The top seven held firm at the top of the AP Top 25 polls, while the University of Washington debuts on the list. The weekend was filled with a lot of blowouts by the highly ranked teams.
Others receiving votes: Michigan State 91, Florida State 85, Appalachian State 77, North Carolina 72, Washington State 62, Cincinnati 52, Oregon State 49, Minnesota 48, Kansas 23, Syracuse 7, LSU 6, Wisconsin 4
AP TOP 25
25. Miami Hurricanes (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 2 Result:17-9 Loss to Texas A&M
What’s next: Vs. Middle Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30PM ET)
The Hurricanes were unable to find the endzone in their first power 5 non- conference matchup, in the HC Mario Cristobal era, against the Texas A&M Aggies. Despite scoring outscoring the first 2 opponents 100-20 the Hurricanes could only get on the board through their place kicker Andres Borregales K (So.), but even Borregales went 3 out of his 5 field goal attempts. This team’s lead playmakers are young and have a lot to learn, Tyler Van Dyke QB (So.), Thaddius Franklin RB (So.), Xavier Restrepo WR (So.) who is now out with a foot injury. This young Cristobal-led team will face off with Middle Tennessee State at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. This should be an opportunity to shake off any additional cobwebs, get a win and start preparing for their first conference matchup with North Carolina.– Branden Timm
24. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 23
Week 2 Result: 34-17 Win over Western Michigan
What’s next: vs. Rhode Island (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
After coming frustratingly close to triumphing over now-ranked #11 Tennessee, Pittsburgh had to pull themselves together and bounce back. Unsurprisingly, they did just that, trouncing Western Michigan on the road. They did nothing short of dominate, outgaining the Broncos 417-180 and finally pulling away in the 4th quarter, putting up the 14 points that would clinch a 34-13 win. The Panthers were able to lean on the running game, with Israel Abanikanda and Vincent Davis combining for 42 carries and 216 yards, wearing down Western Michigan all game long. Pittsburgh lucks out this upcoming week, facing a Rhode Island team that was just dominated by the Delaware Blue Hens of all teams. Anything less than covering a spread should be a cause for concern for the Panthers.– Logan Guenterberg
23. Texas A&M Aggies (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 24 (Moved Up 1)
Week 2 Result: 17-9 Win over No.13 Miami
What’s next: vs Arkansas (Saturday, 7 PM ET)
Call it controversial, but if you’re an SEC team losing to a Sun Belt squad you don’t belong in anyone’s top 25. However, if you’re Texas A&M for some reason you are getting the benefit of the doubt after defeating a still rebuilding Miami Hurricane team at home. Despite A&M having the best recruiting class and off-season hype, we have yet to see anything impressive from Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies as a whole. To only score four touchdowns the past two weeks is far beyond what was projected from this team. The defense has been keeping opponents scoring low and limiting Miami to settle for field goals in this past Saturday’s matchup. Aggie fans are going to want to see more from Max Johnson QB (Jr.), and the backfield as a whole as they have failed to generate much production in the Aggies rushing attack. Ainias Smith WR (Sr.) has been the most reliable offensive weapon in College Station. As this team goes into conference play against Arkansas, we shall see how this team of high-priced recruits responds to some of the more stable teams in the SEC. – Branden Timm
22. Texas Longhorns (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 21
Week 2 Result: 41-20 win over UTSA
What’s next: at Texas Tech (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Texas has done what a top 10 team in the nation is supposed to do so far this season. They have blown out both teams that the Longhorns should have in UTSA and Louisiana Monroe. Winning both games in convincing fashion on both ends of the football. The standout game to this point was taking Alabama down to the wire in Week 2, losing by one point and holding the Crimson Tide to 20 total points. This defense is the real deal. – Rowan Donaghey
21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Previous Ranking: 19 (Dropped two)
Week 2 Result: 37-36 win over Liberty
What’s next: vs. Clemson (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET)
With Quinn Ewers out, Sam Hartman made his first start of the season. Though he passed for 325 yards and three touchdowns but also had two interceptions and a QBR of 58.3. Though it has been fun seeing Wake Forest, this may be the last week we see them here. This next week they take on the Clemson Tigers, who have been very consistent and just crushed Lousiana Tech 48-20. – Dacota Haynes
