2024 SID Sports Week 14 Rankings

Breaking down the Top 25 and players of the week after Week 13

Author’s Note: Programming here is going to be slightly different with Thanksgiving this week. Rankings today, Bracketology tomorrow and UEC on Wednesday are all coming. We’ll take Thursday off and Friday will be a rivalry week edition of Games of the Slot! Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Well that sure was something, wasn’t it?

We’re really starting to approach 2007 levels of chaos and, because of the 12-team Playoff, every single one of those upsets upends the playoff picture. But right now, we don’t care about the playoff picture. That’s for tomorrow. Instead, let’s break down who’s just the best. With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s time to get those dinner table arguments ready to go.

So let’s get into it. Who’s the Top 25 teams in the nation right now?

SID Sports Week 14 Top 25

1. Oregon 11-0 LW: 1
   All the Ducks have done is win, and you can’t fault them for that. In fact, Oregon is now the nation’s last standing unbeaten team. It’s only right that they take our top spot. Don’t overlook a rivalry game against Washington this weekend, though. Sure, the Huskies aren’t the same team as they were under Kalen DeBoer, but Dan Lanning has never beaten Washington since taking over in Eugene.

2. Ohio State 10-1 LW: 2
   That, dear readers, is why you pay a defensive coordinator as much as Ohio State is paying Jim Knowles. I skeeted (that’s what the cool kids call posting on Bluesky. Or, at least, that’s what I was told) about this during the Ohio State-Indiana game, but Jim Knowles had all the answers in the top five matchup. Will Howard also balled out and Ohio State dominated the entire game after a strong Indiana first drive.

   

   Follow me on Bluesky!

3. Notre Dame 10-1 LW: 9
   The whole Army thing was fun, but there was no way they were going to beat Notre Dame if we’re being honest with ourselves. As always, the Irish’s defense were stifling. Sure, Bryson Daily did his thing, but Army couldn’t get over 250 total yards. Notre Dame’s offense had one of their statistically best games with Riley Leonard and Jeremiyah Love showing off. I get the postseason Notre Dame rap sheet, but I get the feeling this team is different than before.

4. Penn State 10-1 LW: 10
   It’s time to right a wrong and move the Nittany Lions up where they belong. Despite a scare to Minnesota, a win is a win. Penn State won an ugly one, which, as I’ve been harping on all season, good teams do. Drew Allar played well despi9te little to no production from Kaytron Allen. It helps that Nick Singleton played well, though. The defense didn’t have their best outing, but forcing two turnovers from the usually ball-protective Max Brosmer was the main difference in this game.

5. Indiana 10-1 LW: 3
   So WIndiana really dropped the ball, huh? There were too many special teams blunders to beat most teams, let alone Ohio State. The yardage totals are a bit deceiving as Ohio State’s front seven lived with Kurtis Rourke in the backfield all day. Indiana had success running the ball with both Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison, but with Rourke having no chance to do anything, the Hoosiers fell. Still, a loss to Ohio State isn’t the worst one to have on a playoff resume.

6. Texas 10-1 LW: 4
   Remember when Kentucky’s defense was getting hype after shutting down Ole Miss and Georgia? Texas sure doesn’t because the Longhorns absolutely rolled past the Wildcats. Looking forward, I was really impressed with how Texas seemed to win up front this game. Sure, Kentucky is 4-7 on the season, but they’re a physical team built in the trenches that gave other SEC contenders trouble. Good win for Texas.

7. SMU 10-1 LW: 5
   The Mustangs are rolling onto the ACC title game! Despite recent efforts from Virginia to be a competitive team, they couldn’t hang with SMU at home. The Mustangs dominated to the tune of 33-7 and a 434-173 yardage disparity. We’ve talked a lot about how much I like the SMU offense, but their defense has really come around in recent weeks. Sure, they’re not the recently recognizable brand, but the Ponies are legit contenders here.

