Joel Klatt’s top 5 college football teams in each power conference

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3. Penn State (6-0)

That was a huge win for James Franklin and Penn State at USC on Saturday. I understand that the Trojans‘ record is 3-3, but I don’t think that reflects the quality nature of their team. Remember how the last two seasons have gone for the Nittany Lions. They lost their biggest matchups over the last two years. Penn State doesn’t have Michigan and Oregon on its schedule, so the game at USC was a big hurdle.

That was also a huge game for quarterback Drew Allar. If Penn State lost to USC, Allar was going to be the goat (not the good kind) because of the three interceptions. So, when he’s able to put that behind him and lead Penn State to a 14-point comeback win, that is a huge hurdle to get over.

You can see the rest of the roster coming along. We know the Nittany Lions can run the football. Their defense might not be as great as it was the last two years, but it’s still a very solid unit. A couple of threats in the passing game have also emerged. Wide receiver Julian Fleming had a pair of big catches on fourth downs in that game, while tight end Tyler Warren had 17 receptions.

4. Indiana (6-0)

This is where it gets interesting. I think everyone would have the same top three teams in the Big Ten. Curt Cignetti has done a tremendous job at Indiana, turning around this program in an instant. Indiana is No. 2 in scoring in the nation (47.5 points per game). Cignetti beautifully worked the transfer portal, bringing in 27 players with nine of the 13 players that followed him from James Madison starting for this team. The philosophy that he uses is very simple: Go after players who have a ton of experience on winning programs and have a chip on his shoulder.

That three-prong criteria helped Indiana land quarterback Kurtis Rourke. He’s been sensational for the Hoosiers, ranking second in passing yards and completion percentage in the Big Ten. Rourke also has a good set of receivers to throw to and running backs to play with, as there are JMU transfers at each position. Indiana’s offensive line is also playing better as a group than any of its individual players.

5. USC (3-3)

There were seven teams I considered for this spot. Any of those seven teams could beat the other any given Saturday, so I went with my gut and put USC here.

I know USC’s placement at No. 5 might make some upset, but this team is far better than their record and is only three or four snaps away from being undefeated. They also have a win over a top-10 LSU team. They have led by at least seven points in each of their three losses. It really is right there.

I look at the teams that aren’t in the top five and thought each could easily lose to USC. Now, two of them actually beat USC (Michigan and Minnesota), but I took that list of seven teams and boiled it down to four teams. The other three I thought about putting here were Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. Any one of those teams could be at No. 5, and I like a lot of things those teams do.

SEC

1. Texas (6-0)

I feel like this was pretty easy. No one has tested Texas, which has the No. 1 offense and defense in the country. You could argue that its defensive numbers are inflated, but I think that unit is really good.

When you watch Texas’ tape, you sense that this is certainly one of the best teams in the country, if not the best. The Longhorns have a great offense with a really good offensive line, too. They looked so dominant in the final three quarters of the Oklahoma game.

2. Georgia (5-1)

Overall, I still love Georgia, particularly quarterback Carson Beck’s experience. But I have a couple of concerns. The Bulldogs haven’t been able to run the football effectively. They have rushed the ball for fewer than 4 yards per carry in half of their games. So, Georgia has been relying on the passing game a bit more, but it doesn’t have the talent it’s had for pass catchers in recent years.

Georgia is going to need to run the football better in order to slow down a pass rush or create easier opportunities for Beck.

3. LSU (5-1)

This starts to get hard to rank around No. 3. I really like what quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has done, making big plays in the Ole Miss game on Saturday. Some of the throws he made in that game were tremendous. LSU has been on a roll since it lost to USC in the season opener. Now, LSU might have a pretty clear path to the SEC Championship Game as I think the winner of its matchup with Texas A&M might determine one of those spots. I know LSU has Alabama on its schedule, but I don’t think the Crimson Tide will make it through the rest of the season unscathed.

4. Alabama (5-1)

Alabama’s offense is clearly explosive, but the things I’ve said about its secondary remain true. If Alabama’s offense struggles, it’ll be in a dogfight. If Alabama is going up against a really good team, the offense will need to outscore them. The defense just hasn’t been existent. This team has major issues with its structure and ability to cover down the field. They are allowing too many explosive plays.

Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams still present a major problem for all of their opponents, though.

5. Texas A&M (5-1)

I really love what I saw from Texas A&M in its blowout win over Missouri. I know I’ve said Missouri is overrated, but Texas A&M throttled the Tigers and has gotten better each game. Coach Mike Elko is an Aggie through and through, giving Texas A&M what it needs from a head coach. Collin Klein is a hell of an offensive coordinator. There was a lot of dirt thrown on Texas A&M after its Week 1 loss, but it keeps improving with quarterback Conner Weigman back in the fold.

Big 12

1. Iowa State (6-0)

I really love Matt Campbell. The Iowa State job requires him to go through peaks and valleys, forcing him to develop players and getting veteran players for the peak seasons. Iowa State is 6-0 for the first time since 1938. I really like how Rocco Becht is playing at quarterback. Receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are really tearing it up on the outside. Its defense is also fifth in the nation in scoring.