Projecting the College Football AP Top 25 for Week 2

Florida State will enter the poll after an emphatic home upset of No. 8 Alabama.
Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos helped lead the Seminoles to a home upset of No. 8 Alabama.
Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos helped lead the Seminoles to a home upset of No. 8 Alabama. / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The college football season got off to a raucous start in Week Zero, and was back in full force in Week 1 with a full slate of games.

No. 3 Ohio State held serve against No. 1 Texas, spoiling the much-anticipated start for Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. Elsewhere, unranked Florida State took the fight to No. 8 Alabama in Tallahassee, winning by two touchdowns as a two-touchdown underdog. The Crimson Tide will certainly need to turn things around quickly to take the heat off head coach Kalen DeBoer, who has now followed up an underwhelming year one with a dud in his year two opener.

In Saturday's final headliner, the No. 9 LSU Tigers went on the road to No. 4 Clemson and rode their swarming defense to an impressive road victory. It was the first win in a season opener for Brian Kelly at LSU to kickoff a very important year four.

Sunday afternoon featured a low-scoring slugfest between No. 13 South Carolina and unranked Virginia Tech that resembled a baseball score for much of the proceedings before the Gamecocks broke it open with an 80-yard punt return score in the second half to pull away and win 27-11.

The nightcap on Sunday didn't disappoint either. No. 10 Miami won the battle at the line of scrimmage for most of the evening against No. 6 Notre Dame, but things got interesting in the fourth quarter as the Irish stormed back from 10 down to tie the game late. Ultimately, a 47-yard field goal by Miami kicker Carter Davis with 1:04 left to play proved decisive in a gigantic season opening victory for Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes.

One final game for the weekend will take place on Monday night, as Bill Belichick makes his debut in Chapel Hill against TCU.

For now, here's an early look at the Projected AP Top 25 ranking heading into Week 2.

Editor's Note: Poll will be updated after each day of games during Week 1.

Projected AP Top 25 Ranking for Week 2

1. Ohio State Buckeyes: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 14-7 vs. No. 1 Texas

Week 2: Home vs. Grambling

2. Penn State Nittany Lions: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 46-11 vs. Nevada

Week 2: Home vs. Florida International

3. Georgia Bulldogs: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 45-7 vs. Marshall

Week 2: Home vs. Austin Peay

4. Oregon Ducks: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 59-13 vs. Montana State

Week 2: Home vs. Oklahoma State

5. LSU Tigers: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 17-10 at No. 4 Clemson

Week 2: Home vs. Louisiana Tech

6. Miami Hurricanes: 1-0 (0-0 ACC)

This Week: Won 27-24 vs. No. 6 Notre Dame

Week 2: Home vs. Bethune-Cookman

7. Texas Longhorns: 0-1 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Lost 14-7 at No. 3 Ohio State

Week 2: Home vs. San Jose State

8. Arizona State: 1-0 (0-0 Big 12)

This Week: Won vs. 38-19 vs. Northern Arizona

Week 2: Away at Mississippi State

9. Illinois Fighting Illini: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 52-3 vs. Western Illinois

Week 2: Away at Duke

10. South Carolina Gamecocks: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 27-11 vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta)

Week 2: Home vs. South Carolina State

11. Clemson Tigers: 0-1 (0-0 ACC)

This Week: Lost 17-10 vs. No. 9 LSU

Week 2: Home vs. Troy

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 0-1

This Week: Lost 27-24 at No. 10 Miami

Week 2: Idle

13. Michigan Wolverines: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 34-17 vs. New Mexico

Week 2: Away at Oklahoma

14. Florida Gators: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 55-0 vs. Long Island

Week 2: Home vs. South Florida

15. SMU Mustangs: 1-0 (0-0 ACC)

This Week: Won 42-13 vs. East Texas A&M

Week 2: Home vs. Baylor

16. Oklahoma Sooners: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 35-3 vs. Illinois State

Week 2: Home vs. Michigan

17. Texas A&M Aggies: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 42-24 vs. UTSA

Week 2: Home vs. Utah State

18. Florida State Seminoles: 1-0 (0-0 ACC)

This Week: Won 31-17 vs. No. 8 Alabama

Week 2: Home vs. East Texas A&M

19. Alabama Crimson Tide: 0-1 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Lost 31-17 at Florida State

Week 2: Home vs. Louisiana Monroe

20. Indiana Hoosiers: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)

This Week: Won 27-14 vs. Old Dominion

Week 2: Home vs. Kennesaw State

21. Ole Miss Rebels: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 63-7 vs. Georgia State

Week 2: Away at Kentucky

22. Texas Tech Red Raiders: 1-0 (0-0 Big 12)

This Week: Won 67-7 vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff

Week 2: Home vs. Kent State

23. Tennessee Volunteers: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 45-26 vs. Syracuse

Week 2: Home vs. East Tennessee State

24. Iowa State Cyclones: 2-0 (1-0 Big 12)

This Week: Won 55-7 vs. South Dakota State

Week 2: Home vs. Iowa

25. Auburn Tigers: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)

This Week: Won 38-24 at Baylor

Week 2: Home vs. Ball State

Dropped from Ranking: No. 17 Kansas State, No. 25 Boise State

Others Considered: BYU, Utah, Louisville, USC, Georgia Tech


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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.