20. Florida Gators
Previous Ranking: 22 (Moved up two)
Week 2 Result: 31-28 win over South Florida
What’s next: at Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Florida barely scraped by USF after another dreadful performance from quarterback Anthony Richardson. Billy Napier’s play calling was puzzling, leaning on Richardson to make throws while he had a rushing attack that averaged over 8 yards per carry on the night. The identity for Florida is clear, they must play a conservative style of football and lean on the run game if they want a chance to knock off their rival Tennessee in Neyland Stadium next week. – Alex Twist
19. BYU Cougars (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 2 Result: 41-20 loss to Oregon
What’s next: vs. Wyoming (Saturday, 9:15 p.m. ET)
With every high that has one soaring above the clouds must also come a low where it seems impossible to bounce back from. BYU learned this first-hand, as being only one week removed from their instant overtime classic win versus Baylor, they were sent hurdling back to earth by Oregon. Two words haunted BYU fans all day, Bo Nix. The Ducks quarterback was everywhere, throwing for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air, and adding another 3 on the ground. While seeing their team get torn apart at the hands of one man had to be heartbreaking, Cougar fans can take solace in the fact that they draw an easier matchup next week, hosting the struggling Wyoming Cowboys. It would not be a shock if the game was all but over by halftime. – Logan Guenterberg
18. Washington Huskies (3-0)
Previous Ranking: Unranked
Week 2 Result: 39-28 win over Michigan State
What’s next: vs. Stanford (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Washington hosted potential future Big 10 partner Michigan State and dominated through the whole game. The offense is very efficient and the defense played well over the course of the game. This was a statement win against the number 11 team so it is no surprise to me they jumped up to 18. – Shane Davis
17. Baylor Bears (2-1)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 42-7 win over Texas State
What’s next: vs. Iowa State (Saturday, noon ET)
After falling to BYU in a close OT thriller, the Bears needed a chance to catch their breath. Luckily for them, Texas State was exactly what the doctor ordered. While Baylor winning 42-7 may give off the impression that they dominated all game, that wasn’t quite the case. Both teams were locked in a back-and-forth battle at 14-7 when Baylor dialed up a risky call on 4th and 1 near the half. Quarterback Blake Shapen appeared to hand it off to running back Richard Reese, who was promptly stopped for a loss in the backfield and a turnover on downs. Or at least Texas State thought, as Shapen held onto the ball and proceeded to run a bootleg untouched for 35 yards and a score that put the momentum solely in Baylor’s favor. After that it was all Baylor, giving the team the much-needed confidence that they need before heading to Iowa to take on Big 12 rival Iowa State. – Logan Guenterberg
16. Ole Miss Rebels (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 20 (Moved Up 4)
Week 2 Result: 42-0 win over Georgia Tech
What’s next: vs. Tulsa (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET)
Week three gave the Ole Miss Rebels a pretty relaxing game against the struggling Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Coming in Ole Miss was 17-point favorites and they blew that out of the water. The Rebels only needed a combined 11 plays and just over three minutes to score two TDs on their first two drives. They were able to put the game away with three solid drives for TDs at the start of the second half. QB Jaxson Dart did his job with 207 pass yards, but it was their run game that truly impressive. Seven different players carried the ball for a combined 316 rush yards and six rush TDs. The best of the best was Junior Zach Evans who carried the ball 18 times for 134 yards and two rush TDs. Ole Miss has a pretty easy start to the season as they have outscored opponents 129-13 and with a win over Tulsa next week they’ll most likely be moving up the rankings again. – Zack Cherney
15. Oregon Ducks (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 25 (Moved up 10)
Week 2 Result: 41-20 win vs. No. 12 BYU
What’s next: at Washington State (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET)
The Ducks had control of this game from the start. The Ducks transfer QB Bo Nix had his name written all over this game, he ran for 35 yards and three touchdowns and went 13/18 with 222 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game. The offense looked like a force to be reckoned with. Next week they take on the Washington State team that just missed out on the rankings this week. They will play in the Pac-12 after dark matchup.- Dacota Haynes
14. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0)
Previous Ranking: 22
Week 2 Result: 41-12 win vs. Auburn
What’s next: vs. Central Michigan (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET)
Penn State Nittany Lions can dominate games on the ground. This running game has carried them to blow-out wins, and another close game victory. Penn State is 3-0 at the moment and it does not appear they will stop anytime soon. They will have a real challenge in 3 weeks against Michigan. The Nittany Lions have something special brewing, how long can they ride this momentum? Right now the sky is the limit. – Rowan Donaghey
13. Utah Utes (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 2 Result: 35-7 win over San Diego State
What’s next: @Arizona State (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET)
Utah played a regressing but still talented San Diego State team and beat them pretty-handily. I think their rank is very accurate for how they have played in the first three weeks. I am excited to see what happens when they play some conference games. – Shane Davis
12. North Carolina State Wolfpack (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 16 (Moved up 4)
Week 2 Result: 27-14 win over Texas Tech
What’s next: vs. UConn (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
This week the Wolfpack took on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. While many might have expected the Red Raiders to play better, the Wolfpack beat them 24-17. The NC State Wolfpack dominated through the run game with two guys getting up over 50 rushing yards. The dual-threat Demie Sumo eclipsed 140 all-purpose yards with 50 on the ground and 94 yards in the air. – Dacota Haynes
11. Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 14 (Moved up 4)
Week 2 Result: 63-6 win over Akron
What’s next: vs. Florida (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
Tennessee almost broke the top ten sitting at number 11 spot. I gotta say though I see them being in the top ten easily if they beat Florida next week in the swamp. It will be a test for them but honestly they already got a win over Pitt whom I believe is a better team than the Gators. The Vols demolished Akron this week 63-6. If they keep rolling it’s coming to an Eastern conference showdown with Georgia eventually. – Jeff Scoggins
AP Top 25
Top 10
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 44-30 win vs. South Carolina
What’s next: @Texas A&M (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)
It was a scary Saturday for several hours as Missouri State attempted to become the second FCS team ever to beat a Top-10 team. Missouri State jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first 20 minutes, but Arkansas fought back. With time ticking down Arkansas was down 27-17 with only 12 minutes remaining. Despite this issue, Arkansas got a huge 73-yard rushing TD and then returned a punt 82 yards to complete the comeback. It was not the prettiest game but when they needed it most their superstars stepped it up. QB K.J. Jefferson threw for 385 yards and two TDs in addition to running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders who had 24 touches for 242 total yards and two total TDs. It was an odd day for this excellent Arkansas team, but they continued to fight and ended up with an 11-point victory. – Zack Cherney
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 8 (Dropped One)
Week 2 Result: 63-7 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff
What’s next: Bye, Vs. Baylor (Saturday, October 1st)
As expected, Oklahoma State made easy work of Arkansas Pine-Bluff beating them 63-7. The game was basically over after the first quarter when the Cowboys scored 28 unanswered points. In total 7 touchdowns were scored in the first half of play by Oklahoma State. Spencer Sanders QB (Sr.) teamed up with his backup Gunnar Gundy QB (Fr.) for 370 passing yards and 6 touchdowns. Braydon Johnson WR (Sr.) led the skill positions in touchdowns scoring 2 with only 4 receptions and 86 receiving yards. The most impressive touchdown goes to the special teams where Trace Ford DE (Sr.) broke through the punt protection to block the punt, recover the fumble, and proceed to run it in the endzone for a touchdown. Overall, this was a confidence-boosting win for HC Mike Gundy and his team, Oklahoma State will have
a bye week to prepare for HC Dave Aranda and the Baylor Bears to kick off Big XII conference play on October 1. – Branden Timm
8. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 2 Result: 31-0 win against Youngstown State
What’s next: vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (Saturday 6 p.m.)
