College Football Power Rankings, Week 4: Upsets abound

In a week loaded with upsets, it's no surprise to see a shake-up throughout the middle of our Power Rankings. While the first five spots remain unchanged, the same can't be said for the rest of the top 25 after an enthralling week of college football.

South Carolina made the biggest jump, climbing eight spots after knocking off Georgia in what was essentially a must-win game. On the other hand, USC fell eight spots following its shocking upset at the hands of Boston College.

We still don't know whether teams like Notre Dame and Missouri are contenders or pretenders, but, after three weeks of action, the truly elite teams are becoming a lot more obvious.

How the results are calculated: Five editors submit their own rankings, and like the AP poll, every first-place vote is worth 25 points, second place is worth 24, and so on. Voting is not just based on performance, but other external factors, such as injuries to key players and strength of schedule. theScore's ranking is listed first, with the results of last week's power poll in brackets. Without further ado, here is the only ranking you should care about.

1. OREGON (1)
The Ducks still have the season's most impressive victory, a win over Michigan State, and Marcus Mariota continues to prove he's the man to beat for the Heisman.
NEXT GAME: at Washington State on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET

2. FLORIDA STATE (2)
The Seminoles have yet to look like last season's national champs, but coming off of a bye week have a chance to show they're as dangerous as ever.
NEXT GAME: vs. Clemson on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET

WHAT TO MAKE OF FLORIDA STATE
Through two games this season, the Seminoles have shown weaknesses that never appeared during last year's championship run. Florida State scored at least 40 points in all but two games in 2013, but has failed to score 40 twice already this season. The game against Clemson is one of only two on its schedule against teams currently ranked in the top 25, and, if the Seminoles don't walk away with an impressive victory, voters will start to wonder whether they deserve such a high ranking.   - Mike Dickson

3. ALABAMA (3)
Blake Sims looks to have a firm hold on the starting quarterback job, although Nick Saban continues to use Jake Coker as well. Sims could cement his role as the starter with a big game against the Gators.
NEXT GAME: vs. Florida on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET

4. OKLAHOMA (4)
The Sooners continue to roll through their cupcake schedule, but the Mountaineers gave Alabama a scare and could have another in store for Oklahoma.
NEXT GAME: at West Virginia on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET

5. AUBURN (5)
After last season's surprise run to the title game, the Tigers won't be catching anyone off guard this year. They'll be heading to a hostile environment this week with the Wildcats looking to earn some respect.
NEXT GAME: at Kansas State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET

6. TEXAS A&M (7)
The Aggies continue to climb the rankings after a 38-10 romp against Rice. Expect another blowout against SMU this week.
NEXT GAME: at SMU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET

7. BAYLOR (8)
There were questions about Bryce Petty's health, but he answered them with 416 passing yards and four TDs in a 63-21 win over Buffalo. Yeah, he's alright.
NEXT GAME: at Iowa State on Saturday, Sept. 27 

8. LSU (11)
It's about time the Tigers cracked the top 10. Their young athletes were on full display in Week 3 in a 31-0 shutout of ULM, led by freshman Leonard Fournette, who had 52 rushing yards and a touchdown.
NEXT GAME: vs. Mississippi State on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET

9. OLE MISS (T14)
No one has come close to beating the Rebels, who pumped the Ragin' Cajuns 56-15. Memphis will be a tune-up before Alabama in a couple weeks.
NEXT GAME: vs. Memphis on Saturday, Sept. 27

10. NOTRE DAME (9)
For a moment, Purdue had ND on the ropes, but, after the Irish led 17-14 at the half, they turned it on in the second, shutting out the Boilermakers to take it, 30-14.
NEXT GAME: at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 27

WHY NOTRE DAME SHOULDN'T CELEBRATE AFTER A 3-0 START
Notre Dame has looked impressive in winning its first three games, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 109-31. Quarterback Everett Golson has appeared to be the real deal and deserves some serious Heisman consideration. But there have been warts elsewhere, and those warts are going to get exposed in a big way when the schedule toughens up. A date with Stanford is just a couple of weeks away, and a trip to Tallahassee comes two weeks after that. October is when we'll really find out what the Irish are made of. - Gino Bottero

11. MICHIGAN STATE (13)
After an embarrassing Week 2 loss to a much better Oregon team, the Spartans need to get back on track if they want to remain a contender.
NEXT GAME: vs. Eastern Michigan on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET

12. SOUTH CAROLINA (20)
Faced with one of the tougher schedules, the Gamecocks proved they belong in the top 25 after showing up Georgia, taking a 38-35 thriller.
NEXT GAME: at Vanderbilt on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET

