College Football is over for the month of September, which means it is time for PIGSKIN PAUL’s initial Top 25 rankings. This is my ranking list to reward teams that have gotten off to a fast start and posted all victories for one month. No doubt some of these programs have been beating up on weak sister teams or had more than their share of luck. By the time I publish 1.1 late in October, some will have dropped out off the list not to be heard from again this year. And 1-Loss teams like USC, ALABAMA & WISCONSIN are likely to rise up the charts.
1) L.S.U. 3-0 The Mad Hatter lost a ton of talent to graduation and the NFL, but he and his staff are not afraid to play young guys who are talented.
2) UCLA 4-0 JIM MORA has resurrected the UCLA program and stocked his roster with talent. They have had some serious injuries to the D already and may be hard pressed to continue on unbeaten, however.
3) T.C.U. 4-0 The Horned Frogs aren’t burying people but they are so dynamic under Heisman candidate QB TREVONE BOYKIN on Offense. AND HC GARY PATTERSON will get his D to improve as the season progresses.
4) NOTRE DAME 4-0 BRIAN KELLY has the talent to get to the Play-Offs but the injuries are mounting already. The schedule is daunting and QB/MALIK ZAIRE is gone for the duration.
5) MICHIGAN STATE 4-0 MARK DANTONIO runs the most solid vanilla program in the country and has quietly assembled great talent. His D will carry this team, but QB/CONNOR COOK can win a couple himself, adding chocolate to the flavor list.
6) TEXAS A&M 4-0 They have already won some big games, but the schedule has several more tests like OLE MISS, ALABAMA & LSU. Whoever said the SEC was easy?! Can the D improve under new DC JOHN CHAVIS?
7) OHIO STATE 4-0 On paper the BUCKEYES have what it takes to repeat as national champs, but they are not cooking just yet. Playing Michigan/Michigan State in November will test their mettle.
8) GEORGIA 4-0 The BULLDOGS have an easy schedule by SEC standards, but play ALABAMA this coming weekend. QB is their soft spot, running their strength.
9) UTAH 4-0 The Utes have two impressive wins in the early season but CAL, USC & UCLA are all left to play. Expect them to drop about 10 spots eventually.
10) CLEMSON 3-0 The talent is deep and they have had 3 soft games to sort through 8 new starters on D. They host Notre Dame this week, then FSU in early November.
11) OLE MISS 4-0
12) BAYLOR 3-0
13) OKLAHOMA STATE 4-0
14) CALIFORNIA 3-0
15) OKLAHOMA 3-0
16) FLORIDA STATE 3-0
17) FLORIDA 4-0
18) NORTHWESTERN 4-0
19) WEST VIRGINIA 3-0
20) TOLEDO 4-0
21) N.C. STATE 4-0
22) MIAMI (F) 3-0
23) KANSAS STATE 3-0
24) IOWA 4-0
25T) MEMPHIS 4-0
25T) INDIANA 4-0
25T) NAVY 3-0
25T) HOUSTON 3-0
25T) TEMPLE 3-0
