Joel Klatt drops Ohio State in his latest top ten opinion rankings
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
We've now had three weeks of the college football season to understand a little bit more about teams. We've seen some surprises (ahem, Oregon), some controversy already (looking at you, Michigan), and some pretty big games as well (Ohio State vs. Texas, anyone?).
One guy we like to follow in the college football universe is Fox College Football analyst Joel Klatt. He's about as unbiased and insightful as anyone out there, and throughout the season, he provides his top ten. It used to be a post on social media (X), but now he shares his opinion rankings on his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show."
Last week, Klatt dropped Ohio State No. 2 after the loss to Texas, and this week, he dropped the Buckeyes even further after seeing them in person against Kent State. He still doesn't have OSU as far down as the traditional polls because he uses his head rather than old, antiquated ways of thinking.
Here is a look at what Klatt has for his top ten, including where Ohio State landed after the win against Kent State on Saturday.
No. 10 – Utah Utes (No. 10 last week)
What We Say
Utah is still winning convincingly and doing what it should do against the competition that's been on the schedule so far. It looks like the Utes are a more complete team than we thought, but let's see what happens when they go into a matchup game against teams with like or better talent.
No. 9 – Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 8 last week)
What We Say
Things are about to get much more difficult for Alabama, but so far, the Tide have looked like a team that could make a run in the SEC and to the College Football Playoff. The win at Kentucky looks even better than it did a couple of weeks ago; now it's just a matter of how Alabama looks in the heart of the SEC schedule. There's still a lot of work to do.
No. 8 – LSU Tigers (No. 5 last week)
What We Say
The Tigers got outplayed and outcoached by Ole Miss despite trying to make a second-half comeback. It's a back-loaded schedule from here on out, but the game this coming weekend against Texas A&M might determine whether ot not LSU stays a College Football Playoff contender. There's still quite a bit of talent on this squad, but the team needs to come together and spring back this week.
No. 7 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish (No. 7 last week)
What We Say
Klatt has been very critical of Notre Dame for its inability to run the ball, and that might be a concern when the Fighting Irish come across a team that can make it one-dimensional. Lucky for Marcu Freeman and company is that may not happen until the game vs. Miami (FL) on Oct. 7.
No. 6 – Indiana Hoosiers (No. 6 last week)
What We Say
Is this too low for the defending national champion? Maybe. We just don't know because the Hoosiers haven't played anyone with a chance at giving them a game. Wins against North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky don't tell us anything, so we'll see how things go against Northwestern this weekend, though that too would be a major shocker if it turned into a fourth-quarter game.
No. 5 – Miami Hurricanes (No. 4 last week)
What We Say
After looking great in its first two games of the season, Miami looked beatable at Wake Forest. Perhaps the most concerning was the pass defense that gave up 312 yards through the air. That might be fine against a team like the Demon Deacons who couldn't do any damage at all on the ground, but against a balanced offense, that could spell trouble. The Hurricanes don't have much competition in the ACC and could have smooth sailing until the game against Notre Dame on Oct. 7.
No. 4 – Georgia Bulldogs (No. 3 last week)
What We Say
Georgia might be better than any of us thought before the season and hasn't really shown too many flaws through the first three games of nonconference play. We'll see if the defense of Oklahoma can present a stiffer challenge for quarterback Gunner Stockton and the offense.
No. 3 – Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 2 last week)
What We Say
Klatt dropped the Buckeyes down another spot from last week. Part of that is because of what Ole Miss did to LSU, jumping way up into the top two; the other part is Ohio State's struggles in the running game, short yardage, and third-down conversions. It's still early in the year to get those things corrected, but it needs to happen fast because there's a game against Indiana on the road in a few weeks.
No. 2 – Ole Miss Rebels (not ranked last week)
What We Say
Ole Miss doesn't have the best win in the country — that belongs to Texas — but beating a talented LSU team counts as the second-best win, at least for now. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is making an early case for the Heisman, and he makes the Rebels an awfully hard out against anyone. A big one at a ranked Florida team awaits. Can Ole Miss stiff-arm a letdown game after the emotional win last Saturday?
No. 1 – Texas Longhorns (No. 2 last week)
What We Say
Texas is at No. 1 by virtue of its win over Ohio State, but is Arch Manning the quarterback that can push the ball down the field when needed? We'll find out because the schedule is brutal. It starts with a very sneaky and interesting game on Rocky Top against a talented Tennessee team Saturday.
Joel Klatt's full rankings
Do you agree with @joelklatt's latest Top 10? pic.twitter.com/GebTAPf78v
— The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football on FOX Pod (@JoelKlattShow) September 21, 2026
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Joel Klatt drops Ohio State in his latest top ten opinion rankings
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos