Who are the top title contenders in college football? Look to the trenches

This play belongs to the trenches. It's what my eyes person been seeing and Week 7 of assemblage shot confirmed. The champion teams successful the state aren't quarterback-driven. They are line-driven.

I thought rushing occurrence was the communal thread, but it's truly trench superiority -- elite tally blocking, relentless walk rushing and sum units that erase passing windows. That's the existent powerfulness curve of 2025.

To me, these are the existent apical teams: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas Tech, Miami and Texas A&M. One squad that is ranked up apical that I don't hold with? Alabama -- which is nary astonishment if you've been pursuing my work.

Every 1 of these teams too Bama grades apical 20 nationally successful tally defence and walk rush, and 4 of them beryllium apical 15 successful tally blocking. It's nary coincidence that 5 of those six are undefeated. The separation isn't coming from backmost play, it's coming from enactment integrity.

Line play is the caller quarterback

Let's commencement with Indiana. The Hoosiers person allowed conscionable 1 red-zone touchdown each season, connected six hostile trips. That's absurd. Their defence ranks apical 10 successful tally defense, walk unreserved and coverage, portion their violative enactment ranks 2nd successful the state successful tally blocking.

Fernando Mendoza's 17 touchdowns and 71% completion look great, but Indiana's existent borderline is however seldom it loses the line.

Ohio State's blueprint is similar. The Buckeyes person faced 11 red-zone possessions and allowed conscionable 2 touchdowns. Their defence is apical 15 crossed tally defense, tackling and coverage, and their violative enactment sits apical 10 successful walk blocking. Julian Sayin is thriving due to the fact that the instauration is truthful stable.

Texas Tech is my favourite squad close now; top-ranked tally defense, No. 1 walk rush, No. 3 sum and a top-40 violative line. Behren Morton near Week 7 with an wounded and the bushed dipped, but aft halftime Tech leaned connected the run, with Cameron Dickey rushing for 263 yards. Talk astir powering up. That was a line-of-scrimmage triumph for the Red Raiders.

Miami is adjacent behind. Dominant up beforehand (No. 2 tally defense, No. 3 walk rush) but shaky wrong the 20s.

Alabama and A&M? Talented, sure, but flawed.

Alabama ranks 113th successful walk rush, and A&M is among the worst tackling units. The quality betwixt "playoff lock" and "top-15 team" is trench drop-off.

Why the Heisman feels lost

The Heisman contention feels disoriented due to the fact that this isn't a twelvemonth of statistical heroes but alternatively a twelvemonth of five-man walls and seven-man fronts.

The favorites close present are each quarterbacks: Carson Beck (+350), Ty Simpson (+400), Fernando Mendoza (+500) and Julian Sayin (+1600). Yet, nary of them are starring their teams successful impact.

Beck is 46th nationally successful passing grade, and his defence ranks apical 3 successful tally defence and walk rush. Simpson has Alabama astatine 5-1, but his discourtesy ranks successful the bottommost 3rd successful ru...