NCAA College Football Top 25 Power Rankings - Week 12 (2023)

Mike's NCAA college football power rankings for the top 25 NCAA college football teams ahead of Week 12 of 2023. His CFB power rankings take a look at what has happened on the field.

Do you ever look at the AP Poll or some other poll and wonder which college football team they were watching to have them ranked where they are? Me too. We have a feature here at RotoBaller this year in which we will have a rundown of the NCAA college football power rankings every week. This is just like a top-25 poll anywhere else except I probably watch more football than most of them.

That's why my rankings are a little different. I don't just automatically anoint Georgia No. 1. I get the win streak and the championships. This only has to do with this year so far. As expected, Georgia is quickly moving up the ranks.

This is also going to be far different than traditional polls because I will only look at what has been done on the field so far, not what is expected of a specific team. That had a significant effect on the rankings early in the year, but it is starting to stabilize now. No, Georgia is still not my No. 1 team. Neither is Michigan. There is no excuse for that weak schedule.

(25) North Carolina (8-2) (NR)

Last week: W 47-45 vs. Duke (2 OT)

The Tarheels have arguably the two worst losses ever for a ranked team. The alternative to ranking these bozos was keeping a team in that lost by 42 against Central Florida with no discernable injuries. What a world!

(24) Toledo (9-1) ⇑1

Last week: W 49-23 vs. Eastern Michigan

If only the Rockets hadn't choked away the opener to Illinois...

(23) Liberty (10-0) ⇑1

Last week: W 38-10 vs Old Dominion

Jordan McCloud is a bad, bad man. Now imagine how good the guy that took his job at USF must be to have him transfer out of there. Byrum Brown is that dude.

(22) Tulane (9-1) ⇔

Last week: W 24-22 vs. Tulsa

What happened to this offense? I'm not being a smart-ass. This is a totally serious question.

(21) Tennessee (7-3) ⇓1

Last week: L 7-36 at (13) Missouri

Scoring is good and all, but you still need to do so against good teams as well.

(20) James Madison (10-0) ⇑3

Last week: W 44-6 vs. Connecticut

The CFP committee is a bunch of cowards created by a cowardly entity. JMU could compete with any team ranked outside of the top five. I'm not joking.

(19) Kansas (7-3) ⇓4

Last week: L 13-16 vs. Texas Tech

I understand that Kansas was on their third-string quarterback. Technically, so is Tech...

(18) Arizona (7-3) ⇑3

Last week: W 34-31 at Colorado

If you tell me Arizona's three losses are worse than Kansas, Oklahoma State, or Tennessee, you really have no idea what's going on here. The Wildcats deserve this ranking. I will die on this hill.

(17) Iowa (8-2*) ⇑2

Last week: W 22-0  vs. Rutgers

Iowa scored 22 points and the lowest under in the history of Vegas still cost the city millions. Well done, Iowa.

(16) Utah (7-3) ⇓4

Last week: L 28-35 at (2) Washington

Losing to my No. 1 team shouldn't move the Utes down four slots, but this whole portion of the rankings is really close. Oregon State beat the Utes and Oklahoma only has two losses. It's enough to keep Utah here.

(15) LSU (7-3) ⇑3

Last week: W 52-35 vs. Florida

LSU's three losses are better than most team's three toughest games.

(14) Oregon State (8-2) ⇑3

Last week: W 62-17 vs. Stanford

A head-scratching loss to Washington State is keeping the Beavers down.

(13) Oklahoma (8-2) ⇑3

Last week: W 59-20 vs. West Virginia

Where was this the last two weeks? Jerks... It's frustrating because I know this team is better than we've had in the last decade or so.

(12) Mississippi (8-2) ⇓2

Last week: L 17-52 at (4) Georgia

Getting embarrassed by Georgia should have dropped the Rebs further, but... everyone else lost too.

(11) Missouri (8-2) ⇑2

Last week: W 36-7 vs. (20) Tennessee

Losses to LSU and Georgia aren't a lot different than losing to Ohio State and Michigan... if you're to believe the SEC hype machine at ESPN. Hey, I get it. You have to protect your investment, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to you...

(10) Penn State (8-2) ⇓1

Last week: L 15-24 vs. (5) Michigan

The din about James Franklin against top-10 teams is getting harder to ignore. This wasn't a blowout, but it wasn't as close as the score indicated either. Now the good news... both losses are to top five teams. Who else can say that?

(9) Louisville (9-1) ⇑2

Last week: W 31-24 vs. Virginia 

I was ready to move the Cardinals down for struggling against Virginia, but then everyone else around them lost... so I had to move them up.

(8) Alabama (9-1) ⇔

Last week: W 49-21 at Kentucky

The head-to-head loss to Texas is the only thing keeping the Tide behind the Longhorns. I could perhaps make a stronger case for having Bama above Texas.

(7) Texas (9-1) ⇓1

Last week: W 29-26 at TCU

Struggling against another purple team, in a game in which you were up 20, is not a good look. The loss of Jonathon Brooks is going to hurt, but not as much as losing Quinn Ewers for a few weeks. CJ Baxter is a really good back.

(6) Oregon (9-1) ⇑1

Last week: W 36-27 vs. USC

Texas trying to lose finally loses them a slot. That's back-to-back three-point wins for the Longhorns. Meanwhile, Oregon looks like the best team west of the Appalachians right now.

(5) Michigan (10-0) ⇔

Last week: W 24-15 at (9) Penn State

This was Nebraska football from the 80s and 90s. Michigan didn't throw a single pass in the second half. They ran the ball every play and Penn State still couldn't stop them. The Florida State win over LSU is about the only thing keeping them afloat. Michigan is closer than you think.

(4) Florida State (10-0) ⇓1

Last week: W 27-20 vs. Miami (FL)

The Seminoles are still winning ugly, but it's better than only playing one good team, right?

(3) Georgia (10-0) ⇑1

Last week: W 52-17 vs. (10) Mississippi

Smashing a top-10 team and beating a ranked team for the second week in a row is a great way to move up. Every time an inkling of doubt over Georgia's dominance enters our minds, they show up and remind us why they are still the team to beat.

(2) Ohio State (10-0) ⇓1

Last week: W 38-3 vs. Michigan State

Three wins over ranked teams still have them second, but just barely. The Notre Dame win looks a little shaky right now...

(1) Washington (10-0) ⇑1

Last week: W 35-28 vs. (12) Utah

Don't get mad, Buckeye fans. This has been brewing for a while. Ohio State's win over Notre Dame doesn't look as strong as it did. Neither does the Penn State win. Washington has the best win of the season for any team. Other wins over ranked Utah and Arizona teams only help. The Huskies are now 10-0 for the first time since 1991 when they split the National Title with Miami.

Don't worry, guys. I'm not blind. I got you!

Others Receiving Votes

• Oklahoma State
• Kansas State
• Miami (OH)
• Notre Dame
• USC

Stay tuned for the college football rankings here at RotoBaller throughout the entire season!

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