TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 16: Jase McClellan #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after a 17-yard run in the second quarter against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Ranking 133 college football teams after Week 3: Where does Alabama really belong?

Chris Vannini
Sep. 18, 2023

Read the latest edition of our college football rankings for all 133 teams. 

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I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say Alabama’s 17-3 win at South Florida was the Crimson Tide’s worst performance in the Nick Saban era.

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Yes, the 2007 team went 7-6 and lost to Louisiana-Monroe, but that was before Saban had turned Alabama into Alabama, before the team was loaded with five-star players. The Tide are No. 1 in 247Sports’ Team Talent rankings. USF won one game last year, finished 131st in scoring defense and was playing its third game under a new coaching staff.

On Saturday, Alabama didn’t take the lead until late in the third quarter, and it was a one-score game until 33 seconds remained. That performance sees Alabama drop to No. 18 in this week’s Athletic 133. It’s the lowest ranking for Alabama since I began this exercise in 2017.

You could argue Alabama shouldn’t even be in the top 25 based on accomplishment. They have no notable wins and have struggled mightily in two of three games, after losing to Texas at home last week. We’ve never seen a Saban-coached Alabama play as poorly as they did Saturday. Only Alabama’s talent and history keeps the Tide from falling further. They’re an 11-point favorite against Ole Miss next week. We shall see.

A reminder, these rankings fluctuate early in the season until everyone has played someone of note. If you haven’t played anyone yet, you won’t move much. Teams that have a big win or a bad loss will move more. You can “drop” after a win or “move up” after a loss. It’ll settle in a few weeks.

Here is this week’s Athletic 133.

1-10

RankTeamRecordPrev
1
3-0
1
2
3-0
2
3
3-0
3
4
3-0
8
5
3-0
4
6
3-0
5
7
3-0
6
8
4-0
7
9
3-0
9
10
3-0
10

This might be the hardest No. 1 decision I’ve ever had. Georgia trailed South Carolina at halftime. Texas was tied with Wyoming in the fourth quarter. Florida State nearly lost to a Boston College team that barely beat an FCS team. Michigan and Ohio State haven’t played anyone. Washington has been the most dominant team in the country, but the quality of opponents like Boise State and Michigan State is yet to be seen.

I ultimately stuck with Georgia, Texas and Florida State as the top three after all struggled, with Georgia at the top based on the last two years. Washington jumps up to No. 4 after putting up 713 yards in a 41-7 win at Michigan State. Ohio State will finally get a test with Notre Dame this week. It’s possible Michigan will just keep floating around here until an October trip to Minnesota. Its schedule to that point is that bad, with Rutgers and Nebraska next up. I can’t put the Wolverines over top-level teams with notable wins. The Wolverines, who struggled with Bowling Green for a half, don’t get the same benefit of the doubt as Georgia. Utah’s win over Florida looks better after the Gators beat Tennessee.

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11-25

RankTeamRecordPrev
11
3-0
13
12
2-1
19
13
3-0
15
14
3-0
14
15
3-0
16
16
3-0
17
17
3-0
20
18
2-1
11
19
2-1
21
20
3-0
22
21
3-0
23
22
3-0
24
23
3-0
25
24
3-0
53
25
2-1
54

Not much change in this group. LSU’s 41-14 demolition of Mississippi State is the LSU team we expected entering the season; they jump up to No. 12. Alabama falls into this group after escaping USF. Missouri’s last-second win against Kansas State and Florida’s 29-16 win against Tennessee see the Tigers and Gators move into the top 25. North Carolina jumps Colorado after beating the Tar Heels beat Minnesota 31-13 and Colorado needed an overtime comeback against Colorado State. The Buffs have flaws that might be exposed against Oregon this week, but they’ve done their job thus far.

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Duke, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Clemson, Washington State, UCLA, Oklahoma and Miami all won their games with ease.

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26-50

RankTeamRecordPrev
26
2-1
18
27
2-1
27
28
3-0
28
29
2-1
12
30
3-0
29
31
3-0
30
32
2-1
31
33
3-0
33
34
2-1
34
35
3-0
35
36
3-0
36
37
2-1
38
38
3-0
40
39
3-0
65
40
3-0
43
41
3-0
66
42
2-1
26
43
2-1
32
44
1-2
37
45
2-1
45
46
2-1
47
47
3-0
62
48
2-1
39
49
2-1
41
50
1-2
50

Kansas State slips just out of the top 25 after the loss to Missouri. TCU has bounced back since its opening loss to Colorado and beat Houston 36-13. Tennessee falls out of the top 25 because its only wins are against FCS Austin Peay and 0-3 Virginia. Tulane’s opening win against South Alabama looks better after USA whipped Oklahoma State.

