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Ranking the best teams in college football has become an extremely controversial endeavor. No one is ever satisfied with the placement of their teams. But recently, many have called into question the legitimacy of a particular national poll. That’s why the fantastic team at A to Z Sports collaborated to create a wonderful, well-thought-out, and insightful ranking with detailed explanations.

Let’s focus on which teams stood out the most from this week’s A to Z Top 25 College Football Poll.

2. Oregon

“Whatever question marks people thought Oregon had heading into the season have all been answered. Dante Moore looks like the real deal at QB, perhaps better than Dillon Gabriel was last year already. The defense has been unbelievable through three weeks, holding a team that went 15-1 in FCS last year to 13 points, then crushing the hopes and dreams of Oklahoma State and Northwestern players.” —Travis May

I love how high the staff ranked Oregon in this poll. Oregon has been the most compelling team thus far and has captured my attention as a legitimate national title contender. In the preseason for the Big Ten, they were swept aside by Penn State due to the Nittany Lions’ returning production and the Ducks’ departures to the NFL.

Despite playing a weak opening schedule, Oregon has dominated its opponents at a comical level. In every game thus far, they’ve pulled their starters early, and their depth players have also overwhelmed their opponents. I’m most excited to see how Dante Moore performs next week at Penn State because if he continues this trajectory, he could win the Heisman trophy.

5. Miami

“Miami is atop my list of teams that are good enough to reach the College Football Playoff, but lack the upside to actually win it. Even with Carson Beck playing much better than the 2024 version of himself and the reemergence of edge rusher Rueben Bain, there’s far too little certainty for me to trust that Mario Cristobal has built a roster impervious to his inevitable mistakes. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong that Miami has the floor to both make the CFP and win playoff games once there.” —Ian Valentino

While I understand Ian’s apprehension, I stand behind Miami and believe they should be ranked higher. While Mario Cristobal has bungled must-win games in the past, the Notre Dame victory for me established they’re entering a new era.

The addition of defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman has been transformative for the Hurricanes. They bottled up Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love and completely smothered USF’s uber-athletic Byrum Brown. Out of any team in college football, this program appears to be the most balanced with the resurrection of quarterback Carson Beck.

7. Texas A&M

“Everyone knew that the Aggies were going to have a very good offensive line coming back, and a stable of talented running backs. The biggest key was going to be how the wide receiver play improved. The additions of Kevin Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State) have been a game changer. That has allowed the offense to be a ton more valuable. The defense so far this year has been less stellar, but Coach Elko has gained a great reputation as a defensive play caller. You should expect that unit to get a ton better down the course of the season.” —Ryan Roberts

Texas A&M’s win over Notre Dame earned them a shot at being a top 10 team, but I still need to see more. The manner in which the game against Notre Dame was won gives me serious pause. If it weren’t for a favorable no-call holding penalty and a botched extra point, we may be talking about the Fighting Irish in this spot instead.

The most glaring issue is the Aggies’ porous defense that was gashed for 429 total yards and 136 rushing yards. Head coach Mike Elko is supposed to be a defensive wizard, and his defense being this weak is concerning.

12. Utah

“Utah has yet to be tested this season but has looked every bit the part as a strong football team through its first three games against UCLA, Cal Poly, and Wyoming. The Utes are once again playing terrific defense while running the ball effectively. They have a real chance to be the Big 12’s representative in the College Football Playoff this season—just a year after finishing 5-7. That turnaround is a testament to the steady leadership of head coach Kyle Whittingham.” —Brandon Litte

This weekend will serve as a fantastic test for Utah as they’re facing Texas Tech at home. The Red Raiders have an explosive offense that will prove whether Utah’s defense can dominate their remaining Big 12 schedule.

The placement of Utah at 12 is unbelievably refreshing. The AP Poll has Iowa State at 12 with the Utes hanging back at 16. Utah’s dominance on both sides of the ball in their first three games has proved they’re the best team in the Big-12 at the current moment, not Iowa State.

18. Auburn

“The Auburn Tigers have been a top five rushing team in the country through three weeks of action and haven’t had to do much through the air yet. They’ve coasted to 3-0 with a statement win over Baylor (who perhaps should be ranked themselves) and two easy victories over Group of 5 conference opponents. The fact that the AP Poll barely has them ranked at all is evidence that preseason priors hold far too much weight. They need to prove that the wins can continue against SEC competition, but they’re stacked on defense, they’re getting the best out of Jackson Arnold at quarterback, and look like a real contender.” —Travis May

Auburn has a serious opportunity to open the eyes of the national media with a road challenge against Oklahoma. It’s been shocking to me how few people realize this Tigers squad is gifted in the most critical areas. They’re talented on their offensive line, they’re physical on their defensive line, and they’re explosive at each skill position.

Their Week 1 victory has been undermined for no reason at all. As Travis pointed out, this team has become potentially the most dangerous rushing attack in college football. They need to get past this week to prove they’re not the same messy Auburn team from the past.

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