The Post’s college football rankings and Heisman watch following Week 9.
1. Georgia (8-0) (Last week: 1)
Carson Beck has quietly put together an impressive season, completing 73 percent of his passes, throwing for 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Most impressively, he hasn’t let an ankle injury to superstar tight end Brock Bowers sidetrack him.
2. Florida State (8-0) (2)
Florida State is 8-0 for the first time since 2014 — the last time the Seminoles reached the College Football Playoff.
3. Ohio State (8-0) (3)
The Ohio State offense isn’t nearly as good as it was the last two years, but the defense is considerably better, allowing the second-fewest points in the country (10.0). The Buckeyes have yet to give up more than 17 points in a game.
4. Michigan (8-0) (4)
The sign-stealing scandal isn’t going away. It is now THE STORY of the college football season in a year in which Michigan is one of the championship favorites.
5. Washington (8-0) (6)
I didn’t drop the Huskies in my rankings, but I considered it. That’s now two consecutive close calls against bad teams, Arizona State and Stanford. Something isn’t right with Washington.
6. Oregon (7-1) (7)
While Washington hasn’t looked the same since beating Oregon, the Ducks have used that loss to fuel themselves, responding with blowouts of Washington State and Utah the last two weeks.
7. Texas (7-1) (8)
Texas didn’t need injured starting quarterback Quinn Ewers against BYU. Getting past red-hot Kansas State, which is coming off blowouts of Texas Tech, TCU and Houston, will be a much stiffer test for backup Maalik Murphy.
8. Alabama (7-1) (9)
It’s time for revenge in Tuscaloosa, a chance to avenge last year’s loss to LSU that cost Alabama a spot in the College Football Playoff. A win would go a long way to the Crimson Tide winning the SEC West for the third time in four years.
9. Penn State (7-1) (10)
Penn State followed up its loss at Ohio State by struggling with woeful Indiana. Nothing that has happened in the last two weeks makes you think the Nittany Lions can knock off Michigan on Nov. 11 in Happy Valley.
10. Oklahoma (7-1) (5)
The signs were there last week, after an ugly two-point victory over Central Florida, that Oklahoma was slipping. Against Kansas and backup quarterback Jason Bean, the Sooners couldn’t survive, likely costing themselves a shot at the playoff.
(in alphabetical order)
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Another 123 yards and two touchdowns for the best receiver in the sport, who becomes a more viable Heisman Trophy contender on a weekly basis.
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
He is already within four touchdown passes of his career-high of 22 set last year, and is averaging a personal-best 5.1 yards per carry. It’s time to acknowledge McCarthy is having a fantastic season, albeit against a series of pushovers.
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
The senior torched one of the best defenses in the country Saturday, lighting up Utah for three touchdowns and 248 yards passing in Oregon’s blowout win. Nix is at worst a top-three contender for the Heisman at the moment.
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
This is more like it. Penix responded to his shaky outing against Arizona State by throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns in a narrow win over Stanford. Up next is USC’s feeble defense, a major opportunity for Penix to do some old-fashioned stat-padding.
QB Jordan Travis, Florida State
Forget all the other impressive numbers. Travis has thrown 18 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. That’s championship football from a quarterback.