| 1. Georgia (3-0) |  | ||
| 2. Ohio State (3-0) |  | ||
| 3. Penn St (3-0) |  | ||
| 4. Miami (3-0) |  | ||
| 5. Oregon (3-0) |  | ||
| 6. LSU (3-0) |  | ||
| 7. Texas A&M (3-0) |  | ||
| 8. Tennessee (2-1) |  | ||
| 9. Ole Miss (3-0) |  | ||
| 10. Florida State (3-0) |  | ||
| 11. Oklahoma (3-0) |  | ||
| 12. Illinois (3-0) |  | ||
| 13. Texas (2-1) |  | ||
| 14. Alabama (2-1) |  | ||
| 15. USC (3-0) |  | ||
| 16. Auburn (2-0) |  | ||
| 17. Iowa State (3-0) |  | ||
| 18. Notre Dame (0-2) |  | ||
| 19. Michigan (2-1) |  | ||
| 20. Vanderbilt (3-0) |  | ||
| 21. Indiana (3-0) |  | ||
| 22. Georgia Tech (3-0) |  | ||
| 23. Texas Tech (3-0) |  | ||
| 24. Utah (3-0) |  | ||
| 25. South Carolina (2-1) |  | ||
GTM Releases Week 4 Top 25: Georgia Leads, Surprises Emerge
September 15, 2025 — Go Trucking Magazine has published its Week 4 Top 25 College Football Rankings, and the list reflects both the dominance of traditional powers and the rise of unexpected contenders.
Georgia Holds the Top Spot
Georgia (3-0) remains firmly in control at No. 1, followed by Ohio State (3-0) and Penn State (3-0). All three programs have looked sharp in their opening weeks, setting the tone for what could be another season dominated by the SEC and Big Ten.
Miami (3-0) and Oregon (3-0) round out the top five, giving the ACC representation and the Big Ten more early representation at the top of the list.
Undefeated Teams Dominate Early
Seventeen of the 25 ranked programs remain undefeated at 3-0, heavily rewarding early momentum. Alongside the top five, schools such as LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Florida State, Oklahoma, USC, and Utah all secured undefeated starts and top-25 recognition. Go Trucking Magazine looks favorably on USC and doesn’t hold the past year over its head. We also look at Texas A&M and Ole Miss more favorably than the AP or Coaches Poll.
Several lesser-known programs have also entered the spotlight. Vanderbilt, Indiana, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech each earned undefeated 3-0 starts, securing spots in the bottom half of the rankings.
Blue Bloods Survive Early Stumbles
Not every top-tier program escaped the first three weeks unscathed, but many still hold strong positions. Tennessee (2-1) sits at No. 8, Texas (2-1) at No. 13, and Alabama (2-1) at No. 14, each benefitting from schedule strength and national reputation.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is Notre Dame. Despite an 0-2 start, the Fighting Irish remain ranked at No. 18, where GTM expects a rebound given the difficulty of their schedule and their historic stature.
Conference Breakdown
The SEC continues to dominate the rankings with Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, and South Carolina all represented.
The Big Ten is also well positioned with Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon, and Illinois.
Meanwhile, the ACC showcases Miami and Florida State, while the Pac-12 adds Utah. Notably, programs like Vanderbilt, Indiana, and Georgia Tech bring fresh names into the mix, signaling potential parity deeper into the season.
Reputation Still Matters
GTM’s treatment of Notre Dame highlights how tradition and national profile remain factors. While most 0-2 teams would be excluded from a top-25 ranking, Notre Dame’s inclusion at No. 18 underscores the weight of history and the expectations surrounding marquee programs. GTM looks at a one-point loss to Texas A&M and a first game of the season loss to Miami, at Miami, as insufficient reason to move them lower.
Similarly, Alabama and Texas, each carrying early losses, remain firmly inside the top 15, balancing record with perceived team strength and quality of competition.
Rising Contenders
The inclusion of Vanderbilt (No. 20), Georgia Tech (No. 22), and Texas Tech (No. 23) since last week’s rankings, shows that early-season performance from non-traditional powers is being recognized. Although we have included Indiana (No. 21), we have not given them much credit due to their lack of strength of schedule. However, this week they will have a chance to show where they belong as they host Illinois at 3-0! Should these programs continue to win, they could shake up the national picture and challenge for higher positions as we get closer to the playoff contention.
What Comes Next
With conference play heating up, the rankings are likely to shift dramatically in the coming weeks. How GTM handles teams with one or two losses will be critical. Programs like Notre Dame and Alabama cannot afford further stumbles if they want to remain in the conversation.
Meanwhile, the undefeated programs in the bottom half of the rankings have opportunities to climb quickly if they secure wins against stronger competition.
