College Football Power Rankings: Ranking the Top 25 Heading into Week 2

College Football Power Rankings: Ranking the Top 25 Heading into Week 2

Week 1 of college football is nearly complete, with most teams taking care of business on this list. A few teams like Oregon and Michigan underperformed, while others like Florida State and Clemson suffered embarrassing losses and caused them to drop down the power rankings.

So, where do the top 25 teams in the country fall as we await the last two games of this long weekend slate? Before you make any college football picks for the week ahead, college football handicapper Peter Alexis is here to break down his college football power rankings as we head into Week 2.

College Football Power Rankings - Week 2

1. Georgia Bulldogs (-)

Georgia made the Clemson Tigers look silly in the second half of their neutral site opener in Atlanta, and reminded the country why they are the No. 1 team. Coming into this game off of an Orange Bowl blowout after missing out on the playoff, the Dawgs picked up where they left off and put the hurt on the No. 14 team in the country. They will be tested throughout the season, but if they keep playing like that second half, not many teams can touch Carson Beck and his squad.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (-)

The Ohio State Buckeyes started slow against the Akron Zips, and were in danger of getting dropped down on this list. But a strong second half from Will Howard and co. helped the Buckeyes to a 52-6 win, just narrowly missing the cover on the -49 spread. They won't be able to get away with poor first halves against just anyone, and will have to tune that up quick ahead of the Big Ten schedule.

3. Texas Longhorns (+1)

The Longhorns looked exceptional with Quinn Ewers back under center for his junior season. They blew away the Colorado State Rams at home, easily covering the -35 spread in the 52-0 beatdown. The Longhorns have unfinished business from a year ago, and will be a perennial top squad in their first year in the SEC.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (+1)

Alabama dispelled the doubters early with a dominating first half against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Jalen Milroe looked strong in Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide coaching debut, and this team will hope to stay hot as they get ready for big battles with Wisconsin and the No. 1 ranked Bulldogs later in September.

5. Ole Miss Rebels (+1)

Ole Miss found their groove early against Furman, and didn't step off the gas all night. Jaxson Dart took Lane Kiffin's squad to a 76-0 win over the Paladins, and they didn't seem to miss Quinshon Judkins after he transferred to Ohio State. The Rebels have a cruising setup until October 12 against LSU, so expect this offense to continue meshing.in the top 5.

Will the Rebels compete for the SEC Title? Check out the latest odds

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+1)

Notre Dame wasn't flashy, but they got the job done on the road against the ranked Texas A&M Aggies. Going into College Station with a new quarterback on a Saturday night is no easy task, and they were able to emerge victorious with strong defense and enough critical drives when it counted. Their schedule will be a breeze for a while after this, and they should hang around the top five for most of the season.

7. Oregon Ducks (-4)

The Ducks looked unimpressive in their Week 1 matchup against Idaho, and are subsequently docked several spots. Dillon Gabriel threw a lot in his debut, but Oregon was unable to convert on several scoring chances, and did not come anywhere close to covering the 48 point spread against a weak Idaho team. The Ducks underwhelmed the most out of any top-10 team, with the vast majority blowing out their opposition.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions (-)

The Penn State Nittany Lions passed a critical test against West Virginia with flying colors on Saturday. The Nittany Lions were put on upset alert as a slight touchdown favorite on the road in Morgantown, but rolled by the Mountaineers by a score of 34-12. A lengthy weather delay didn't stop their momentum, as Nick Singleton and Drew Allar carried the offense.

9. Missouri Tigers (+2)

The Missouri Tigers did everything right in Week 1 against Murray State. Brady Cook and Luther Burden picked up where they left off, and the dynamic star receiver scored an early first touchdown for the Tigers before the rest of the offense led the way in a 51-0 home blowout. They covered the -48 spread in the last few minutes, and will look to tune up their offense in the next few games before SEC play.

10. Utah Utes (+2)

Cam Rising is back for the Utes after getting banged up a year ago, and it has made all the difference early. The veteran led Utah to a 49-0 beatdown against Southern Utah, and can power this team to a strong start in the Big 12 if he gets in a groove. Watch out for this experienced squad.

11. Michigan Wolverines (-2)

The Michigan Wolverines looked mediocre at best on Saturday night when hosting Fresno State. We expected that a bit, taking Fresno State to cover the first half, as well as the full game under 45.5, both of which hit in this Week 1 battle. If not for a late 86 yard Pick-6 in the fourth quarter, it would have been a one-possession game for the reigning National Champions. They have a lot to figure out and not a lot of time to do it, with the Texas Longhorns coming to town as a touchdown favorite next week.

12. Tennessee Volunteers (+3)

The Tennessee Vols rolled over Chattanooga on Saturday in a 69-3 beatdown. Nico Iamaleava may be the answer for the Vols after Joe Milton went to the NFL, and he's already getting Heisman considerations. Watch out for this SEC team if they get rolling early, and they have a big chance to prove it in Week 2 against the ranked NC State Wolfpack on the road.

13. USC Trojans (+10)

The USC Trojans delivered a clutch performance in their neutral-site showdown with the previously ranked No. 13 LSU Tigers on Sunday night. Miller Moss, Woody Marks, and the rest of Lincoln Riley's squad executed critical drives when it counted, including a final touchdown with just seconds remaining in Las Vegas. They have flown up the list, and Miller Moss was as advertised with 378 yards in the air while commanding an efficient offense full of playmakers against an SEC defense. Watch out for this team to make some noise in the Big Ten gauntlet.

