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Don’t look for many changes near the top of the US LBM Coaches Poll after the best teams in the Bowl Subdivision held serve — and barely so in Alabama’s case.While the Crimson Tide struggled to put away South Carolina, Texas A&M trailed LSU at halftime but put together a jaw-dropping third quarter to remain the only unbeaten team in the SEC.Other top-ranked teams such as Indiana and Georgia Tech breezed to conference wins and are inching closer to the College Football Playoff.The only debate might come at No. 10 between Brigham Young and Vanderbilt. Ranked No. 12 last week, the Commodores have an argument to be moved up the poll after beating Missouri 17-10.Here’s how the top of the US LBM Coaches Poll could look as we head into November:1. Ohio State (7-0)Ohio State will play five games in November starting with Saturday’s home game against Penn State, which is no longer the winner-take-all matchup expected back in the preseason. Look for the Buckeyes to be unbeaten heading into their showdown against Michigan to end the regular season.2. Indiana (8-0)Indiana has now won three games by 50 or more points, including two in the Big Ten (Illinois and UCLA). Defensively, the Hoosiers allowed just 201 yards and forced three turnovers in routing the Bruins.3. Texas A&M (8-0)Down 18-14 to LSU at halftime, the Aggies scored the first 35 points of the second half before the Tigers scored with almost no time left. A&M is 8-0 for the first time since 1992 and looking like the most complete team in the conference.4. Alabama (7-1)Alabama seemed headed for an upset loss at South Carolina before rallying late, scoring the game-tying touchdown and two-point try with 2:19 to play and then taking the lead for good on a 25-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds left. The 29-22 escape came after a run of four ranked opponents in a row and in advance of games against LSU and Oklahoma.5. Georgia (7-1)Georgia next travels south to face Florida in Jacksonville, having taken four in a row in the series and seven of nine overall since Kirby Smart arrived in 2016. Has the bye in Week 9 been useful in helping the Bulldogs solve their issue of slow starts? We will see Saturday.6. Oregon (7-1)Oregon was sparked by backup quarterback Brock Thomas, who replaced an injured Dante Moore in a 21-7 win against Wisconsin. The Ducks held the Badgers’ miserable offense to 194 yards but was far from impressive on offense in their own right.7. Georgia Tech (8-0)Tech bullied Syracuse in a 41-16 win that featured another superb game from Haynes King, who might be the most unheralded player in college football. King threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 91 yards and two more scores on 7.6 yards per carry.8. Mississippi (7-1)The offense wasn’t great, necessarily, but running 87 plays eventually wore down Oklahoma and helped the Rebels own the fourth quarter of a 34-26 win. Maybe as much as any team in the Power Four, this team has a clear path to the playoff and is currently one of the easiest picks to make the field.9. Miami (6-1)Miami let Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson hit on five of his first six attempts for 31 yards and a touchdown but gave up just 19 passing yards and had two interceptions the rest of the way of a 42-7 win, In even better news, Carson Beck played clean football one week after tossing four picks in a loss to Louisville.10. Brigham Young (8-0)Vanderbilt will inch toward BYU after beating Missouri. But the Cougars will also be rewarded for climbing out of an early hole and winning 41-27 at Iowa State. This was the third time this season the Cougars have won on the road despite trailing by multiple scores.