Syracuse is 3-0 after winning at Purdue, moving into the top 50 for the first time this year. The Orange slide ahead of Fresno State, which beat Purdue in overtime earlier and just beat Arizona State 29-0 on the road for a second Power 5 win. BYU moves into the top 50 after beating Arkansas 38-31 in Fayetteville to move to 3-0. James Madison is also 3-0 after beating Troy on the road and moves into the top 50.

Mississippi State, Arkansas and South Carolina drop out of the top 40 after their losses.

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51-75

RankTeamRecordPrev
51
2-1
51
52
1-2
44
53
3-0
56
54
2-1
71
55
3-0
57
56
2-1
55
57
3-0
58
58
3-0
78
59
1-2
52
60
2-1
48
61
2-1
49
62
2-1
46
63
2-1
59
64
2-1
64
65
2-2
63
66
3-1
73
67
3-0
72
68
1-2
68
69
1-2
70
70
2-1
100
71
1-2
60
72
1-2
61
73
1-2
69
74
2-1
74
75
2-1
75

South Alabama bounces back up to just outside the top 50 after a 33-7 win at Oklahoma State. Rutgers is 3-0 and makes a big move up after a dominant 35-16 win against Virginia Tech. Western Kentucky and Michigan State drop out of the top 50 after lopsided losses to Ohio State and Washington, respectively.

Ohio’s win against Iowa State sees the Bobcats move up, but they stay behind San Diego State for now due to the Week 0 head-to-head result, a game that Bobcats QB Kurtis Rourke left with an injury. Army makes a big jump from No. 100 to No. 70 with a 37-29 win at UTSA.

76-100

RankTeamRecordPrev
76
1-2
76
77
2-1
80
78
2-1
101
79
2-1
42
80
2-1
77
81
1-2
67
82
1-2
83
83
2-0
81
84
1-2
79
85
2-1
82
86
3-0
93
87
1-2
86
88
2-1
114
89
2-2
84
90
1-2
85
91
1-2
87
92
1-2
88
93
2-1
99
94
1-2
89
95
1-2
90
96
1-2
112
97
1-3
92
98
0-3
95
99
2-1
96
100
2-1
98

Pitt has tumbled with consecutive losses to Cincinnati and West Virginia. Then Cincinnati lost to Miami (Ohio) in overtime at home this weekend. Georgia State is 3-0 after beating Charlotte and getting better each week. UNLV beat Vanderbilt with a last-second field goal and moves up from No. 114 to No. 88.

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Virginia Tech was steamrolled by Rutgers and Stanford lost to FCS Sacramento State, nearly knocking both out of the top 100. USF is 0-2 but jumps into the top 100 after taking Alabama to the wire.

101-133 

RankTeamRecordPrev
101
0-3
97
102
1-2
102
103
1-2
103
104
1-2
104
105
1-2
105
106
1-3
106
107
2-2
109
108
3-1
110
109
1-2
111
110
2-2
108
111
1-2
118
112
2-1
120
113
1-2
107
114
1-2
91
115
1-3
113
116
1-2
115
117
0-2
121
118
0-2
116
119
2-1
117
120
1-2
119
121
1-2
122
122
1-2
126
123
0-3
94
124
1-2
123
125
1-2
124
126
1-3
125
127
1-2
127
128
1-2
128
129
1-2
129
130
1-2
131
131
0-3
132
132
1-2
133
133
0-3
130

UMass has lost three in a row since opening with a Week 0 win at New Mexico State. FIU has won three in a row since a Week 0 loss to Louisiana Tech. North Texas beat Louisiana Tech this weekend for its first win.

Old Dominion blew a 17-0 halftime against Wake Forest but played well and moves up. The Monarchs are also aided by last week’s win against Louisiana, after the Ragin’ Cajuns beat UAB 41-21. Colorado State inches up after taking Colorado to overtime, a game the Rams probably should have won.

Arkansas State beat FCS Stony Brook for its first win, getting off the No. 133 spot because Buffalo lost 55-27 to Liberty to fall to 0-3, including an FCS loss. Nevada would’ve taken this bottom spot, but the Wolf Pack were tied with Kansas deep into the fourth quarter before losing 31-24.

(Photo: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)

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Chris Vannini

Chris Vannini covers national college football issues and the coaching carousel for The Athletic. A co-winner of the FWAA's Beat Writer of the Year Award in 2018, he previously was managing editor of CoachingSearch.com. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisVannini