Week 1 college football Top 25: Stock up or down?

We are now officially in the college football season and there is much to rejoice in. The opening slate of games presented excitement, confusion, and disappointment across each fanbase. 

However, luckily for us, there is much to talk about. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, it was an action-packed Labor Day weekend.

With that being said, here is my take on where all current AP Top-25 teams stand. Please note this only applies to what we saw in Week 1. 

1. Georgia Bulldogs - Up 

There's not much to say about this one. Georgia displayed their utter dominance in what was a close game at the half against Clemson. The second half showed why the Bulldogs are the number one team and I would not expect that ranking to go anywhere anytime soon.

There was certainly some room for let-up or a possible upset to Clemson, but Georgia won in every aspect of the game and put the Tigers out with a 34-3 win. Shout out to Malaki Starks for that crazy interception.

2. Ohio State - Up

You are going to notice a trend across these big teams playing against smaller FBS teams. Ohio State played Akron at home, and it is what you would expect. The Buckeyes won in what was a 50-6 dismantling.

Although it was a slow start for the Buckeyes, I believe those preseason growing pains are still there. Will Howard played well, and we got a great taste of the next Marvin Harrison Jr. True freshman Jeremiah Smith is a household name who will be very fun to watch in the coming weeks.

3. Oregon - Down

This was our first real “what the heck” moment. The score should tell you everything. Oregon beat Idaho 24-14, and let’s just say this was a hard-fought victory.

The Oregon offense was very stagnant and not as dynamic as they were supposed to be. Dillon Gabriel did not impress much, largely due to the offensive line woes, and the Duck’s defense certainly was troubled at times.

Overall, it was extremely underwhelming and disappointing, and hopefully, the Ducks can shake out the hardships. 

4. Texas - Up

It was everything as advertised. The Longhorns faced Colorado State at home and they handled business pretty easily. It was a slow start for the Horns but everything came together. We even got to see Arch Manning out there. 

5. Alabama - Up 

This is a team with which I had a lot of doubts. I really was not sure about how everything would mesh together in Tuscaloosa, but Kalen DeBeor had his guys ready. At first glance, the post-Saban era is a massive success.

Western Kentucky is a respectable team with transfers like TJ Finley, but the Tide absolutely steamrolled everything the Hilltoppers had to offer. Jalen Milroe looked good alongside true freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams – who by the way is 17 years old.

The Tide is rolling and I am very optimistic for this team. 

6. Ole Miss - Up

This might be the biggest stock-up team of them all. I get it, they played Furman but this one was a beat down on all levels as it was a 76-0 victory. My Heisman pick Jaxson Dart showed why he can be this year’s Heisman and this offense looked unstoppable. Tre Harris also showed why he can be a top-five wide receiver. I can see Ole Miss doing some serious damage in the SEC and giving some of these powerhouses issues in the future. Lane Kiffin has built an electric culture in Oxford and it shined bright in this one.

7. Notre Dame - Up

How about the Irish? Say it ain’t so, Notre Dame beat a top-20 opponent on the road. This is probably Marcus Freeman’s biggest win of his career and the Irish found a way to win in what was a very hostile environment at Kyle Field.

The offensive line certainly showed some growing pains, but the Irish defense is something special. Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts will cause a lot of issues in the future. This is a legit start for Notre Dame. 

8. Penn State - Up 

Give it up to the Nittany Lions, this is a team many people were picking against. Having to play West Virginia in Morgantown was no easy challenge. Garrett Greene is a real threat to any defense but Penn State responded accordingly.

Drew Allar impressed greatly and overall this was a very solid win for James Franklin. A dominant 34-12 victory is a solid way to start the season. 

9. Michigan - Down 

What was going on in Michigan? This score was way too close for comfort throughout the entire game. I did not expect a dominating victory by any means, but I expected Michigan to have more breathing room than they did against Fresno State.

All aspects of the Wolverines looked shaky, but my biggest concern is the quarterback position. The Wolverines cycled between both Davis Warren and Alex Orji and this system was not favorable.

In the future Michigan will have to figure this out. But along with that, we should note this is a team without their current head coach Sherrone Moore, and still trying to work past the departures of Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter. Ultimately it ended up being a 30-10 messy victory for Michigan. 

10. Florida State - Down

Oh man, where do I begin? After nearly getting run out of Doak Campell Stadium against Boston College, the Seminoles now find themselves with a 0-2 record. There are a lot of issues in Tallahassee, some of which are major problems.

For the second straight game, Florida State’s defensive line looked nonexistent. Allowing 267 rushing yards was the recipe for disaster as the Seminoles lost 28-13. In addition to this, DJ Uiagalelei does not at all look like a good fit with this team.

The receiving core is mid at best, the rushing game is a hard watch, and the offensive line has its struggles.

Mike Norvell has a lot to clean up because right now this does not even look like a 6-6 team. I would expect Florida State to be unranked in a few days.

11. Missouri - Up

Much like the rest of these teams, there is not much to say here. Missouri handled business against Murray State in what was a dominant 51-0 shoutout. It was what you would expect.

Luther Burden scored, Brady Cook spread the ball well, and the Tigers gave zero hope to Murray State. Mizzou scored 28 points in the first quarter alone and this game was over in no time. 

12. Utah - Up 

Shoutout to Cam Rising. He is back in his seventh season and set the tone on Thursday night. Utah crushed Southern Utah in what was a 49-0 victory. Rising threw five touchdowns and there was much to like about the Big-12 favorites Utah Utes. 

13. LSU - Down

So close, yet so far. Brian Kelly must be allergic to winning opening games as the Tigers once again start their season 0-1. This one hurts because I believe LSU to be the clear favorite, but USC put up a great fight.