Betting Lines Tell Part of the Story
Several GTM Top 25 teams are set for matchups in Week 4 where point spreads (i.e., the betting line predictions of how much they’ll win by) give insight into how oddsmakers view their strength. Below is a table of some of the more significant games involving GTM-ranked teams, with point spreads and home teams.
Table: Selected Matchups Involving GTM Top-25 Teams + Point Spreads
| GTM Rank | Favorite | Opponent | Point Spread* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 (Utah) vs. No. 17 Texas Tech | Utah (Home) | Texas Tech | −3.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 15 Tennessee vs. UAB | Tennessee (Home) | UAB | −39.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 6 Oregon vs. Oregon State | Oregon (Home) | Oregon State | −34.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 7 Florida State vs. Kent State | Florida State (Home) | Kent State | −44.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 22 Auburn | Oklahoma (Home) | Auburn | −6.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 13 Ole Miss vs. Tulane | Ole Miss (Home) | Tulane | −12.5 FOX Sports+1 |
| No. 4 Miami vs. Florida | Miami (Home) | Florida | −8.5 State of The U+1 |
*Spreads are from sportsbooks / betting previews for Week 4 games.
What the Betting Lines Imply
- Blow-out expectations: Tennessee at −39.5 over UAB, Florida State at −44.5 vs. Kent State, and Oregon −34.5 over Oregon State are all large margins, reinforcing GTM’s high rankings for those teams. This suggests oddsmakers agree these are mismatches.
- Tight or modest lines in top matchups: Utah −3.5 over Texas Tech, and Oklahoma −6.5 over Auburn, suggest competitive games where GTM’s placement of these teams might be tested. These are less certainty zones than the blowouts.
- Rivalry / high-visibility games: The Miami vs. Florida game at −8.5 shows that while Miami is favored (and GTM ranks it high), it’s not a runaway, especially given rivalry dynamics. Florida is struggling but still a wildcard factor.
Evaluation & Predictions
Based on the spreads and matchups, some of GTM’s rankings seem reinforced:
- Oregon, Tennessee, Florida State look secure as top-10ish teams: large spreads, home status, and opponent weakness point toward strong performance.
- Utah vs. Texas Tech is a litmus test for mid-ranking stability. A narrow spread implies that if Utah wins poorly, or Texas Tech upsets, GTM’s placements for both could shift.
- Miami vs. Florida: if Florida manages to keep it close or upset, GTM’s expectation for Miami as a dominant force will be less convincing.
Strengths & Weaknesses of GTM’s Top 25
Strengths:
- Alignment with betting markets in many mismatched games gives confidence in the higher vs. lower dichotomy GTM draws.
- Acknowledgement of momentum and undefeated streaks seem reasonably matched with the public perception and model predictions in several cases.
- Good mix of reputation and performance: GTM doesn’t severely punish high-profile losses (e.g., slightly penalizes power programs), but still rewards unexpected strong starts.
Weaknesses / Risks:
- Overrating weaker schedules: Some undefeated teams may have done so against significantly weaker opponents. A dominant spread doesn’t always equate to quality of opponent.
- Reputation bias: Teams with storied histories are still being given benefit of doubt (e.g. ranking high despite early losses or less impressive metrics), which might lead to error versus more merit-based rankings.
- Vulnerability in mid-tier rankings: Teams ranked 15-25 are more exposed to upsets and volatility; smaller margins of error in spreads suggest these teams may be reshuffled heavily in coming weeks.
Outlook: What Week 4 Might Reveal
- Big wins or blowouts by teams like Florida State, Tennessee, Oregon will cement their status in power rankings across outlets.
- If Utah wins narrowly, or Texas Tech pulls an upset, that could cause GTM’s mid-ranking teams (especially just inside vs just outside) to shift.
- Miami’s performance in a rivalry game against Florida (particularly if the Gators overperform) could test how GTM and betting lines view Florida’s recovery and Miami’s dominance.
- Keep an eye on how some ranked matchups stack up: Oklahoma vs. Auburn, etc. Those will test a team’s ranking under pressure.
Conclusion
GTM’s Week 4 Top 25 provides a strong snapshot of college football as seen mid-September: dominance by powerhouses, early surprises from sleepers, and upcoming matchups that will determine who might live up to those placements. Betting lines for key games overall support many of GTM’s rankings, particularly at the top. But they also highlight potential weak spots—especially among teams with less margin for error.
As the next few games unfold, GTM’s list will be tested. Those teams that win convincingly at home—especially with the kind of spreads oddsmakers are giving them—will likely hold or even improve their positions. Those pushed harder than expected might see their rankings drop.