The biggest flaw of every top 25 college football team

Defensive speed . Anytime a team loses a bevy of talent, as the Huskies did defensively from last season, there will be a drop-off. Perhaps the biggest area of concern at the linebacker position and in the secondary is the lack of that stellar team speed we've grown accustomed to from the Huskies in recent years. It will be interesting to see how they handle Justin Herbert and Oregon this weekend.

Gotta shut them down. It's a good thing Top 25 newcomer Appalachian State is averaging 41.0 points this season. That's because the Mountaineers are giving up 24.6 points per contest — ranking 56th in the country. On three occasions they've allowed at least 31 points, and in two of those games they yielded at least 450 total yards to an opponent. 

Beating the Big (Ten) shots. Iowa's two losses have each come in the last two games — at then-No. 19 Michigan and to then-No. 10 Penn State last weekend. If we go back to 2017, the Hawkeyes have lost five straight games against Top 25 Big Ten teams. With dates against Top 25 residents Wisconsin and Minnesota still on the slate, that slide can continue.

The road. The Tigers are in the Top 25 and riding a five-game winning streak. Each of those wins has been at home since they opened with a 37-31 loss at Wyoming. Actually, we probably don't know what to expect from Mizzou as it enters a stretch of three straight SEC road games at Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Georgia. It will probably be favored in two of those games, so that's a chance to prove us wrong.

Penalties. The Bearcats are a pretty complete team that's well balanced on the offensive side of the ball. However, Cincinnati is the most undisciplined of any team in this week's Top 25. Its 61 penalties accepted are tied for the second-most in the country, and it's been whistled for at least nine per contest.

Can it beat the big guys in November? It's more of a question than a flaw. The Gophers had to sweat out each of their first four games then rolled by Illinois and Nebraska in the last two. Rutgers is up this weekend and Maryland follows. Then comes November, when it would appear Minnesota is again tested with Penn State, Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin to close out the regular season. We'll see just how good this team really is and if any significant flaws surface.

Flirting with danger. The Mustangs have been both good and fortunate this season. That's usually the combination a team needs to remain undefeated at this point in the season. SMU has won three games by at least seven points and benefited from Tulsa's place-kicking deficiencies to rally for a triple-overtime victory in its most recent contest. At some point the rallies and good fortune will end.

First-quarter scoring. The good news first. Baylor has allowed just six first-quarter points while winning its first three Big 12 games. The bad. The Bears did not score a single point of their own in the first quarter during any of those contests. That's been OK so far, but with Oklahoma State, TCU, Oklahoma and Texas left on the schedule, strong starts might be imperative.

Pass defense. The Sun Devils have had their defensive moments in 2019 — holding the first three opponents to seven points each. However, they have had their issues defending the pass game. Arizona State ranks 102nd in the nation, allowing 262.8 passing yards per contest. It's also managed just two interceptions and is about to face the meat of its Pac-12 schedule.

Turnovers. Let's face it: There are a few directions we can go with this one. But the Wolverines have talent — maybe not as high level as we thought but enough for double-digit wins. Perhaps their most glaring issue is keeping hold of the football. Michigan has turned the ball over 13 times, including nine lost fumbles. (We're looking at you, Shea Patterson.) The Wolverines are also minus-1 in turnover ratio.

Defense, Sure, injuries on both sides of the ball have played a part in Texas' modest underachievement this season. But Todd Orlando's defense almost seems like a liability at this point for the Longhorns. Sure, they are forcing turnovers (12), but that they've also allowed an average of 31.7 points over the last three games, against Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Oklahoma.

Quarterback depth. Will the Broncos need to test it? That remains to be seen with freshman Hank Bachmeier suffering a hip injury in last weekend's 59-37 win over Hawaii. Bachmeier's status for this weekend's game against BYU is uncertain, but backups Chase Cord and Jaylon Henderson combined for four touchdown passes in the win. Still, it's a position that's now become a question mark for coach Bryan Harsin.

Staying healthy . The Utes have been pretty fortunate in that department this season after injuries hit quarterback Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss hard in 2018. Despite losing at USC, which has been this program's white whale, Utah is doing just about everything well. So as long as it can stay relatively healthy down the stretch, the success should continue. 

