The college football power rankings ahead of Week 2 are headlined by a powerhouse Georgia squad that has won 40 consecutive games in the regular season.
1. Georgia Bulldogs | Last week: 2 (+1)
It took a bit to get going offensively, but a complete two-way performance by Georgia in a 34-3 domination of then-No. 14 Clemson puts them in the top spot. The Bulldogs were sparked on offense by standout freshman running back Nate Frazier, and the defense is as good as it gets with potential top-five pick Malaki Starks and others making plays all over the field.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes | Last week: 1 (-1)
Ohio State is another team that didn’t quite start off on fire with the offense being quiet early on, but veteran quarterback Will Howard eventually settled into the game nicely—with much of the damage being done by true freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes will have a few more games to hit their stride ahead of the highly anticipated October 12 date for a trip to Eugene.
3. Texas Longhorns | Last week: 3
Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns took care of business by going up 31-0 over Colorado State at halftime of the opener, and it allowed Arch Manning to see some action—going five-of-six for 95 yards and a touchdown while also adding a score on the ground. Now, the new SEC championship hopefuls will have their first big task not versus a conference foe, but instead taking on the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines at The Big House on Saturday.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide | Last week: 4
All the talk surrounding the Crimson Tide has been about the new offense, but the defense remained suffocating to begin the post-Nick Saban era, as they limited Western Kentucky to 145 total yards with Michigan transfer safety Keon Sabb coming away with two interceptions. Of course, Jalen Milroe did his part as well with an extremely efficient five-touchdown performance.
5. Oregon Ducks | Last week: 5
Oregon were given a battle from the Idaho Vandals on Saturday night, but the game was very strange as Dillon Gabriel completed 41-of-49 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns, and the Ducks outgained their opponent 487-217. When transfer wideout Evan Stewart (limited to three receptions for 15 yards) gets going along with Tez Johnson (12/81/2) and Terrace Ferguson (7/87), Oregon will be looking more like the title contender they are expected to be.
6. Ole Miss Rebels | Last week: 6
Jaxson Dart was sensational in a 76-0 win over Furman on Saturday, and the senior quarterback had four pass-catchers go for 70+ yards and a score—led by Tre Harris with an 8/179/2 line. If the defense can at least come close to the offense, Ole Miss will be a real threat to Georgia and Alabama in the SEC.
7. Michigan Wolverines | Last week: 7
Preseason Heisman candidate Donovan Edwards couldn’t find much room to run with 11 carries for 27 yards in the opener, and Michigan will need a big game from him to take down Texas on Saturday. We’ll see how much they match up, but one of the best individual matchups of the week should be superstar cornerback Will Johnson in coverage on the game-breaking Isaiah Bond.
8. Penn State Nittany Lions | Last week: 8
We really won’t know what kind of team the Nittany Lions are until they face top competition, as that has always been the question during the James Franklin era. That said, an encouraging road win over West Virginia has people believing, and Penn State has major star power on offense with Harrison Wallace III catching five passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns to complement Nicholas Singleton and the running game.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Last week: NR
A road matchup versus Texas A&M at night is an extremely daunting environment, so Notre Dame should get major credit for winning a close game led by a defense that limited Conner Weigman to 12-of-30 passing for 100 yards and two interceptions. The Fighting Irish will likely be favored somewhat comfortably in every matchup before the finale versus USC—so their playoff odds are already looking good.
10. Missouri Tigers | Last week: NR
There are a few teams with a case here, and even Miami—slotted at No. 19 in the preliminary AP rankings—should be one of them after handling Florida on the road. Missouri gets the current edge, though, and they’ll remain at home for the remainder of the month to build momentum into October.