, LSU might have a pretty clear path to the SEC Championship Game as I think the winner of its matchup with Texas A&M might determine one of those spots. I know LSU has Alabama on its schedule, but I don’t think the Crimson Tide will make it through the rest of the season unscathed. 

4. Alabama (5-1)

Alabama’s offense is clearly explosive, but the things I’ve said about its secondary remain true. If Alabama’s offense struggles, it’ll be in a dogfight. If Alabama is going up against a really good team, the offense will need to outscore them. The defense just hasn’t been existent. This team has major issues with its structure and ability to cover down the field. They are allowing too many explosive plays. 

Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams still present a major problem for all of their opponents, though.

5. Texas A&M (5-1)

I really love what I saw from Texas A&M in its blowout win over Missouri. I know I’ve said Missouri is overrated, but Texas A&M throttled the Tigers and has gotten better each game. Coach Mike Elko is an Aggie through and through, giving Texas A&M what it needs from a head coach. Collin Klein is a hell of an offensive coordinator. There was a lot of dirt thrown on Texas A&M after its Week 1 loss, but it keeps improving with quarterback Conner Weigman back in the fold. 

1. Iowa State (6-0)

I really love Matt Campbell. The Iowa State job requires him to go through peaks and valleys, forcing him to develop players and getting veteran players for the peak seasons. Iowa State is 6-0 for the first time since 1938. I really like how Rocco Becht is playing at quarterback. Receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are really tearing it up on the outside. Its defense is also fifth in the nation in scoring. 

2. BYU (6-0)

I bounced back and forth putting BYU at No. 1 or No. 2. I trust Iowa State’s offense just a touch more, but BYU’s 6-0 start isn’t a fluke. Its defense is opportunistic, coming up with timely turnovers and leading the conference in yards per play allowed. Defensive end Tyler Batty is a hell of a player. Its offense might need help in big games (it’s third in the conference in scoring but 14th in yards), but it gets that from its defense.

3. Kansas State (5-1)

DJ Giddens is a rugged running back, just ask Colorado. He’s running it well and has over 200 scrimmage yards in the last two games. Chris Klieman does a great job with this team, situationally. I love this team’s approach and play style. It retained the identity that it built when Bill Snyder was the head coach and I love that.

4. Colorado (4-2)

There are a bunch of teams you can put here. Colorado had a great chance to beat Kansas State while shorthanded on Saturday. That would’ve been a monumental win for Deion Sanders. It had a four-point lead late without Travis Hunter and others. There were some things Colorado did late in that game that I didn’t agree with, but those can be cleaned up. Hunter is coming back this weekend, which obviously helps.

5. Texas Tech (5-1)

I thought about Arizona State here, but ultimately put Texas Tech here. Its offense runs through Tahj Brooks, who’s third in the nation in rushing yards per game (136). Joey McGuire has done a tremendous job with this program, which is 4-0 in one-score games this season. That’s actually kind of why I’m a bit skeptical of Texas Tech compared to the other top teams in the conference. 

1. Clemson (5-1)

If you actually watch the games from the last couple of weeks, it jumps off the tape: Clemson is the best team in the ACC. Its offense has been tremendous and has responded well since the loss to Georgia. You have to give Dabo Swinney a lot of credit. We all talked about his demise for not hitting the transfer portal, but he’s retained a lot of great talent. The most important part about college football now is about the players you keep rather than the ones you get. 

2. Miami (Fla.) (6-0)

You still have to honor that the Hurricanes are undefeated and have the best player in the conference in Cam Ward. He’s playing out of his mind. The defense is not. Ward is averaging 397 total yards per game, the best in the nation, with 23 total touchdowns. But he’s had to put a cape on his back in the last two games, leading Miami to comeback wins over Virginia Tech and Cal. So, there are some things that are worrisome.

3. SMU (5-1)

It’s tough to separate a bunch of these teams, but SMU made a quarterback change early in the year as Kevin Jennings has sparked an incredible amount of energy for this team. He’s averaging 394 total yards per game and is 3-0 as a starter, improving each week. He plays really well and is a traditional dual-threat quarterback. I really like SMU. 

4. Pitt (6-0)

Similar to Texas Tech, Pitt has been winning close games. It’s playing with fire as it’s 3-0 in close games. But quarterback Eli Holstein has played pretty well for most of the season, throwing for at least three touchdowns in five of Pitt’s first six games. It seems like it’s going to take a very good effort to beat this team.

5. Syracuse (5-1)

This is a belief in the quarterback ranking. Kyle McCord and head coach Fran Brown deserve credit as McCord is second in the nation in passing yards per game (360). Syracuse has impressive wins over Georgia Tech and UNLV. It has one of the easier schedules in the sport, but it’s done well with it.

Group of 5 and Independents

1. Notre Dame (5-1)

This is pretty obvious. However, Notre Dame is getting crushed by injuries, and it has some tough games down the stretch against USC, Navy and Army. Preseason All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison just went down for the season. That’s tough. We’ll see what depth Notre Dame has, but Texas A&M’s winning has really helped out the Fighting Irish.

2. Boise State (5-1)

Ashton Jeanty is still playing great football. He’s still rushing for over 200 yards per game. As for the team, Boise State’s résumé is looking really good with a blowout win over Washington State and a close loss to Oregon. 

3. Washington State (5-1)

The Cougars have also built up a solid résumé, getting wins over Texas Tech and Washington. However, Washington State lost to Boise State, so it sits a spot behind. John Mateer is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, averaging 350 total yards per game (fourth-most in the nation). 

4. Army (6-0)

Army hasn’t played a tough schedule, but it’s won every game by at least 17 points. It’s winning with its defense, allowing less than 10 points per game (second-best mark in the nation). Sure, it’s shortening the game with its offensive playstyle. However, quarterback Bryson Daily is rushing for over 120 yards per game, which is really effective.

5. Navy (6-0)

Navy, meanwhile, is winning with its offense. This team has scored at least 34 points per game and is fifth in the nation in scoring. The Midshipmen are throwing the ball a bit more than you’d think, too, averaging almost 170 passing yards per game. So, it’s not your traditional option team. 

If I had to wager it, I think Army and Navy will meet in the AAC Championship Game, which means that we’d get back-to-back weeks of Army-Navy. It also means that one of the teams could be in the College Football Playoff.

Joel Klatt is FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.

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