8. Miami 10-1 LW: 13
   Aside from a confusing slip up against Georgia Tech, all the Canes have done is win. There’s been a few close calls, but who this season hasn’t had any close calls? Metric-wise, the Canes have the nation’s best offense led by Cam Ward, who should get an invitation to the Heisman ceremony and a few down-ballot votes. As long as Miami’s defense can keep up, which they have through most of this season, the Canes will be a tough out.

9. Georgia 9-2 LW: 8
   So, uh, here come the Dawgs. Yes, Georgia let UMass hang on a lot longer then they should’ve - and rack up more rushing yards than they had any business doing - but Carson Beck took care of the football and Georgia ran behind Nate Frazier to have a semblance of balance. Keen eyed readers might point out that Georgia dominated Texas, yet the Longhorns are ranked ahead? I hate to pull this card, but Texas just looks better. There was a stretch where Georgia was down and out, while Texas has looked like a contender in all but one game. That just so happened to come against the Dawgs. I welcome argument on this in the comments.

10. Boise State 10-1 LW: 11
    It was a scare for both the Broncos and Ashton Jeanty against Wyoming, but Boise State was able to stay on top. Jeanty has been battling injuries throughout Mountain West play and went to the medical tent in the second quarter, but returned just one drive later. With Jeanty getting limited carries and Maddux Madsen not having his best game, the Bronco offense took a step back against the Cowboy defense. Still, Boise’s defense only surrendered 13 points, which is good enough for a win against anyone.

11. Tennessee 9-2 LW: 12
    On one hand, a 56-0 drubbing of UTEP is what you’d expect. On the other, another slow Volunteer start has made this the theme of the season for the Vols. If they want to compete, they’ll need to get that figured out quick. If you spot an entire quarter to a playoff team, we’ll see a repeat of what Georgia did to Tennessee last week.

12. Arizona State 9-2 LW: 19
    It’s a huge jump for a surprising Sun Devil team that knocked off BYU to assert themselves in the Big 12 and Playoff races. Cam Skattebo was back in prime form, Sam Leavitt played within his means and Jordyn Tyson was a serious problem. The chuck-a-ball instead of a kneel was an interesting decision by Kenny Dillingham, but it worked out for Arizona State. Right now, they hold a spot in the Big 12 title game, which should be a de facto Playoff game in its own right.

13. Clemson 9-2 LW: 18
    Clemson did what they were supposed to against FCS The Citadel, so I won’t go into much there. The Tigers will turn their attention to perhaps the biggest Palmetto Bowl in recent history with playoff hopes on the line for both teams. Clemson has a very balanced offense that’s looked the part of a contender for most of the season but has disappeared in spots. If the offense shows up, the Tigers could battle their way into a playoff at-large bid.

14. Iowa State 9-2 LW: 22
    Man, last week really shook up the polls, didn’t it? Iowa State gets a big chaos-assisted leap after a narrow win over Utah. Still alive in the Big 12 race, Iowa State has playoff hopes, but will need their offense to stay hot and the defense to figure things out. Iowa State’s defense is their ticket to success and has faltered considerably in recent weeks. They need to get this together if they want to make a run.

15. Alabama 8-3 LW: 6
    I didn’t have Oklahoma knee-capping Alabama with a lead pipe on my bingo card, but here we are. The Sooner defense and Jackson Arnold picked the end of the season to show up and Alabama clearly didn’t expect that. Jalen Milroe was ineffective, tossing three picks and finishing with only seven rushing yards. With how suspect the Alabama rushing attack has been when Milroe’s off his game, there was nothing else the Tide could do. Also, how did Alabama’s defense give up a combined 238 yards to Jackson Arnold and Xavier Robinson? That was a death kneel to Alabama’s playoff hopes.