14. Miami Hurricanes (+5)

Cam Ward and the Miami Hurricanes impressed as much as anyone in the country on Saturday afternoon in the Swamp. They were a slim favorite on the road against the Florida Gators, and blew them away from the jump. Miami finished with a 41-17 victory, and put on a convincing offensive showcase on national TV. Cam Ward may be the transfer portal solution that this program has been desperately dreaming of.

15. Oklahoma Sooners (+2)

Oklahoma looked good against Temple on Friday night, and will have a few games to warm up before their first SEC showdown with Tennessee. Jackson Arnold looked good under center, tossing four touchdowns. He'll need to carry this team against a tough schedule this year.

Will the Hurricanes finally win the ACC? Check out the latest odds

16. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+1)

Oklahoma State had a much tougher opponent than most teams on this list, but took care of business against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. They won by 24 as a -12.5 favorite, and should be a contender again in the Big 12 with 24-year-old QB Alan Bowman and superstar RB Ollie Gordon. 

17. Kansas State Wildcats (+1)

The Wildcats dominated against UT-Martin on Saturday afternoon, with a convincing win over the FCS side. They lost QB Will Howard to Ohio State in the offseason, but seem to be doing just fine in his absence. They have a big game looming against the Arizona Wildcats in a few weeks, and that will be their first true test.

18. LSU Tigers (-5)

LSU and Brian Kelly continued their string of tough season openers with the loss to USC. They looked discombobulated at times, and while they hung tough throughout, some poor decisions and weak execution led to the late loss. They were largely outplayed by the Trojans, and have some things to figure out ahead of a daunting SEC schedule. They'll drop back a couple spots, but most of their issues should be fixable going forward.

19. Kansas Jayhawks (+3)

The Jayhawks played an FCS team, but they did what they had to do with a blowout win, similar to many big favorites on this list. Jayden Daniels is ready to lead this offense again, and they can make some noise in the Big 12 with the returning talent on this roster.

20. Iowa Hawkeyes (+4)

The Iowa Hawkeyes are jumping up a bit here by virtue of a few teams regressing back. The Hawkeyes showed off with a 40-0 victory over Illinois State, showcasing their new offense that will hope to change the tide of their recent struggles. It may have been an FCS opponent, but a shutout still moves the needle for a program desperate for scoring.

21. Louisville Cardinals (+4)

The Louisville Cardinals were previously outside of the Top 25, but jump into the rankings after a 62-0 blowout against Austin Peay. They did everything they needed to do after starting the season at 26th, and should find their way into the AP Poll after a few teams in the high 20's suffered losses or poor showings.

22. Arizona Wildcats (-1)

The Arizona Wildcats showcased a stellar offense in their win over New Mexico, but weren't able to shut down their opponent in the shootout. They were four-touchdown favorites, but only held a field goal lead at the half before pulling away late. Tetairoa McMillan set a school record with over 300 yards receiving and four touchdowns, but the defense will need to step up if they are going to compete with the Big 12 this year.

23. NC State Wolfpack (+1)

The NC State Wolfpack remain somewhat stagnant, moving up only a spot because of others dropping out. They did not impress in their opening matchup against FCS Western Carolina, and were in danger of losing as a 32-point favorite as they entered the fourth quarter trailing. Transfer QB Grayson McCall and the Wolfpack finally started putting it together in the 4th with three straight touchdowns, but this game was much closer than the score indicated and they have a lot to figure out this week ahead of a top-15 Tennessee Volunteers team coming to town with Nico Iamaleava.

24. Clemson Tigers (-10)

The Clemson Tigers looked horrendous against Georgia on Saturday afternoon. It's obviously a tough ask to take on the No. 1 team in America who's hungry for revenge in Week 1, but the Tigers struggled immensely in this test. They held it together somewhat in the first half, but the dam broke in the second and they lost 34-3. Cade Klubnik didn't show much improvement after a lackluster season a year ago, and it may be a long year again for the Tigers.

25. Texas A&M Aggies (-5)

The Aggies showed signs of promise on Saturday night, but ultimately weren't able to come away with the victory against the No. 7 Fighting Irish. They had the game tied in the fourth, but Notre Dame pulled away with a game winning score in the last few minutes. Conner Weigman went a measly 12/30 with only 100 yards and two interceptions in his first game back with the Aggies, which isn't going to cut it against a top-10 team.

Gone From Top 25

Florida State Seminoles (-15+)

The Florida State Seminoles took probably the biggest hit on this list, dropping out of the top 25 after a second embarrassing defeat at home. While the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were underrated and we did grab them on the spread in Week 0, DJ Uiagalelei looked rough on any downfield passing attempt, and was unable to rescue the Seminoles from an upset loss as a double-digit favorite. They returned home for a bounce back game as a 17-point favorite against Boston College, and proceeded to lose by two touchdowns at Doak Campbell Stadium and mustered only 13 points. It has been an atrocious start to the year for Mike Norvell's squad after a 13-0 regular season, and it is quickly turning into a potential nightmare if they don't figure it out soon. FSU is gone from the rankings, and it doesn't look like they'll be back in anytime soon.

College Football Odds

• Click here for College Football Week 2 odds
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