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The fatal flaw with every College Football Playoff Top 10 team after first rankings

By Josh Yourish

Oct 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Oct 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. /
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The first College Football Playoff rankings of the year were released this week, and while all the teams bunched near the top are ultimately talented, they are also flawed.

The Georgia Bulldogs are obviously on a great run, winning the last two national championships, but a lot of talent has departed for the NFL and the Bulldogs have looked a bit shaky at times this year. Kirby Smart has had to break in a new quarterback, Carson Beck, so for once Georgia might be vulnerable.

In fact, all of the top teams have weaknesses, which has made for a very fun college football season so far. There are only five unbeaten teams left at the top of college football and behind that, a group of great one-loss teams, each with a fatal flaw.

One of these flawed teams has to win it all, but I’m here to tell you why each of the top 10 teams in the first College Football Playoff rankings won’t.

Oct 28, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) runs with the ball as Vanderbilt Commodores defensive back De’Rickey Wright (2) makes the tackle during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) runs with the ball as Vanderbilt Commodores defensive back De’Rickey Wright (2) makes the tackle during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 10 Ole Miss – Judkins sophomore slump

In 2022, the Ole Miss Rebels should’ve borrowed “Runnin’ Rebels” moniker from UNLV. Lane Kiffin’s offense was runnin’ the ball at military academy levels, averaging 258.3 rushing yards per game, only behind Air Force and ahead of Army and Navy. Most of that was because of his superstar freshman Quinshon Judkins.

Judkins ran for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. That’s crazy efficiency for a freshman at that volume. This year, instead of taking the next step, he’s taken a step back, only averaging 4.7 yards per carry and just 98.7 yards on the ground per game.

Ole Miss is 28th in rushing offense and 47th in yards per rush. That puts a lot more responsibility on the shoulders of Jaxson Dart. Dart has been up to the task, leading to the 23rd-ranked passing offense. Dart is completing 64.2% of his passes with an average of 9.8 yards per attempt and 14 touchdowns to four interceptions.

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