Stephen Vilardo’s 2022 Week 10 College Football Top 25

1. Georgia Bulldogs 8-0 (Last week 1)

Last Week: Beat Florida 42-20

The Bulldogs racked up 42 points and 555 yards of total offense in the win over the Gators. The most-ever against Florida in a series that dates to 1904.

The win was Georgia’s 10th consecutive win, the second-longest win streak in the nation.

Next Week: vs Tennessee

2. Tennessee Volunteers 8-0 (4)

Last Week: Beat Kentucky 44-6

Tennessee polished off their first unbeaten October since 2006 with a dominant performance over Kentucky.

The Vols are 8-0 for the first time since their unbeaten 1998 National Title season.

UT has scored at least 30 points in each of their last 11 games, the longest such streak in school history and the longest current streak of any SEC school.

The six points allowed were the fewest UT has allowed against a Power Five opponent since 2016.

Next Week: At Georgia

3. Ohio State Buckeyes 8-0 (2)

Last Week: Won at Penn State 44-31

Ohio State found themselves trailing with 9:26 to play before the Buckeyes outscored Penn State 28-10 to finish the game.

J.T. Tuimoloau was stellar on defense with two sacks, three tackles-for-loss, and two interceptions including a pick-six, and a forced fumble.

Marvin Harrison Jr. caught 10 balls for 185 yards in the win.

The Buckeyes’ schedule lightens up a bit over the next three weeks before the Thanksgiving weekend showdown between Michigan which should feature a pair of 11-0 teams.

Next Week: At Northwestern

4. Michigan Wolverines 8-0 (3)

Last week: Beat Michigan State 29-7

Michigan won the Paul Bunyan Trophy with a suffocating defense against Michigan State. The Wolverines limited MSU to just 37 rushing yards on 23 carries.

Blake Corum topped the 100-yard mark on the ground for the fifth straight game.

It was the 10th straight Big Ten win for the Wolverines which is the longest active conference win streak in the nation.

If Mel Tucker’s Spartans had the same amount of fight they displayed in the postgame, during the actual game then that 10-year $96 million fully guaranteed extension may not look as bad.

Next Week: At Rutgers

5. Clemson Tigers 8-0 (5)

Last Week: BYE

Clemson owns the nation’s longest active win streak at 14-games, it is the fourth longest in Tiger history.

This week they head on the road to an improving Notre Dame squad.

Improved or not don’t expect to see the Irish pull off the upset over a rested Clemson team.

Next Week: At Notre Dame

6. TCU Horned Frogs 8-0 (6)

Last Week: Win at West Virginia 41-31

TCU has opened a season 8-0 for the first time since 2015.

Sonny Dykes is just the second head coach in TCU history, joining Francis Schmidt in 1929, to win his opening eight games.

All five of the TDs the Frogs scored over WVU covered at least 29-yards.

Next Week: vs Texas Tech

7. Oregon Ducks 7-1 (7)

Last Week: Won at Cal 42-24

Bo Nix accounted for six TDs for the Ducks against Cal as they scored at least 40 points for the seventh straight game.

Nix is the fourth Oregon QB ever to throw three touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in the same game, joining Joey Harrington (2001), Kellen Clemens (2004), and Jeremiah Masoli (2009).

The Ducks scored 21 points in the second quarter, the seventh time they have scored at least 20-points in a quarter this season.

Next Week: At Colorado

8. Alabama Crimson Tide 7-1 (8)

Last Week: BYE

Alabama had a bye week ahead of a two-game stretch that will likely decide who represents the SEC West in the SEC championship game.

This week it is a trip to Death Valley for a date with LSU.

A road trip to Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss squad awaits the following week.

Next Week: At LSU

9. USC Trojans 7-1 (9)

Last Week: Won at Arizona 45-37

Caleb Williams threw for a career-high 411 yards with five touchdowns in the win over Arizona.

Williams has thrown for at least 380 yards and five touchdowns in consecutive games.

USC was without Jordan Addison and Mario Williams, and it proved to be no problem as Tahj Washington and Kyle Ford combined for 232 yards for the Trojans.

Next Week: vs California

10. UCLA Bruins 7-1 (11)

Last Week: Beat Stanford 38-13

UCLA got a win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 2008 season.

Zach Charbonnet matched a career-high in rushing yards with 198 against the Cardinal. It was the 13th time he has eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the Bruins.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start his 44th game at QB against the Sun Devils and will equal the most ever by a UCLA signal caller.

Next Week: At Arizona State

11. Utah Utes 6-2 (13)

Last Week: Won at Washington State 21-17

The Utes were without starting QB Cameron Rising and RB Tavion Thomas but were still able to get a win in Pullman for the first time since 2011.

Utah recorded a season-high 10 tackles for loss, the most by the Utes since registering 15 TFL at Stanford last season.

Next Week: vs Arizona

12. Mississippi Rebels 8-1 (14)

Last Week: Won at Texas A&M 31-28

Quinshon Judkins ran for an Ole Miss freshman record 205 yards in the Rebels’ win at A&M. Judkins now has 316 yards rushing in the last two games.

At 8-1, Ole Miss is off to its best start since going 10-0 in their 1962 National Championship season.

