Brian’s College Football Top 5: Week 7

Photo by Michael Caterina

This week, Ohio State plays Penn State.

It’s a big game, and it’s very good news.

Because the past two weeks, we had very high stakes games between Oklahoma and Texas and Washington and Oregon, and neither disappointed at all.

So let’s just dive into it.

5. Washington Huskies

This may be low for the Huskies.

After all, they beat their main rivals on a comeback win while Michael Penix Jr. was clearly dealing with an injury and with a makeshift offensive line.

But the Huskies were already highly acclaimed going into this week.

All this game did was confirm the priors.

But boy, they confirmed them in a big way.

4. Air Force Falcons

Air Force is 6-0!

And not a weak 6-0 for the Mountain West, mind you.

They’ve absolutely dominated everyone they’ve played except for this weak when they got a close win over Wyoming, but this Wyoming team was 5-1 and looked to be favorites in the Mountain West.

Air Force is really, really good!

3. Stanford Cardinal

Stanford has gone through some really, really tough times in football.

And when they were down 29-0 to Colorado, it looked like those tough times were just going to continue.

But one thing I always look for in year 1 of a coach is some sort of sign. A sign that something is on the right path.

How does a 29 point comeback win on the road over Colorado sound as a sign that something is on the right path?

Because that’s the 2nd win of the Troy Taylor era in Stanford was.

There’s still a long, long way for them to go, but that’s a great sign going forward.

2. Pittsburgh Panthers

Ranked opponent.

In Pitt.

In the rain.

With a backup QB making his first start.

Airing on the CW.

The Pitt upset over Louisville was easy to spot from 5 miles away.

But that doesn’t make it any less impressive.

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

If you had told me Saturday morning that Notre Dame would beat USC, I would not have doubted you for a second.

After all, the Irish have great backs and a solid QB in Sam Hartman, and USC has a defense incapable of stopping a limbless turtle.

So it happened. Notre Dame beat USC, and beat them easily.

But not the way anyone expected.

Notre Dame’s defense made reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams play an absolutely dreadful game, forcing him into 4 turnovers that the Irish continuously capitalized on.

Beating USC by outscoring them isn’t surprising in the slightest.

Beating USC by stifling their offense and making them look completely outclassed?

Well done, Marcus Freeman.

Well done.