College Football Conference Power Rankings: Pac-12 tops SEC, Mountain West stands out among Group of Five

As we achieve the overall weekend of September, the full strengths and weaknesses of the ten FBS meetings is starting to come into focal point. Major out-of-conference wins by way of groups out of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 have ruled the headlines right through the primary month of the 2023 season, which has tightened up the distance between the SEC and everyone else. 

In reality, one convention has had sufficient luck that it has knocked the SEC off of the highest step of the rostrum. That’s proper, the SEC is not the most efficient convention top-to-bottom within the nation at the moment. Sure, the league boasts two-time reigning nationwide champion Georgia, however there are flaws far and wide within the southeastern footprint of the rustic. 

The Group of Five has been very attention-grabbing this 12 months as neatly. The upward thrust of Mountain West energy Fresno State has been one of the extra under-appreciated storylines of the season, wihle Air Force’s protection has been lighting fixtures out all season lengthy. The AAC is led by way of Tulane for the second one directly season, whilst Memphis has increased itself into rivalry for a New Year’s Six bowl berth.

So, let’s spoil down how the meetings rank via 4 weeks of the 2023 common season.

1. Pac-12

In its ultimate season of lifestyles as we are aware of it, the Pac-12 has confirmed to be an absolute monster. Washington, in the back of Heisman Trophy contender Michael Penix Jr at quarterback, has increased itself the entire technique to No. 2 within the CBS Sports 133. The Pac-12 landed 5 groups within the height 15 of our complete FBS scores: Oregon at No. 7, USC at No. 9, Utah at No. 12 and Washington State at No. 15. One-third of the highest 15 groups within the nation are living out west, and what is maximum spectacular is that those groups are doing it on all sides of the ball. Four of the highest 5 scoring offenses are within the Pac-12 (USC, Oregon, Washington and Washington State), whilst 3 are within the height 11 nationally in overall protection (UCLA, Utah and Oregon). Is the Pac-12’s dominance sustainable? That is still observed, however the first month of the season has been extraordinary for a convention this is within the midst of unpleasant divorce court cases.

2. SEC

The SEC has no longer gave the impression of its standard self this season — a minimum of no longer but. However, No. 1 Georgia appears each bit just like the monster that it was once right through the former two seasons except for for the truth that it has struggled early in each and every of its 4 video games this 12 months. There are flaws with the contenders outdoor of Athens, Georgia. LSU already has a loss to an ACC energy (Florida State), Alabama dropped a sport to Texas out of the Big 12 and Florida was once ruled in Week 1 by way of reigning Pac-12 champion Utah. Granted, there were some giant out-of-conference wins for mid- and lower-tier groups out of the SEC, however the convention is far more height heavy than it’s been in customary years, or even the ones “top” groups are not as robust as they will have to be.

3. Big Ten

The height 3 groups within the Big Ten are true College Football Playoff contenders. Ohio State simply crowned Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, in a fight of two CFP-caliber groups, Michigan is rock forged in all 3 levels and Penn State is as whole as any group within the nation. The round-robin fight among the ones 3 groups goes to be attention-grabbing as we creep nearer to Selection Sunday. However, the remaining of the convention is having a look beautiful tough. Wisconsin misplaced to a Pac-12 contender in Washington State, Iowa can not rating and there aren’t any signature wins any place outdoor of the “Big Three.”

4. ACC

Florida State’s season-opening win over LSU is one of the most important of the season and has set the Seminoles up for a possible CFP run. The convention has 4 groups within the CBS Sports 133, together with upstart Duke, which chimed in at No. 13 within the up to date version. North Carolina and Miami had been sturdy and are at the fringe of the CFP race, which no doubt is helping the ACC’s case. However, Boston College, Virginia Tech and Virginia had been brutal this season, bogging down the convention as an entire.

5. Big 12

Texas has a signature win over Alabama, which may well be the most efficient win any group has this season. The Longhorns are as whole as any group within the country and feature an offense that would develop into a good larger monster because the season continues. However, there are not every other giant wins by way of every other group within the convention. Oklahoma has progressed in a large approach, alternatively, rising as a perimeter CFP contender during the first 4 weeks of the season. Kansas is undefeated and ranked No. 25 within the CBS Sports 133, however the ones 3 are not precisely related to the highest 3 groups boasted by way of the opposite Power Five meetings. 

6. Mountain West

If you have not watched Fresno State this 12 months, you might be doing a large disservice to your self. The Bulldogs are the highest-ranked Group of Five group within the CBS Sports 133 and are extra whole than relatively a couple of Power Five groups. Air Force is ranked fifteenth within the country in scoring protection (12.8 issues consistent with sport) and 2nd in overall protection (223.0 yards pre sport). Boise State is not as sturdy as it’s been in 12 months’s previous however seems to have righted the send after losses to Washington and UCF to open the season. Group of Five meetings want to be judged extra on its easiest groups since, for probably the most section, the ground halves of each and every are going to be beautiful tough. 

7. AAC

Much just like the Mountain West, the AAC has some robust groups on the height. Tulane is ranked No. 33 in the latest CBS Sports 133 and performed Ole Miss very sturdy regardless of lacking beginning quarterback Michael Pratt. Memphis jumped out to a 3-0 get started — granted, most commonly on cupcakes — sooner than dropping to undefeated Missouri by way of a landing. However, the highest finish of the convention is not as sturdy because the Mountain West this season. Every different group within the convention has a minimum of two losses, which does not assist the AAC’s resume.

8. Sun Belt

There are 3 undefeated Sun Belt groups heading into Week 5 (Georgia State, James Madison and Marshall), and Texas State’s win at Baylor in Week 1 boosted the popularity of the league regardless of the Bears’ struggles this season. Thirteen of the convention’s 14 groups have a minimum of two wins with the lone outlier being the 1-3 Southern Miss Golden Eagles. We’ll see if the ones undefeated groups can stick with it, however the again finish of the convention is far better than the MAC and Conference USA, which is extra vital when judging Group of Five groups than it’s when comparing Power Five groups.

9. Conference USA

Liberty is 4-0 and boasts an amazing trainer in Jamey Chadwell who has picked up proper the place Hugh Freeze left off. The Flames have scored 33 or extra issues in all 4 of their wins, which come with two wins in opposition to groups from the MAC (Bowling Green and Buffalo). Every group rather than Jacksonville State has a minimum of two losses and Sam Houston handiest has a complete of 10 issues in 3 video games. Other than the Bearkats, the ground of Conference in USA is rather higher than the MAC … for now.

10. MAC

The height two groups within the MAC — Ohio and Toledo — are beautiful sturdy. The Bobcats rank fourth nationally in overall protection (237.2 yards consistent with sport) and are tied for 7th in scoring protection (10.8 issues consistent with sport). Conversely, the Rockets are eleventh in scoring offense (42.3 issues consistent with sport) and took Illinois to the threshold in Week 1. Miami (Ohio) is beautiful forged, however six of the 8 worst groups within the nation hail from the MAC within the CBS Sports 133. The MAC is much too backside heavy to be any place rather than the cellar.