Alabama Crimson Tide

Feldman's Top 10: Spartans break Buckeyes' hearts for playoff cred

Published Nov. 22, 2015 1:59 a.m. ET

Bruce Feldman

Editor's note: Each week, Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel will break down their top 10 teams based on the most recent slate of games. Here are Feldman's rankings after Week 12:

1. Clemson (11-0): Beating Wake Forest, even by 20, won’t impress folks, but the Tigers are undefeated and have been impressive on both sides of the ball.

2. Alabama (10-1): This was cupcake week for the Tide and ’Bama had no trouble with Charleston Southern winning by 50. Yawn.

3. Iowa (11-0): They are unbeaten, although the Hawkeyes probably will be down to only one Top 25 win on their resume. Still, it was a 40-10 win at Northwestern, now at 9-2.

4. Michigan State (10-1): The Buckeyes were overrated, but it’s still a win over the previously undefeated defending national champs, which goes nicely with wins over Michigan, an underrated Air Force team that is now 8-3 and an Oregon team that is showing how talented it is now.

5. Oklahoma (10-1): With Baker Mayfield sidelined, the Sooners had to hang on to beat a gritty TCU team by just one after last week’s big win at Baylor.

6. Baylor (9-1): Even down to their third-string QB, Art Briles’ team still rolled up over 700 yards of offense and gave host Oklahoma State its first loss.

7. Notre Dame (10-1): The Irish went to Fenway and struggled with a mediocre BC team that is good on D but woeful on offense. USC getting blown out by Oregon also is a blow to the Irish’s resume.

8. Oklahoma State (10-1): A week after drilling TCU, the Cowboys hosted Baylor and lost 45-35, being outgained 700-441 as the Bears sacked OSU QBs six times.

9. Florida (10-1): Jim McElwain’s done a terrific job with one-loss UF, but in the last three games against three really suspect opponents -- Vandy, South Carolina and FAU -- they’ve won by an average of just 5.5 points per game.

10. UNC (10-1): The Tar Heels beat Va. Tech in an emotional game in Frank Beamer’s last home game to clinch a spot opposite Clemson in the ACC title game, where they’re still looking for their first win over a ranked team.

Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FOXSports.com and FS1. He is also a New York Times best-selling author. His new book, “The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks,” came out in October 2014. Follow him on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB and Facebook.