Joel Klatt ranks No. 1 team in college football after Week 6

Joel Klatt names Ohio State the No. 1 team in college football after Week 6.

Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt has the Ohio State Buckeyes atop his personal top 10 rankings after Week 6. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ohio State football continues to look unstoppable, and Joel Klatt has taken notice. During Sunday night’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the Fox Sports analyst unveiled his latest top 10 rankings and placed the Ohio State Buckeyes atop the list.

Klatt praised the Buckeyes for being the most complete team in college football, pointing to their dominant 42-3 win over Minnesota as the latest example of balance and execution. Quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns while completing 23 of 27 passes. Wide receiver Carnell Tate erupted for 183 yards and a score, and Jeremiah Smith added two touchdowns of his own.

While Klatt credited the offense’s versatility, he said the real reason Ohio State is No. 1 lies on the other side of the ball. He described Matt Patricia’s defense as “the single best unit in college football” and praised its growth compared to last season’s championship-winning group.

Klatt Praises Ohio State’s Offensive Answers and Defensive Dominance

Klatt said Ohio State’s ability to adapt separates it from every other contender. “They are the team that has not shown a real weakness in any game, and that’s why they’re No. 1,” he said. “They are suffocatingly good because they have answers. If you take away their deep passing game, they’ll throw it short. If you take away their short passing game, they’ll run it.”

He credited Sayin’s efficiency — an 80 percent completion rate and only two interceptions this season — as a sign of elite poise. Klatt also highlighted Tate’s breakout against Minnesota and Smith’s star power, calling the sophomore “the best offensive player in the country.”

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) is having another dominant season, collecting 35 receptions for 463 yards and six touchdowns. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

But Klatt reserved his highest praise for Ohio State’s defense. “The Ohio State defense is the elite unit in the sport, period,” he said.

“Caden Curry has become a real factor as a defensive end. They have the best tandem linebackers in the country in Sonny Styles and Arvell Reece, and they have the single best defender behind all that in Caleb Downs.”

Ryan Day’s Relentless Standard Reflects Buckeyes’ Championship Focus

Even after a 39-point win, Ryan Day found flaws. The Ohio State coach pointed out Bo Jackson’s ball extension near the goal line and Lincoln Kienholz’s decision to bounce outside on a third-and-two run, warning that such lapses could cost them in tighter games. “We should not be reaching the ball out,” Day said. “That’s going to be a fumble down the road.”

Day’s tone has shifted this season. He’s less satisfied by blowouts and more focused on erasing mistakes before they matter in championship settings. That mentality, combined with Klatt’s praise, underscores how far Ohio State has evolved since last year’s loss to Michigan.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has his program off to a 5-0 start after a big win over Minnesota. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buckeyes’ defense has yet to allow a red-zone touchdown or a first-half touchdown this season, a feat last achieved in 1979. They’ve now held five straight opponents to 10 points or fewer, a level of dominance that explains Klatt’s confidence.

Ohio State will travel to face No. 22 Illinois next Saturday.

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