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Danny Kanell reveals updated top 5 with Ohio State surprisingly low

No. 1 Miami, No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Oregon.
Patrick Previty|
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Danny Kanell released a resume-only top five after Week 3: No. 1 Miami, No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Oregon. He emphasized that teams must own at least one Power 4 win to qualify and that his list is "highly volatile."

The AP voters see it differently. Ohio State is still No. 1, followed by Penn State and LSU, with Miami at No. 4, Georgia at No. 5 and Oregon at No. 6 in the latest poll. That split sets up the question Kanell is really posing: whose resume is best right now, not who projects best in November.

Miami has the strongest early case, per Kanell. The Hurricanes beat then-No. 6 Notre Dame 27-24 in Week 1 and demolished No. 18 South Florida 49-12 in Week 3. Quarterback Carson Beck had 3 touchdown passes against USF and Miami is 3-0 with two ranked wins, which few teams can match at this point in the season.

LSU's case is built on quality and where they have played. The Tigers went on the road and beat then-No. 4 Clemson 17-10 in the opener, then followed with a 20-10 win over Florida in week 3 highlighted by five interceptions of DJ Lagway, including a pick-six. That’s two Power 4 wins, one of them a top-five road victory, with a defense that just produced five takeaways in SEC play.

Georgia has the best single road result of anyone not named LSU: a 44-41 overtime win at then-No. 15 Tennessee. It was the Bulldogs' ninth straight win in the series and came after rallying from multiple deficits.

Now to Ohio State, the team Kanell places low than expected at No. 4. The Buckeyes own what some people think is the best win to date — a 14-7 win over then-No. 1 Texas — along with a shutout of Grambling State, then a 37-9 pull-away victory over Ohio. That’s 16 points allowed through three games, but only one Power 4 opponent so far and both follow-ups were at home against an FCS team and a MAC foe. The resume lacks the second P4 punch Miami and LSU already have, and it doesn’t include a road test yet. Also, the win over Texas is looking less impressive with each passing week as Arch Manning and the offense struggle to find its footing.

Oregon rounds out Kanell’s five after a comfortable 34-14 Big Ten road win at Northwestern. The Ducks led 17-0 at halftime and forced two interceptions while cruising to 3-0. It’s not the same caliber as Miami's or LSU's best wins, but it checks Kanell's requirements and has value — especially with the eye-test.

Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks | David Banks-Imagn Images
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Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

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