16. Ole Miss 8-3 LW: 7
    Billy Napier claims another victim. Jaxson Dart did his best to avoid turnovers this season, but the final drive showed the Dart of old as he threw what could have been a pick on three straight passes, the last one actually being intercepted, with the game on the line. Pair that with a 3-for-14 performance from the Rebels on third downs while allowing Florida to convert 7-of-15 and you get the end of Ole Miss’s playoff hopes.

17. South Carolina 8-3 LW: 21
    Granted it was against Wofford, but South Carolina was stellar. LaNorris Sellers continues to prove he’s one of the nation’s most underrated quarterbacks with a 22-for-27, 307 yard and three touchdown day while adding 53 yards and a score on 13 carries. Five Gamecocks found the endzone on the ground. This is a sneaky team that honestly has the SEC’s best three-loss playoff hopes.

18. BYU 9-2 LW: 14
    When you’re a defense first team and the defense fails, bad things happen. That’s what happened this weekend in Tempe as Cam Skattebo had his way with the BYU defense in the first half and the Cougars were unable to claw their way back. Jake Retzlaff continues to get caught by the turnover bug, tossing two picks this week. Technically, the Cougars are still in the Big 12 race, but things just got a lot more complicated.

19. Tulane 9-2 LW: 20
    The Green Wave are now officially the likely conference champion most on the outside. They’ll close the season against a solid Memphis team that, while not ranked, may move the needle for Tulane. Jon Sumrall’s done an amazing job in his first year in New Orleans, keeping the Green Wave’s great offense humming and installing the elite-level defense I expect from him. They’ve been dominating the American this season and will be dangerous going forward.

20. UNLV 9-2 LW: 24
    The Running Rebels overcame a 16-point second quarter from San Jose State’s potent offense to notch a 27-16 victory and assert themselves in the Mountain West. Most impressive is that Barry Odom’s UNLV defense shut down the spread and shred, holding SJSU quarterback Walker Eget to a horrid 4-for-22 day with only 81 passing yards and held the nation’s most productive receiver, Nick Nash, to just one catch for nine yards. The scoreline makes this game look much closer than it was, especially when you see that UNLV dominated the time of possession battle (40:42 to 19:18) and yardage battle (388 to 114).

21. Illinois 8-3 LW: 23
    Illinois has done what you’d ask for a building team under Bret Bielema: win the winnable games. Aside from a slip up against a solid Minnesota team, the Illini have taken care of business with their only other losses coming to Penn State and Oregon. That’s not too bad. You hope they can pick up wins over upper-tier opponents next season, but there’s a lot to be happy about in Champaign.

22. Colorado 8-3 LW: 16
    Kansas claimed another victim. Sooner or later, the Buffaloes’ suspect defense was going to catch up to them and it turns out they couldn’t catch Devin Neal. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter had great games, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the Colorado roster. With Shedeur and Hunter likely off to the NFL, Colorado has a lot to figure out if they want to compete going forward.

23. Kansas State 8-3 LW: 25
    Now that’s what you expect from Kansas State. The Wildcats were unrelenting against Cincinnati, posting 281 rushing yards on 40 carries. D.J. Giddens was the star of the show with 143 yards on 15 carries with two scores, but Avery Johnson had perhaps his best game of the season with 147 passing yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and 72 yards and a score rushing. Kansas State’s defense had a bend but don’t break mentality that kept the Bearcats out of the endzone despite some solid yardage.

24. Texas A&M 8-3 LW: 15
    To be fair, I kind of called this being a tough game for the Aggies. Just read my blurb about it in last week’s Games of the Slot: “Texas A&M and Auburn is on this list for one reason and one reason only: Jordan-Hare at night is a terrifying place. Especially when Auburn is bad and Texas A&M is a top-15 team. Jordan-Hare has one last chance to absolutely ruin someone’s season.” Texas A&M got got looking ahead, and now their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.

