College Football

RJ Young's Top 25 rankings vs. AP Top 25 Poll: Will Bama spoil Texas-Georgia debate?

Published Sep. 16, 2024 5:47 p.m. ET

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RJ Young

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

Georgia is No. 1 until someone beats them. But that Kentucky tape is out there now, and you can damn well bet that Alabama is gonna spend the next two weeks taking it apart in an effort to force Georgia to prove it should be No. 1.

[Related: RJ Young's Top 25]

Texas benefited from beating the hell out of UTSA while Georgia struggled mightily to beat Kentucky. In September, I am agnostic about who the No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 teams are — as long as they're Texas, Georgia and Ohio State in some order. If you want to punish UGA for surviving UK — call it Brexit — sure.

The Crimson Tide have put up 42 or more against everybody they've faced, and Jalen Milroe is out there like Samson in locs.

Milroe, Ryan Williams and that offense are exploding like Black Dynamite. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bama bombing a brick at Georgia's head like Craig did Deebo. Alabama is two weeks from taking the No. 1 headband right off Georgia's forehead.

Boston College? We barely knew ye. Arizona? Back to Arrakis! 

Illinois? Northern Illinois? Play the "Price Right" theme song and come on down. Pin this ranking on your chest, spin the big wheel and let's see if you can throw down.

After the AP Top 25 Poll dropped on Sunday, there were three things that stood out to me above everything else:

1. Arch Mania has arrived

Arch Manning came off the bench and cooked — Beep! Beep!

He went 9 of 12 for 223, and ran one 67 yards to the house, stuntin like his granddaddy.

It's almost like we were right to rank him as the No. 1 player in the 2023 class. 

You think the way folks talk about Shedeur Sanders is bad?

You ain't seen nothing yet. Arch is to football fans what Taylor Swift is to the known universe.

2. Nebraska is acting like it's 2016

Tony White's defense has yet to allow more than 10 points to any team this season.

The last time Nebraska began the season 3-0, the Huskers won their first seven, finished 9-4 and achieved a high water mark as the No. 7-ranked team in the country.

Matt Rhule in Year 2 feels like a prophecy.

3. All money ain't good money

It's not just that Toledo beat Mississippi State 41-17 on Saturday. It's that the Bulldogs paid $1.2 million for the privilege.

Don't play that six-three. I got big six in my palm right here.

It's not just that Memphis beat Florida State 20-12 on Saturday. It's that Florida State paid $1.3 million for the privilege.

You laid down big six and got big four right ready to peel a dub off your ass.

It's not just that Northern Illinois beat Notre Dame 16-14 last Saturday. It's that Notre Dame paid $1.4 million for the privilege.

Domino! Pay me my money and wash my bones, playboy!

And then there's Kent State taking a 71-0 ass whooping to collect its $1.35 million from the Vols.

71 rounds down to 70, which puts finishes that house, builds whole other one and I don't even like dominoes anyway. Let's play Spades.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.

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