This was probably the best game we got all weekend so at least LSU gave us a good source of entertainment. I think Garrett Nussiemerir looked strong in his first real start and loved his targets. Kyren Lacy will be a real problem down the line, and Mason Taylor is one of the best tight ends in the NCAA.

It’s certainly not the way LSU would have liked to start their season but there is a lot of room to bounce back in the future. Besides, a 27-20 loss isn’t all that bad. 

14. Clemson - Down

I wanted to see Clemson succeed but this was not the game. Unfortunately, the number one team was a bit too strong for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. It looked similar to last season where Clemson struggled to move the ball under the command of Cade Klubnik.

I am certainly concerned for this team and would have liked to see this one be more competitive against a true title contender like Georgia. I am not one to officially write off Dabo Swinney, but I am worried.

15. Tennessee - Up 

Here’s a name for you, Nico Iamaleava. Nico is the living embodiment of all the hype surrounding Tennessee and he showed out in Week 1.

As a possible Heisman candidate and the cornerstone of the Vol’s offensive success, it was crucial Nico got out to the right start. It was an extremely dominant 69-3 win over Chattanooga. Both the passing and running game looked near flawless and the defense looked great as well. 

16. Oklahoma - Up

There is a lot to love about Oklahoma. I am a firm believer in Jackson Arnold and Brent Venables as the captain of this ship. The Sooners diminished everything a lacking Temple team brought to Norman on Friday night, and won dominantly.

Deion Burks, a transfer from Purdue, looked great in his home opener and gave Arnold a true receiver threat. I am excited to see how the Sooners adapt to the SEC in the future.  

17. Oklahoma State - Up

When I saw the Cowboys were facing the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Week 1, I was slightly concerned. For those who are not aware, the Jackrabbits own the rights to back-to-back FCS National Championships in 2022 and 2023.

The Cowboys handled business pretty well with what was a 44-20 victory. Again, this was one of the tougher opening opponents and Oklahoma State really came through offensively.

In his seventh season, Alan Bowman had a great game passing for 3 touchdowns, Ollie Gordon II also ran for 2 touchdowns. Mike Gundy had some great schemes and beat the Jackrabbits at their own game.

18. Kansas State - Up 

In the post-Max Howard era, it has all become about Avery Johnson. The hype in Kansas State is overshadowed, but I am here to tell you that K-State can be a dark horse contender in the Big 12. The offense appeared to be pretty solid through Avery Johnson.

Overall K-State looked good in all three phases of the game and it was a 41-6 win over UT Martin. I am curious to see what this offensive unit looks like during conference play, but it is a good start to the season. 

19. Miami - Up 

What a statement Miami made this past weekend at the Swamp. The Hurricanes were viewed as a dark horse in the ACC by both Florida State and Clemson. That has changed monumentally in the course of just a few days.

Cam Ward looked nothing short of amazing in his Miami debut, and everything seemed to gel together in Miami’s 41-17 victory against Florida. Cam Ward has a very real shot at winning the Heisman folks.

20. Texas A&M - Down

It’s a tough ask having to play the seventh-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 1. There was real hype around Texas A&M and to many people, the Aggies were the pick to win this one.

I like what Mike Elko is doing at College Station but I think it needs some time. A&M has a lot of talent, but given the landscape of the SEC, I am not sure if this is the year.

The Aggies played a really close game with Notre Dame, but when it mattered Notre Dame came through. I think Conner Weigman is the guy, he just needs a little more time. Again, it’s a tough first game and a game I saw going either way. 

21. Arizona - Up

I really am not sure what to think about Arizona. The Wildcats faced the New Mexico Lobos and played what was a close game for a while. The final score is not indicative of that as Arizona ended up prevailing with a 61-39 victory.

I stayed up to watch this game on the East Coast and it really had me on the edge of my seat. I kept asking myself “What is going on with Arizona?” Eventually, the Wildcats were able to break free thanks to the massive outpouring of Tetiaroa McMillian.

Offensively Arizona looked very good, defensively was a bit concerning but this is something the Wildcats should be able to work out. 

22. Kansas - Up

Kansas played Lindenwood and won in what was a 48-3 blowout. There really is not much to say here other than the fact that Jalon Daniels looked pretty solid. I loved Devin Neal out of the backfield and think he can be a real threat to both the pass and run game.

Defensively, the Jayhawks look pretty sound as well. Those were some sweet uniforms Kansas rocked.

23. USC - Up

This was possibly the biggest win for any team on this list. USC put all the critics aside and handled business as underdogs. Here’s the thing, Lincoln Riley is better out of the spotlight and when his team is an underdog. Maybe it’s a good thing that Caleb William’s era is over.

I love Miller Moss and think he’s going to do some good things in Southern California.

The defense looked much improved under new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. There is a lot to be excited about for USC and the way they finished that game gave LSU everything they could handle, it was a great start. 

24. NC State - Down 

NC State really struggled against Western Carolina at home and it presented some flaws. Entering this game as 31.5-point favorites, NC State struggled to even secure a victory.

It took to a massive fourth quarter where the Wolfpack poured on 21 unanswered points to win this ball game. Western Carolina is an FCS school that truly gave all NC State could handle. Maybe it was the bad weather, regardless, Grayson McCall did not have the best showing but still passed for three touchdowns.

Defensively, NC State found difficulties in the Catamounts passing attack. Cole Gonzales certainly put his name on the map as well. Overall, it felt like NC State was bound to break the door open, but it took a bit too long.

25. Iowa - Up 

I guess you can say the stock is up in Iowa. They defeated Illinois State at home without their head coach, but this offense is still a major concern. Iowa scored just 6 points in the first half and Cade McNamara still looks shaky behind center.

The defense looked pretty solid as expected, and it ended up being a 40-0 shoutout. If there’s one thing I could take away from this, it’s a new year, but the same Iowa.

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