AP top 25 poll: Three most underrated college football teams in Week 13

By this point of the season, it's hard to find much fault in the AP top 25 poll.

No. 1 Ohio State is an undefeated, reigning national champion. No. 2 Indiana is also unbeaten and looking even better than its 11-win team from last year. No. 3 Texas A&M is the final unbeaten team across the FBS.

No. 4 Georgia just beat then-No. 10 Texas 35-10, and its only loss was by three points to Alabama. No. 5 Ole Miss' only loss is to Georgia, so it naturally slots in behind the Bulldogs. Oregon and Texas Tech also have just one loss and are tied for No. 6 in the voting this week.

And so on.

The poll mostly looks how it should, but these are the three teams that could raise a qualm about their standing.

No. 11 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12)

The Cougars also have just one loss -- to Texas Tech on the road -- and have a win over now-No. 13 Utah, and yet are ranked behind three two-loss teams.

We're going to allow that No. 10 Alabama (8-2) merits being slotted where it is with four wins over ranked opponents, including Georgia. The season-opening loss to Florida State was so long ago, and the Crimson Tide had won eight straight before losing 23-21 to a now-top-10 Oklahoma team on Saturday. So we'll leave Alabama out of this.

And by extension, that makes it difficult to make a case for sliding down No. 8 Oklahoma (8-2), after it just beat Alabama, and its two losses came to ranked Texas and Ole Miss teams, both of which entered last weekend in the top 10 of the CFP.

However, we can make the case for BYU to be ahead of Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 9 with two losses and a relatively thin overall resume.

The Fighting Irish opened the season with losses to Miami and Texas A&M -- both competitive games, respectable defeats. And it has been pretty dominant since then, winning eight straight games by double digits.

But only two of those wins came against good Power Four opponents -- USC (now No. 16 in the AP poll) and 37-15 Saturday over Pittsburgh (now unranked but No. 22 entering that game). The rest of their schedule has been compromised of the likes of Purdue, Arkansas, NC State, Boston College, Boise State and an admittedly feisty Navy team out of the AAC.

BYU has also had a modest schedule, but the 24-21 win over Utah (which has been pretty dominant outside of that game and a loss to Texas Tech) is more substantial than either of Notre Dame's wins. The Cougars then posted a dominant win of their own Saturday, 44-13, at TCU despite many thinking the Horned Frogs could pull the upset.

That's the thing -- everyone seemingly keeps waiting for BYU to stumble, but the Cougars are showing to be a legitimately great team with strong defense, a reliable rushing attack and an improving true freshman quarterback in Bear Bachmeier.

So when comparing BYU and Notre Dame, it ultimately comes down to the Cougars having one fewer loss. Could they have beaten Miami? Sure, so why is the Fighting Irish getting extra credit just for playing that game?

No. 13 Utah (8-2, 5-2 Big 12)

Similarly, it seems Utah is getting knocked down a little because it plays in the Big 12 and not under a bigger national spotlight.

We're specifically looking at the Utes' ranking compared to No. 12 Vanderbilt.

The Commodores are a great story and they play in the SEC, but are they a better team than Utah?

Both have two losses. The Utes' defeats came to the No. 6 and 11 teams in the current poll (Texas Tech and BYU). Vanderbilt's losses came to the No. 10 and 17 teams (Alabama and Texas).

All of Utah's wins have come by 25 points or more -- including 42-10 over then-No. 21 Arizona State team (albeit with its backup QB), 45-14 over then-No. 17 Cincinnati and 55-28 on the road this week at Baylor.

Vanderbilt's best wins were over LSU, which is now unranked and has since fired its coach mid-season, and Missouri (now No. 23).

Utah and Vandy should flip spots in the rankings. We'll see if the CFP committee agrees when its rankings are released on Tuesday.

No. 22 North Texas (9-1, 5-1 AAC)

Finally, we come to the Group of Five debate.

No. 21 James Madison (9-1), out of the Sun Belt, is the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the AP poll, while a pair of AAC teams -- No. 22 North Texas (also 9-1) and No. 24 Tulane (8-2) -- are next.

Ultimately, what matters is the CFP rankings, but this is an interesting situation to monitor, as the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion will be eligible for the playoffs.

If the CFP rankings align with the AP poll, James Madison is in the driver's seat and the Dukes are a great team, no doubt. But the AAC has been the better conference.

James Madison's only win over a team with an even winning record was against Old Dominion. Every other victory has come against a team that is now .500 or with a losing record, though to be fair, its only loss came to FBS foe Louisville.

North Texas' only loss came to then-No. 24 South Florida, which was also ranked entering last weekend until losing to Navy. The Mean Green beat 5-5 Washington State (59-10) and 8-2 Navy (31-17), among other blowouts.

This is a minor point, but it feels like the AAC has simply been the stronger conference, and North Texas is slightly more deserving than James Madison, if it comes down to it.