College Football Rankings 2020: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 10

After two months of watching the rest of the country slowly ease into playing football, this is the last weekend when teams like Oregon will be sidelined prior to the Pac-12’s return to fall football. The Ducks continue to hover right around the midpoint of the AP Top 25 despite their lack of playing time, in large part due to the proven skill they bring back on defense and an inexperienced but talent-rich offense.

At this point Tyler Shough looks likely to take the starting role at quarterback ahead of Boston College graduate transfer Anthony Brown. Thousand-yard rusher CJ Verdell returns in the backfield. More importantly, one of the nation’s top defenses in 2019 (16.5 points and 330 points per game allowed) brings back 81 percent of its production from last season’s roster.

That mix of potential and past results has Oregon in the driver’s seat as the team best positioned in the Pac-12 to leap into the College Football Playoff discussion. The defending conference champs get their first chance to impress pollsters when the Ducks welcome Stanford to Autzen Stadium on November 7.