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Five Underrated Teams In Latest College Football Coaches Poll After Week 1

Here are five teams we think the panel shorted based on Week 1 performance and resume.
Patrick Previty|
Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Micahi Danzy
Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Micahi Danzy | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The first in-season Coaches Poll dropped Tuesday, and while the top looks familiar — Ohio State at No. 1, Penn State at No. 2 — there’s real value hiding lower down (and just outside) the Top 25. Here are five teams we think the panel shorted based on Week 1 performance and resume.

No. 19 Florida State (1–0)

Dropping the preseason labels: beating No. 8 Alabama 31–17 on a neutral-by-logo stage should vault a team higher than No. 19. The Seminoles held Alabama to 87 rushing yards on 29 carries, got three fourth-down stops, and slammed the door late. QB Thomas Castellanos (ex-BC) was the better playmaker in a game that never felt fluky. If anything, the win looked sustainable. The Coaches Poll nudged FSU in at 19; the eye test says that’s light. Next up is East Texas A&M at home for the Seminoles.

No. 18 Iowa State (2–0)

The Cyclones already banked two wins before most teams finished laundry. They opened Week 0 by edging No. 17 Kansas State 24–21 in Dublin, then bludgeoned a top-five FCS in South Dakota, 55–7, behind QB Rocco Becht (278 yards, 3 TD). That’s a sturdier resume than most peers in the teens. Sitting at No. 18 undersells the 2–0 start — and the difficulty to play after having a game in Ireland — and the general value of a ranked neutral-site win. Next up for Iowa State is Iowa in Ames.

TCU (Others Receiving Votes — 33)

Unranked after a 48–14 demolition at North Carolina, the Frogs feel like a vote-in now, rank next week team. They outgained UNC 542–222, produced two defensive touchdowns, and got a star turn from WR Jordan Dwyer (9 for 136 and a TD), while RB Kevorian Barnes uncorked a 75-yard score on the first snap of the second half. That’s the sort of road performance that usually buys a number next to your name. The panel gave them 33 votes and that probably undershoots what we just saw. Next up is Abilene Christian and then SMU.

Tulane (Others Receiving Votes — 45)

If you value defense, Tulane made as loud a statement as anyone with five takeaways, three sacks, and a wire-to-wire 23–3 handling of Northwestern. BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff hit an opening-drive TD, then iced it with a 69-yard keeper. It wasn’t splashy offense but it was complete control. The Green Wave landed 45 votes this week and given the way that unit played, they look like a Top-25 team today. Next up for Tulane is South Alabama.

South Florida (Others Receiving Votes — 9)

No, the Boise State team isn’t what it was from last year, but 34–7 over No. 25 Boise State is still a sledgehammer. QB Byrum Brown ran for two scores and the Bulls executed a 45-yard fake-punt TD. It was also the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2016. Nine stray votes don’t match a result that dominant. We’ll know more soon as the Bulls take on Florida and then Miami.

Keshaun Singleton
South Florida Bulls wide receiver Keshaun Singleton | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

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