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

Defending College Football Playoff national champion Clemson looked like they will be just fine after losing multi-year starting quarterback Deshaun Watson from last year’s squad. Kelly Bryant went 16-of-22 in his first start for the No. 5 Tigers against Kent State, throwing for 236 yards and a score. He did toss a pick, but Bryant also added another 77 yards on seven carries as well as a rushing touchdown.

The Tigers rushed for 353 yards as a team even though no running back reached 10 carries. Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott cycled through their backfield talent to get everyone reps, and it paid off with an 8.2-yard average per carry over the course of the game.

Clemson, though, will win or die in 2017 by its defense. Against the Golden Flashes, the Tigers held firm on Saturday. Kent State gained just 120 yards of offense, all but one of those yards coming on the ground. Not every opponent will be as elementary as the hapless MAC visitors, and we will know more about Clemson after showdowns against ranked Auburn and Louisville teams in the next two weeks.