The Rebels did allow 530 yards of offense.

Next Week: BYE

13. Kansas State Wildcats 6-2 (21)

Last Week: Beat Oklahoma State 48-0

Kansas State has improved to 5-3 in their last nine games against AP Top 10 opponents and the Wildcats are 2-1 in such games this season.

The Wildcats’ 48-0 victory was the largest-ever shutout win by a lower-ranked team against an AP Top-10 team. The last time KSU shut out a Big 12 opponent was in 2014.

Next Week: vs Texas

14. North Carolina Tar Heels 7-1 (20)

Last Week: Beat Pittsburgh 42-24

At 4-0 in conference play, the Tar Heels are off to their best ACC start since going 8-0 in 2015.

Drake Maye threw over 300 passing yards for the fifth-straight game and the sixth time this season. The freshman leads the nation with 32 touchdowns responsible for on the season.

Maye also leads the nation with 388.8 yards of total offense per game.

Next Week: At Virginia

15. LSU Tigers 6-2 (23)

Last Week: BYE

The last time the Tigers took the field they outscored Mississippi 42-3 to end the game.

They will hope they can continue their hot offense against Alabama following the bye.

LSU and Alabama have played some classics in the past. This one should see the Tide as a double-digit favorite and the Tigers looking for a massive upset.

Next Week: vs Alabama

16. Illinois Fighting Illini 7-1 (17)

Last Week: Won at Nebraska 26-19

The Fighting Illini scored 20 unanswered points while holding the Cornhuskers scoreless through the final 39 minutes of play.

Illinois took control in the second half, having the ball for nearly 21 minutes and holding Nebraska to just 29 yards after the break. The Illini have won six straight games.

Next Week: vs Michigan State

17. Oregon State Beavers 6-2 (22)

Last Week: BYE

At 6-2, the Beavers are off to their best eight-game start since 2013. The lone losses on the season were at the hands of USC and Utah.

Prior to the bye week, the Beavers posted their best defensive performance in a Pac-12 game since 2012.

The trip to Seattle will see a much more potent offense in Washington than the Beavs saw against Colorado.

Next Week: At Washington

18. Penn State Nittany Lions 6-2 (15)

Last Week: Lost to Ohio State 44-31

Penn State limited the Buckeyes to just 98 yards rushing.

Parker Washington had a career-high 11 receptions for a career-best 179 receiving yards.

Penn State was outscored 28-17 in the fourth quarter despite having the ball for 10:07 of the final period.

Next Week: At Indiana

19. Oklahoma State Cowboys 6-2 (10)

Last Week: Lost at Kansas State 48-0

Oklahoma State was shut out in a game for the first time since November 28, 2009.

OSU is now 10-5 in their last 15 games against ranked opponents. OK State was without some key players against the Wildcats, but not enough to excuse a 48-0 romp.

The Cowboys will look to rebound against Kansas this week.

Next Week: At Kansas

20. Tulane Green Wave 7-1 (25)

Last Week: BYE

The Green Wave are off to their best start since 1998 when Shaun King led them to a 12-0 season.

Tulane has opened conference play 4-0 for the first time since joining the AAC.

The Green Wave visit Tulsa this week ahead of hosting UCF in what should be a pivotal game in deciding the regular season fate of the AAC.

Next Week: At Tulsa

21. Syracuse Orange 6-3 (16)

Last Week: Lost to Notre Dame 41-24

All that Syracuse did right at Clemson, was reversed in a disappointing loss at home to Notre Dame. It is the fifth consecutive game the Orange have lost at the hands of Notre Dame.

It was also Syracuse’s first loss inside the JMA Wireless Dome this season.

Next Week: at Pittsburgh

22. Liberty Flames 7-1 (NR)

Last Week: BYE

Liberty is 7-1 for the fourth time in program history (having also gone 7-1 in 1997 and 2008, and 8-0 in 2020).

The Flames finished October with a 4-0 mark this season and are now 14-2 in their last 16 games played in the month.

Dae Dae Hunter has averaged 103.1 yards on the ground per game this season.

Next Week: At Arkansas

23. Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6-2 (12)

Last Week: Lost at Louisville 48-21

Wake Forest committed six third-quarter turnovers that led to 35 unanswered points for Louisville as the Cardinals created an insurmountable lead.

This was the first time the Deacons have lost a game in October since 2019.

Next Week: At NC State

24. Central Florida Knights 6-2 (NR)

Last Week: Beat Cincinnati 25-21

UCF ran for 258 yards in the win over the Bearcats in Orlando. It was the sixth time this season the Knights have topped 200 yards on the ground in a game.

UCF held UC to 35 rushing yards, the fewest for the Bearcats in a game since 2016.

Next Week: At Memphis

25. NC State Wolfpack 6-2 (24)

Last Week: Win over Virginia Tech 22-21

NC State found themselves down 21-3 before storming back to defeat the Hokies.

True freshman QB M.J Morris was 20-29 for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

The Pack’s 18-point comeback is the largest comeback for NC State since overcoming a 27-point (41-14) deficit to Maryland to win 56-41 on Nov. 26, 2011.

Next Week: vs Wake Forest

Dropped Out: Cincinnati and Kentucky