13. UCLA (12)
Despite losing Brett Hundley in the first quarter, the Bruins were able to salvage a 20-17 win against Texas behind the arm of Jerry Neuheisel, and boy was it fun to watch.
NEXT GAME: at Arizona State on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET

ALL IS NOT WELL FOR THE BRUINS
UCLA barely earned a victory over Texas on Saturday, but it came at a cost. Quarterback Brett Hundley was injured during the first quarter and did not return, leaving a huge hole in the offense. Jerry Neuheisel was OK in relief, but won't cut it as the schedule gets more difficult. Even if Hundley is ultimately fine, the Bruins need to find a way to win comfortably. All three games so far this year have been decided by eight points or less. If they continue to play tight games every week, eventually they're going to get burned.   - Mike Dickson

14. STANFORD (T14)
Defense is the name of the game as Stanford has shut out two of its three opponents. The Cardinal also gave up only 13 points to USC in Week 2, showing their defense is definitely all it's hyped up to be.
NEXT GAME: at Washington on Saturday, Sept. 27 

T15. GEORGIA (6)
Georgia dropped its game against South Carolina, but at least it learned the offense can't rely solely on Todd Gurley going forward.
NEXT GAME: vs. Troy on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET

T15. ARIZONA STATE (16)
Though the Sun Devils beat Colorado, they could be in big trouble if quarterback Taylor Kelly's injury turns out to be serious.
NEXT GAME: vs. UCLA on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET

17. MISSOURI (18)
Missouri beat a UCF team that isn't as good as it was last year, but if quarterback Maty Mauk plays well, the Tigers will play well. 
NEXT GAME: vs. Indiana on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET

IS MISSOURI A LEGITIMATE CONTENDER IN THE SEC?
When your quarterback plays at the level Maty Mauk has, your school has a chance to win every week. With 12 TDs and a rushing touchdown, Mauk has made the Tigers a team worth watching. His ability to read the defense is NFL-quality. Mizzou is a clear powerhouse in the East, and with the offense-heavy West in the mix, the Tigers need to keep rolling if they want to be in the conversation with the big boys. - George Halim

18. USC (10)
The Trojans had their hands full Saturday when they couldn't stop Boston College. USC's run defense has plenty of work to do. 
NEXT GAME: vs. Oregon State on Saturday, Sept. 27

19. BYU (24)
Though BYU is 3-0, the Cougars only play three Power 5 teams all season. Even an undefeated record may not be enough to get BYU to the College Football Playoff. 
NEXT GAME: vs. Virginia on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET

20. WISCONSIN (17)
Wisconsin still has a lot to prove, even after crushing Western Illinois on Sept. 6. An easy schedule in the coming weeks should help the Badgers string together a nice winning streak.
NEXT GAME: vs. Bowling Green on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET

21. CLEMSON (21)
The Tigers stay put after having the week off. So far, they've had Todd Gurley run all over them, and blown out a cupcake from the FCS. This week brings the stiffest test yet.
NEXT GAME: at Florida State on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET

22. OHIO STATE (25)
The Buckeyes climbed three spots, but the emotional scars from their loss to Virginia Tech continue to haunt them. 
NEXT GAME: vs. Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. ET

23. KANSAS STATE (N/A)
The Wildcats staged a huge late-game comeback vs. Iowa State on Saturday, but this week's meeting with Auburn is their true test.
NEXT GAME: vs. Auburn on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET

THE TRUE WILDCATS WILL SHOW UP AGAINST AUBURN
Kansas State faces its first true test of the season this Saturday when the Wildcats take on No. 5 Auburn at home. Statistically, Kansas State isn't too bad, but Auburn's rush attack is solid, with two backs having rushed for at least 170 yards through two games. The Wildcats also didn't do themselves any favors allowing Iowa State to take a 15-point lead before they decided to get serious. Receiver Tyler Lockett, though barely 175 pounds, is an absolute freak in big games. Senior quarterback Jake Waters leads the team in both passing and rushing. We may actually be looking at an upset this Saturday in Manhattan. - Joseph Czikk

24. OKLAHOMA STATE (N/A)
First they lost to No. 1 Florida State, then the Cowboys beat two bad teams. They have a winnable schedule up until a tough November.  
NEXT GAME: vs. Texas Tech on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET

25. NEBRASKA (22)
The Cornhuskers managed to beat three terrible teams. This week's game in Miami should tell us something.
NEXT GAME: vs. Miami (FL) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET

theScore's NCAAF Power Rankings will be released every Monday during the regular season, with a special edition for the playoffs. This week's edition was voted on by Gino Bottero, Joseph Czikk, Mike Dickson, George Halim and Erin Valois. The full vote count is paired with the rankings below in brackets.

Other teams receiving votes: Florida (5), East Carolina (3), Boston College (2), North Carolina (2)