Filling the tight end void. Losing tight end and leading receiver Jacob Breeland (26 receptions, 405 yards, six TDs) to a season-ending injury could be huge. Breeland was obviously a favorite of quarterback Justin Herbert, and the Ducks must find a way to successfully move on without him. There are others eager to step up, but this is a blow that could change the complexion of Oregon's offense. 

Offensive confidence. That took a hit in the 24-13 loss to Florida earlier this month. The Tigers were held to a season-low 269 total yards, committed four turnovers (three Bo Nix picks) and lost running back JaTarvious Whitlow to a knee injury. How Nix responds is the storyline, but this is really a unit issue that coach Gus Malzahn hopes is resolved sooner and not later.

Lack of swagger. At the moment, the Bulldogs don't seem to have much of that. Many thought this would be their season to compete with the elite once again, but last week's home loss to a middling South Carolina team will likely prove damaging in the long run. Even in Georgia's win over Notre Dame, it didn't show that edge and complete confidence that great teams have. It will be interesting to see what the remainder of the season holds for the Bulldogs. 

Offensive inconsistency.  This is usually what separates the pretty good teams from the great ones. Florida has weapons in running back Lamical Perine and that trio of talented pass-catchers (Kyle Pitts, Freddie Swain, Van Jefferson), but the Gators have averaged 25.3 points against Miami (FL), Auburn and LSU — arguably the three toughest teams on the schedule to date. 

The schedule. Notre Dame's fate as a College Football Playoff contender — should some of the current elite unbeatens fall — could ultimately take a hit. The Irish lost at Georgia, had to rally to beat Virginia and failed to pull away from USC. Road dates with Michigan and Stanford figure to be the main hurdles left for Notre Dame to clear, but wins at both likely won't be enough to earn a final four berth if a one-loss team is in the picture.

Offense, in general. Penn State is kind of like Florida in some ways but probably has a better defense and doesn't play in the SEC. Penn State was held to 17 points against Pitt and then dropped 59 on Maryland. Plus it had to grind out a 17-12 win at Iowa last week. Inconsistent offense could keep the Nittany Lions from beating the likes of solid defensive teams like Ohio State and even Michigan State down the stretch. 

Sustainability. Again, more like a question instead of a flaw. Honestly, it's tough to find one at the moment with the Badgers. They've outscored their opponents 255-29 and have pitched four shutouts. Ohio State awaits on Oct. 26, the biggest game of the season for Wisconsin. Can it remain as dominant then — and beyond. It's a question worth asking since the Badgers have looked quite impressive.

Forcing turnovers. Do we want to get nitpicky here? Yes. The Sooners defense (allowing 20.3 points per game) is an improved unit from last season when it gave up 33.3 points. However, it has forced only six turnovers and none in the last two games. If Oklahoma is to have a shot at a national title, its defense probably needs to start making big plays via the turnover game.

That annual road(block). No doubt Ohio State looks like a legitimate national championship contender. But as we've seen in recent years, the Buckeyes have been prone to stumbling on the road in the Big Ten. In 2016 Ohio State lost at Penn State, was blown out at Iowa in 2017 and last year was throttled at Purdue while sporting the nation's No. 2 ranking. The Buckeyes visit a struggling but defensively solid Northwestern squad this week and still have to visit Michigan. Is this the year the recent trend ends? 

Stars need to shine . So far this season, Clemson's playmakers and game-breakers on offense have looked a little pedestrian. That needs to change if the Tigers are to get into the College Football Playoff let alone repeat as national champs. Trevor Lawrence has thrown six interceptions in six games after tossing four in 15 a season ago. Travis Etienne has not shown the consistent burst we've seen the last two years, and Justyn Ross had just one TD catch before getting two last weekend.

Total defense.  Who would have thought this would be LSU's most notable flaw in 2019? While Joe Burrow and the Tigers offense have exceeded early expectations, the defense has been suspect at times. LSU ranks 40th in the nation, allowing 21.1 points per game and a modest 25th giving up an average of 316.0 yards. It's yielded 38 points to both Texas and Vanderbilt.

Keep big-game ready. OK, this is not a traditional flaw as it is more of a warning. The Crimson Tide have rolled through the first half of the regular season and are again ranked above all in the FBS. However, they need to be ready and focused for those marquee games that await. Alabama was sloppy against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff last season, and we know what happened in the title game. LSU comes calling early next month, and the Iron Bowl is at Auburn. Be ready, Tide.