Week 2 CFB Top 25 Rankings: An Exciting Opening Week Has Movement in the Week 2 Rankings

My college football rankings are if the season ended TODAY (yes, I know that would be crazy right now but as the year goes on it will be less so). But the bowl projections are how I think the FUTURE will shake out the rest of the season. In my rankings, wins, and losses count. I will try my best to be consistent about this and never rank a team with two losses above a team with one loss, unless head-to-head results say otherwise.

Week 2 CFB Top 25 Rankings

These rankings are how well a team is playing and how well they have played. Things like being undefeated count and will count all year. LSU and Clemson are out of the rankings after both suffered big losses. There are certainly teams ranked that would lose to them, but those teams at the moment are having better seasons than them. Welcome back college football!

1. Michigan (Last Week: #1. Currently ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Wolverines may have let off the gas in their 30-3 win over East Carolina but their stars shone brightly. J.J. McCarthy had three touchdown passes, Blake Corum found the endzone and Rick Wilson caught three touchdowns, and the team did just fine without Coach Harbaugh. As much as I hate it, there wasn’t any reason to drop them in the rankings.

2. Georgia (Last Week: #2. Currently ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Carson Beck was solid in his debut and effort to replace Stetson Bennett. Georgia did what they should have done against UT-Martin. They’re about tied with Michigan in my view, Michigan just has the veteran players.

3. Florida State (Last Week: #7. Currently ranked #4 in the AP and #5 in the Coaches Polls)

The Noles impressed me by blowing the doors off of LSU. That’s why I had them jump up here. They’re the real deal, and with Clemson’s loss to Duke look like the early kings of the ACC, behind Heisman contender Jordan Travis.

4. Alabama (Last Week #5. Currently ranked #3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Bama is Bama. They and Georgia are doing what they do. They got a good chance to prove they are the same old Alabama that they always are in a big non-conference match up against potential Big 12 front-runner Texas.

5. Penn State (Last Week #8. Currently ranked #7 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Penn State looked sharp against a traditional rival from a power four FBS conference. When other quarterbacks, both veteran and new were struggling in their season openers, Drew Allar and Penn State were thriving.

6. Ohio State (Last Week #4. Currently ranked #5 in the AP and #4 in the Coaches Polls)

The Buckeyes were struggling at quarterback while Penn State was looking good, that’s why I had the Bucks go down a little and the Nittany Lions go up a little. My fellow Buckeye fans say I’m being too hard on Ohio State and Ryan Day but history suggests otherwise. Their previous three quarterbacks, C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and Dwayne Haskins all debuted with roughly 300 yards of offense and four touchdowns. Against the Hoosiers the Buckeye quarterbacks had around 250 yards and no touchdowns. It’s not panic time but it’s not a lot to get hyped about either.

7. USC (Last Week #6. Currently ranked #6 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

While the Buckeyes are struggling to find offense, Lincoln Riley’s team is once again struggling to find defense. The good news is they’re as lethal as ever on offense. The bad news is the Pac-12 looks tough in it’s final year.

8. Notre Dame (Last Week #9. Currently ranked #10 in the AP and #11 in the Coaches Polls)

Sam Hartman is looking great for the Irish. Navy and Tennessee State aren’t the greatest but Notre Dame played like they should have against both of them. They’re finding themselves in a great position early in the season.

9. Tennessee (Last Week #10. Currently ranked #9 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Joe Milton is the answer early for the Vols. Josh Heupel will have this team at the level they were at last season, even with all the firepower that is now in the NFL.

10. Oregon (Last Week #11. Currently ranked #13 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Ducks are looking like their old selves with Bo Nix and Dan Lanning. They’re as good any team in the Pac-12 and are looking strong in their move to the B1G.

11. Washington (Last Week #12. Currently ranked #8 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

I’m sure glad Michael Penix transferred to Washington. If he’d been Indiana’s quarterback this past Saturday Ohio State might be 0-1. Penix is an epic talent.

12. Utah (Last Week #14. Currently ranked #12 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The final year of the Pac-12 is stacked with loaded quarterbacks. Williams, Nix, and Penix are Heisman candidates. So is Utah’s Cam Rising. The Utes manhandled Florida and are off to a great start.

13. North Carolina (Last Week #16. Currently ranked #17 in the AP and #16 in the Coaches Polls)

Beating South Carolina was a great start for Drake Maye, Mack Brown, and the Tar Heels.

14. Texas (Last Week #15. Currently ranked #11 in the AP and #10 in the Coaches Polls)

I’m a Texas doubter. I’ll admit it. I think they’ll improve on last year, but need one more to get to where Sark wants them to be. If they pull the upset in Tuscaloosa, I’ll happily eat a lot of crow.

15. Wisconsin (Last Week #18. Currently ranked #19 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

Luke Fickell is the real deal and is in the driver’s seat of the Big Ten West and he needs to win it to keep up with the big dogs in the realignment next year.

16. Colorado (Last Week Unranked. Currently ranked #22 in the AP and #25 in the Coaches Polls)

I loved what Deion Sanders had been doing at Jackson State and it looks like he’s picking up where he left. I’m a believer and love the positivity.

17. Oregon State (Last Week #19. Currently ranked #16 in the AP and #18 in the Coaches Polls)

With Oregon State’s win and Clemson’s loss D.J. Uiagalelei is bouncing back big from 2022.

18. Kansas State (Last Week #20. Currently ranked #15 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

The Wildcats are a dark horse competitor in the Big 12 and have a legit chance to repeat.

19. Tulane (Last Week #21. Currently ranked #24 in the AP and #22 in the Coaches Polls)

Tulane and Michael Pratt are out to show the Green Wave should be picked up by a Power Four conference.

20. Ole Miss (Last Week #22. Currently ranked #20 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)

I had to agree with Lane Kiffin (and Chip Kelly) about the new timing rules. Hopefully they’re a one year only problem. Kiffin has the Rebels ready to sneak up on some people though.

21. Iowa (Last Week #23. Currently unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)