25. Army 9-1 LW: 17
    What do you want me to say? I loved the Army story - I really did - but there was no saving the Black Knights in this one. Bryson Daily did his damnedest with 139 yards and two scores, but the Army defense had no help for him and the rest of his offense didn’t pitch in much either. One man wrecking crews generally don’t go well for teams in spots like Army was against Notre Dame. Just don’t let this take away from what should be the best Army-Navy Game in recent memory.

Next Five Out: LSU, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Florida, Jacksonville State

LSU rebounded well after a shocking loss to Florida to top Vanderbilt. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m seriously worried about the state of the Tiger program under Brian Kelly. Maybe we’ll talk more about that soon. Georgia Tech pulled off a great comeback without Haynes King healthy behind backup Aaron Philo. Even without the Yellow Jackets’ run game going, Philo did his job through the air to steal a win in an epic fourth quarter. Credit to the freshman because that was a tough spot. Syracuse is back to slinging the ball all over the yard with Kyle McCord getting to 470 yards passing. Their showdown against Miami and Cam Ward will be astounding. Does Florida really belong here? In all honesty, no, but I have to give Billy Napier’s team credit. They’ve denied the playoff hopes of both LSU and Ole Miss in recent weeks after Florida fans were calling for Napier’s head. D.J. Lagway is a legit stud brewing in The Swamp and I’m excited to see what they’ll do in 2025. Jacksonville State asserted themselves to clinch a Conference USA championship bid in their second year at the FBS level. 278 yards on the ground against a good CUSA defense like Sam Houston’s will be enough to do that.

Players of the Week

Finally, let’s get into some of the best individual performances of this week.

1. Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
   Devin Neal just had one of the best games this side of Ashton Jeanty that we’ve seen from a tailback this season. On the ground, Neal took 37 carries for 207 yards and three touchdowns against the Colorado defense. As if that wasn’t enough, he added four catches for 80 more yards and another touchdown. It’s hard to win when one guy is just taking over like that.

2. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
   But Hunter gave it his best effort. On the offensive end, he was Shedeur Sanders’ top target with eight catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. But Hunter plays both ways, so we can add seven tackles and a pass broken up as a corner to his docket.

3. Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State
   I will continue to say that Ohio State’s defense was the difference against Indiana and Simon was the start and end of that. Simon lived in the backfield with 10 total tackles, 2.5 sacks of Kurtis Rourke and he forced a fumble, albeit one recovered by the Hoosiers.

---

What I’m Reading:

Three-Point Stance by Tyler Schuster: Three-Point Stance is your favorite independent college football newsletter. Come for in-depth analysis and bold commentary, stay for the jokes and memes. An idea hatched after years of 12-hour days glued to the couch, Tyler Schuster puts his passion for the sport on full display, delivering big-picture ideas, weekly previews and gambling nuggets directly to your inbox.

An idea hatched after years of 12-hour days glued to the couch, Tyler Schuster puts his passion for the sport on full display, delivering big-picture ideas, weekly previews and gambling nuggets directly to your inbox.

Tailgators Setup

by Brian Lennon, John Crimella, and Gary McDaniel: I’ll be a little selfish on this one and plug a great college football podcast that I was lucky enough to appear on last week to talk UEC and SID Sports! Brian, John, Gary and I had some great conversations about the state of the sport, playoff races and picked some games this weekend. Be sure to tune into Tailgators' Setup podcast and subscribe for more great content from them!

Split Zone Duo by Alex Kirshner, Steven Godfrey, and Richard Johnson: You can't beat Alex, Richard and Godfrey. They're on the front lines breaking news and creating the best content in the game. I 100 percent recommend SZD for anyone into college football and Steven Godfrey hating your team. They’re mostly a podcast publication, but sometimes being able to listen to three well-informed guys talking about college football is what you need in your life.

---

Have any questions, ideas, article pitches, or information? With the new Substack features, you can directly message me! Hit the button below to send me a message, or reach out via email to sidsports23@gmail.com, or find us on your favorite social media platform like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Substack Notes and Bluesky.