College Football Rankings 2017: Projected AP Top 25 after Week 1

Auburn put in a good but not great performance against Georgia Southern. Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham played decently in his first game as a Tiger, completing 14-of-24 for 185 yards and had three total scores. Stidham also threw an interception and lost a fumble. In general, though, the transfer provided a little balance for what is primarily a Gus Malzahn rushing attack.

Malzahn got great showings from both main running backs. Kam Martin and Kerryon Johnson finished with identical 136-yard, one-touchdown stat lines in the backfield. As a team, Auburn ran for over 350 yards on the ground. And the Tigers defense held Georgia Southern under 100 total yards of offense.

Basically, take your pick. The Tigers are projected to shift down a spot despite the win, mainly because of the way pollsters will perceive Auburn’s win when compared to an SEC West rival. Next week will offer a chance at separation, as Auburn heads to Clemson to face the top-five defending national champions in a clash of Tigers.