The Wildcats moved up one spot this week from eight to nine with a 31-0 thrashing over FCS school, Youngstown State. Kentucky is favored to win their matchup with Northern Illinois (1-2) of the Mid-America Conference, who dropped their last game to another SEC school in Vanderbilt by a score of 38-28. Their week two loss came at the hands of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, falling by three, 38-35. They claimed their only victory in week one against Eastern Illinois, who they defeated 34-27. Kentucky shouldn’t take Northern Illinois lightly, as it’s clear they can put up points. But if Kentucky sticks to their game plan and executes everything as they plan, and with the backing of their home crowd, they should emerge victorious. A 4-0 start is very much on the table for this Kentucky football program in Lexington. –Derek Harper
7. USC Trojans (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 41-28 win vs. Stanford
What’s next: @ Oregon State (Saturday, 9:30 PM ET)
USC has proved why they deserve to be in the Top-10 with new head coach Lincoln Riley and incredible QB Caleb Williams. Their week three opponent was the always tough Fresno State Bulldogs. USC began the game about as hot as possible with three straight drives of 12 or more plays resulting in TDs. They were only up 11 at halftime but dominated the last half to win 45-17. What was really important about that win was that USC showed off their ground game in addition to their air raid. Williams threw for 284 yards and two TDs while running backs Austin Jones and Travis Dye each had double-digit carries for over 100 yards and one rushing TD. Despite Fresno State putting up some big offensive numbers, USC’s defense assisted their offense in completing a big win to start the season 3-0. – Zack Cherney
6. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 49-14 win against Nebraska
What’s next: vs. Kansas State (Saturday, 8 PM ET)
Oklahoma continues to roll this season, with three wins in blowout fashion. I see this team with their fast-paced offense becoming a top 3 or 4 seed in the country by season’s end. The quarterback has shown real poise not only in the pocket, yet also in the scramble drill. This team will be tiring defenses down all season long. Oklahoma Sooners have everything needed to make the playoffs.– Rowan Donaghey
5. Clemson Tigers (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 48-20 win over LA Tech
What’s next: @Wake Forest (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Better, that’s how to describe Clemson’s offense, particularly in the running game. The defense struggled due to missing players along the defensive line and secondary. Pressure on Hartman and a strong running game keyed the Tigers biggest win against Wake Forest last year. DJ Uiagalelei and the receivers need to do more so it does not all fall on Will Shipley to carry the offense. A healthy defense, and a passing game continues to improve, should be enough to leave Winston-Salem with a win. – Lee McManus
4. Michigan Wolverines (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 59-0 win against UConn
What’s next: vs. Maryland (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
The Wolverines tied a Michigan record this weekend with 9 rushing touchdowns. Yes, 9 rushing touchdowns. This team is putting itself at the top of the BIG10 this season. If their dominance can continue the conference title will come down to one game, the Ohio State. Michigan has won all three of its games this season, all by 40+ points. They are on a mission! – Rowan Donaghey
3. Ohio State (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 77-21 Win over Toledo
What’s next: vs. Wisconsin (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET)
Poor Toledo didn’t stand a chance, as they were humiliated by Ohio State to the tune of 77-21. While most teams would celebrate the ability to run up a score like that, the Buckeyes’ coaching staff already has the team looking forward to next week against Wisconsin. In what could be one of the most important games on their schedule, they will look to quarterback C.J. Stroud to have another mind-shattering performance. While asking for Stroud to repeat his 367 passing yards and 5 touchdowns may be unreasonable, fans are still hoping he will be the key to keeping the Buckeyes undefeated and near the top of the polls. –Logan Guenterberg
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0)
Previous Ranking: –
Week 2 Result: 63-7 win over LA-Monroe
What’s next: vs. Vanderbilt (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET)
It’s good to have things back to normal. A week removed after barely escaping falling victim in what could have been the upset of the year versus Texas, Alabama did what Alabama does. They wasted no time reminding us of it either, scoring a long touchdown pass, a pick-six, and blocking a punt. Oh, and they did that all in the first six minutes. While the score might indicate that this was a seamless performance for the Crimson Tide, there were still some pitfalls. Quarterback Bryce Young had his struggles, throwing 2 interceptions on the day. Thankfully, the defense did more than its job that day, holding ULM to only 169 yards. Next week should be more of the same, as Bama hosts the lowly Vanderbilt, who they have beat the last 22 times these teams have met. –Logan Guenterberg
1.Georgia Bulldogs (3-0)
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 2 Result: 48-7 Win Over North Carolina
What’s next: vs. Kent State (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Georgia kept their dominance over the rest of college football in check another week in their first conference game. They had no trouble shutting down South Carolina until a late score in the last minute on the Bulldogs’ backups. It’s like every game the defending champions play is a statement or message sent to the rest of the pack that there’s no drop-off in sight. Actually, the Bulldogs look better than last season with a scary good offense to go with their shutdown defense. Next week will be another tune up game against Kent State before getting the meat of their schedule in conference play. The Bulldogs remain on the top of the AP Top 25. – Jeff Scoggins
TL//DR: These AP Top 25 rankings are based off of the official website. The summaries are brought to you by our staff.
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