The first full Saturday of the college football season is in the books, and the chaos exceeded every expectation. This week brought everything from the Nation's 2nd ranked Oregon Ducks on upset alert against Boise State to Michigan losing to Western Michigan before a second was added to the clock, and Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan.
Aside from the thrilling matchups, we also saw the debuts of new head coaches in new places like Lane Kiffin, Kyle Whittingham, and Morgan Scalley. Figuring out the AP Top 25 poll after this wild of a week is going to be impossible, but we'll take our best shot at guessing the order.
Predicting the AP Top 25 rankings after wild Week 1
25. Michigan Wolverines
How the AP Poll voters treat Michigan is going to be one of the biggest mysteries, as the Wolverines clearly should've lost, but a controversial added second allowed Bryce Underwood to connect on the game winning Hail Mary. The Wolverines looked broken on offense, and there's going to be a ton of debate over whether or not they should've won, but it's hard to believe the AP voters will completely drop the Wolverines out of the Top 25 for technically winning.
24. Missouri Tigers
Eli Drinkwitz's team was without their superstar running back, Ahmad Hardy, but it didn't matter as the team dominated Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Austin Simmons played a near-perfect game while the running backs combined for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns. Next week should be the first test of the season, with the Tigers going on the road for The Border War.
23. Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals will kick off the season in the lone top 25 clash of Week 1, facing off against the 9th ranked Ole Miss Rebels.
22. Houston Cougars
The 4th quarter made it look like Houston may be on upset alert, but the Cougars drove to extend the lead late to hold off Oregon State. Houston appears to have a great 1-2 punch at running back, as Makhi Hughes and Re'Shaun Sanford II shined while Conner Weigman passed for 305 yards and a touchdown. The defensive backs are going to need to improve as Oregon State picked up 376 yards through the air.
21. Iowa Hawkeyes
It didn't matter that Iowa was figuring out its quarterback battle during the game as the Hawkeyes cruised to victory against Northern Illinois. Kamari Moulton was electric, rushing for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns on 11 carries, even though there's no clear answer to the QB battle. The defense pitched a shutout, and in perfect Iowa fashion, the Hawkeyes scored on a punt return touchdown.
20. Utah Utes
The Morgan Scalley era kicked off on Thursday Night with Utah rolling to a blowout win over the Idaho Vandals. Devon Dampier showed no signs of slowing down without his offensive coordinator, while transfer Braden Pagan looks like a star for the Utes. The blowout win is a good sign, but we'll start to see how this team stacks up next week against Arkansas.
19. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee fans were excited to see their 5-star freshman QB under center, and he exceeded every expectation in his first start. Brandon left the game after throwing for 3 touchdowns and rushing for a pair of scores, building a quick connection with Mike Matthews. Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam looked right at home in Jim Knowles' defense, leading the unit with 3 sacks in a blowout win.
18. SMU Mustangs
Rhett Lashlee and the SMU Mustangs won't kick off their season until Monday night when they face off against Florida State in a pivotal ACC matchup.
17. Penn State Nittany Lions
Matt Campbell kicked off his Penn State tenure with a dominant win over the Marshall Thundering Herd. Rocco Becht has a new favorite wide receiver in Koby Howard, who had a breakout game to start his second season. The Nittany Lions still have two Non-Conference games to work through any issues, but early on this group looks impressive considering how many new pieces are on the roster.
16. Washington Huskies
The Washington Huskies begin their season on Sunday Afternoon in the Apple Cup against Washington State. Rankings will be updated following the rivalry game.
15. BYU Cougars
BYU sent a message in Week 1, beating Utah Tech 63-7 as the Cougars hope to win the Big 12 this season. Bear Bachmeier passed for 3 touchdowns while 5 different Cougars rushed for a touchdown, and shockingly, LJ Martin wasn't one of them. The defense forced 4 turnovers while allowing just 7 points in an all-around dominant performance.
14. USC Trojans
The start to a pivotal season for Lincoln Riley has gone perfectly as the Trojans have cruised to a 2-0 start. The soft scheduling has allowed USC to put its top-ranked signing class on display, and the group is living up to the billing. The Trojans have two more dress rehearsals before the season truly starts against Oregon.
13. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Keelon Russell era in Tuscaloosa has kicked off as the Crimson Tide rolled to a blowout victory over East Carolina. The rushing attack looked much improved, while Russell made it clear why he was picked over Austin Mack with his elite upside. The starting defense did blow a coverage, allowing East Carolina to score, but Yhonzae Pierre got the points back with a Pick 6 as the unit was stellar most of the day.
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech didn't look as dominant as we saw last season in a 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, but the Red Raiders still have a ton of moving parts. Will Hammond returned from a torn ACL, passing for 298 yards and a touchdown, with a pick as the offense leaned on the run game. The Red Raiders may not be the same dominant force as we saw last season, but this team looks ready to contend for the CFP again.
11. Oklahoma Sooners
After making the Playoff last year, Oklahoma started the season perfectly with a blowout win against UTEP. John Mateer was lights out, while Isaiah Sategna III stole the show with a punt return touchdown along with a receiving touchdown, helping the Sooners score 51 points. The defense was helped by 3 missed field goals, securing the shutout, but the unit was impressive once again.
10. LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers had to wait a little longer than expected for the debut of Lane Kiffin, but it was worth the wait as Tiger Stadium was electric in a blowout of Clemson. Sam Leavitt was unlucky with an early interception, but he instantly turned the game into a showcase while Lane Kiffin finally fixed LSU's broken run game. The defense made Dabo Swinney pull the plug on his QB before halftime, with Jordan Ross sending the stadium into a frenzy with a Pick 6.
9. Ole Miss Rebels
Pete Golding's first season as Ole Miss' head coach begins on Sunday night in a Top 25 clash with the 24th ranked Louisville Cardinals. Their ranking will be updated following the game.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
Mike Elko and the Texas A&M Aggies took care of business on Saturday, handing down a 50-0 beatdown of Missouri State. Marcel Reed played a clean game while the Aggies ran the ball at will picking up 236 yards on the ground. The Aggies' defense pitched a shutout, and the unit is only going to get better when as the new pieces gain experience.
7. Miami Hurricanes
Mario Cristobal's team avoided a potential trap game on Friday night with a blowout win over the Stanford Cardinal. The passing attack looks terrifying as Darian Mensah found Malachi Toney 12 times for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The defense does have some things to tighten up, but the unit has the talent to match the offense as one of the best in the conference.
6. Indiana Hoosiers
Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers instantly quieted any talk of a championship hangover with a dominant win over North Texas. Blood gushing down Josh Hoover's face couldn't slow the offense as new additions Turbo Richard and Nick Marsh showed Indiana reloaded with elite pieces. The schedule for the Hoosiers is incredibly easy until they face Ohio State, meaning Curt Cignetti should cruise to a 6-0 start.
5. Texas Longhorns
Steve Sarkisian got to iron out any issues for Texas in a 59-7 win before the Longhorns face Ohio State next week. Arch Manning threw for 4 touchdowns with a pick as new additions Cam Coleman, Raleek Brown, and Hollywood Smothers combined for 5 touchdowns. The defense allowed an early touchdown, but had a great performance while working a ton of new pieces into a new scheme.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will kick off their season on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. Their ranking will be updated following the game.
3. Oregon Ducks
It wasn't pretty for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, but they survived an upset scare to beat the Boise State Broncos. Dante Moore was stellar, setting a career high in passing yards with 3 touchdowns, while WR Jeremiah McClellan had a breakout game. The Ducks defense still has some starting roles to figure out, but surviving that game gives Dan Lanning plenty to teach his team.
2. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia facing Tennessee State felt unfair as the Bulldogs dominated instantly, as Kirby Smart was able to give his backups plenty of playing time with a 35-3 lead going into the half. Gunner Stockton and Nate Frazier each scored 3 touchdowns as Georgia's dynamic duo appears ready to carry the burden on offense. Few teams have the talent of the Bulldogs, and Kirby Smart's team likely won't be pushed until they face Oklahoma in the 4th game of the season.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State dismantled Ball State with ease as the Buckeyes unveiled their new-look roster after losing so many pieces to the NFL. Jeremiah Smith saw Malachi Toney launch a Heisman campaign on Friday Night, and decided to join in on the fun, catching X passes for XXX yards and a pair of touchdowns. This game was a perfect dress rehearsal ahead of next week's showdown with Texas, and Ryan Day's team appears to be ready for a big game.u
Add us as a preferred source on Google