USC, Penn State move into Joel Klatt’s Top 10 Rankings

Week 11 of the college football season featured plenty of upsets, but at the end of the day, the top teams have cemented themselves as the cream of the crop.

Georgia put together another dominant performance in a commanding victory over Mississippi State, while Ohio State and Michigan both took care of business at home Saturday.

FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt kept the Bulldogs, Buckeyes and Wolverines at the top of his top 10 list, but there are plenty of shakeups after that.

Here are Klatt’s updated rankings after Week 11.

1. Georgia (Previous ranking: 1)

Week 11 result: Defeated Mississippi State, 45-19

Why they’re ranked here: Georgia followed up an impressive win over then-No. 1 Tennessee last week with a dominant showing against a solid Mississippi State team Saturday. Stetson Bennett continues to put up massive numbers at quarterback, throwing for 289 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground. With the victory, the East Division champion Bulldogs secured a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

Key stat: Georgia has double-digit wins for the fifth time in Kirby Smart’s seven seasons and the 27th in school history.

What’s next? The Bulldogs will travel to Lexington to battle Kentucky in an SEC showdown (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET).

2. Ohio State (Previous ranking: 3)

Week 11 result: Defeated Indiana, 56-14

Why they’re ranked here: One week after an ugly 21-point performance against Northwestern, Ohio State’s offense looked unstoppable in a dominant 56-14 victory over Indiana. C.J. Stroud threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns, while Miyan Williams rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown before leaving with an injury late in the first half. If Ohio State can take care of Maryland next Saturday and rival Michigan can get by Illinois, all eyes will be on what should be an epic rivalry showdown between the Buckeyes and Wolverines.

Key stat: With his five TD passes Saturday, Stroud became the first QB in Big Ten history to throw 30 passing touchdowns in consecutive seasons. 

What’s next? The Buckeyes will travel to Maryland to play the unranked Terrapins in Week 12 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET).

3. Michigan (Previous ranking: 2)

Week 11 result: Defeated Nebraska, 34-3

Why they’re ranked here: With the win over Nebraska, Michigan has notched its first 10-0 start since 2006. The Wolverines are getting it done with a balanced offense and a defense that is among the best in the nation. Jim Harbaugh’s team has held nine of its 10 opponents to 17 points or fewer. Meanwhile, Blake Corum continues to build his Heisman campaign, as he racked up 162 yards and a touchdown in the victory over Nebraska.

Key stat: Corum has rushed for 100-plus yards and a touchdown in seven straight games.

What’s next? The Wolverines are set to host No. 21 Illinois in Week 12 (Saturday, noon ET).

4. TCU (Previous ranking: 4)

Week 11 result: Defeated Texas, 17-10

Why they’re ranked here: TCU’s magical ride continues as the Horned Frogs escaped Austin with a 17-10 win over the Longhorns on Saturday. Kendre Miller rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown and TCU bottled up the Longhorns’ high-powered offense from start to finish. The Horned Frogs held Texas running back Bijan Robinson to a season-low 29 yards, while holding Texas to just 199 yards of total offense. With the win, TCU clinched a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Key stat: Sonny Dykes is the first Big 12 coach ever to begin with a 10-0 record in his first season.

What’s next? The Horned Frogs (10-0) will take on in-state foe Baylor in Week 12 (Saturday, noon ET).

5. Tennessee (Previous ranking: 5)

Week 11 result: Defeated Missouri, 66-24

Why they’re ranked here: Tennessee bounced back from its first loss of the season to Georgia last week by setting a school record with 724 total yards of offense in a dominant performance against Missouri. Hendon Hooker threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score as the Vols appear to have their swagger back heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Josh Heupel’s group should remain in the mix for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Key stat: Hooker became the first Tennessee QB with 350 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in a game since Tyler Bray in 2011.

What’s next? The Volunteers travel to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks in Week 12 (Saturday, 7 p.m.).

6. LSU (Previous ranking: 7)

Week 11 result: Defeated Arkansas, 13-10

Why they’re ranked here: The Tigers followed up a memorable win over Alabama last weekend with a hard-fought 13-10 road victory over Arkansas on Saturday. LSU freshman linebacker Harold Perkins was the star, finishing with two forced fumbles, four sacks and eight tackles. LSU can clinch the SEC West and a spot in the SEC Championship with a victory in the season finale in two weeks against Texas A&M.

Key stat: Perkins became the first Power 5 player since Ohio State’s Chase Young in 2019 with four sacks and two forced fumbles in a game.

What’s next? The Tigers will host UAB in Week 12 (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET)

7. Alabama (Previous ranking: 8)

Week 11 result: Defeated Ole Miss, 30-24

Why they’re ranked here: After a disappointing loss to LSU last weekend, Nick Saban’s team earned an impressive road victory over a top-10 Ole Miss team Saturday. Bryce Young led the way again for Alabama, throwing for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Alabama could earn a share of the SEC West title by defeating Auburn and a Texas A&M win over LSU, but the Tigers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for the berth in the conference championship game.

Key stat: Since 2007, when Saban took over, Alabama has compiled 57 road victories. That’s the most in the SEC over that time by six over Georgia (51).

What’s next? Alabama will play host to Austin Peay in a non-conference matchup in Week 12 (Saturday, noon ET).

8. USC (Previous ranking: NR)

Week 11 result: Defeated Colorado, 55-17

Why they’re ranked here: With an impressive 9-1 record and Caleb Williams looking like a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, it’s time to give Lincoln Riley’s team some credit. This is one of the best offenses in the country, averaging over 42 points and 424 yards per game. Losing standout running back Travis Dye to a season-ending injury hurts, but this passing attack is outstanding.

Key stat: USC has scored 40 or more points in four consecutive games in a single season for the first time since scoring 40 or more in seven-straight games during the 2003 season.

What’s next? The Trojans will take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Week 12 (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, FOX).

9. Penn State (Previous ranking: NR)

Week 11 result: Defeated Maryland, 30-0

Why they’re ranked here: James Franklin’s team is 8-2 with their losses coming against two of the top-three teams in the nation: Michigan and Ohio State. Outside those two games, Penn State is outscoring its opponents by an average of 27 points per game. Freshman Nick Singleton continues to shine in the backfield, rushing for 122 yards and two scores in the team’s 30-0 win over Maryland on Saturday. This talented group has been really good on both sides of the ball.

Key stat: Penn State surpassed 200 rushing yards in a game for the 37th time since 2014, tallying 249 yards. The Nittany Lions are 32-5 in those games.

What’s next? The Nittany Lions will travel to Rutgers to take on the Scarlet Knights in Week 12 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.).

10. Utah (Previous ranking: 10)

Week 11 result: Defeated Stanford, 42-7

Why they’re ranked here: The Utes are one of five Pac-12 teams with at least eight wins heading into Week 12 of the season. They are getting it done with solid defense and an explosive offense, led by QB Cam Rising, who threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s 42-7 win over Stanford on Saturday. Utah has scored 30-plus points in nine of its 10 games this season.

Key stat: Utah has scored 40-plus points in five games this season. It is the fifth time since 2000 that the team has hit the 40-point mark in five-plus games in a season (2004, ’08, ’18, ’21, ’22). 

What’s next? Utah will travel to Oregon to battle the Ducks in Week 12 (Saturday, 10:30 p.m.).