Week two sorted out a few things as far as the rankings go as the Pac-12 looks to be the nation’s best conference and the Big Ten again wilted in the spotlight.
Oregon is hot on the heels of Florida State for the top spot in our poll but it’s hard to move the Seminoles down as they are on an 18-game roll.
The Ducks’ win over Michigan State was the highlight of the weekend but the Spartans at least showed up and led in the third quarter before the Ducks went on one of their patented blitzes. That’s more than can be said for Michigan and Ohio State, which both laid eggs, the Wolverines in being shutout at Notre Dame and the Buckeyes in losing at home to Virginia Tech.
The Hokies join the poll this week as does BYU led by star QB Taysom Hill.
25. UNC (2-0) – The Tar Heel have rallied for both of their wins so far and needed an interception in the end zone with 14 seconds to play to clinch the win over the Aztecs. Last game: Beat San Diego State, 31-27, Next game: Sept. 20 at East Carolina.
24. Penn State (2-0) – On Monday Penn State’s season changed dramatically as the NCAA announced it will allow it to compete in this year’s postseason and that all scholarships will return in 2015. The fired up Nittany Lions should be sky high for the Scarlet Knights. Last game: Beat Akron, 21-3, Next game: Saturday at Rutgers.
23. BYU (2-0) – QB Taysom Hill has done it all so far for the Cougars and has them thinking about being a playoff spoiler. Hill totaled five touchdowns and in a season-opening 35-10 win at Connecticut before running for three scores in the rout of the Longhorns. Last game: Beat Texas, 41-7, Next game: Thursday vs. Houston
22. Clemson (1-1) – Coach Dabo Swinney ran it up against South Carolina State after being dominated by Georgia in the second half of the season opener against Georgia. Hope this one feels good Dabo, gonna get a lot tougher in the next one against the Seminoles. Last game: Beat East Carolina, 33-23, Next game: Sept. 20 vs. Florida State.
21. South Carolina (1-1) The Gamecocks were tested by the Pirates and now pretty much face a must win against the Bulldogs after a season opening loss to Texas A&M. Last game: Beat East Carolina, 33-23 Next game: Saturday vs. Georgia.
20. UCLA (2-0) – The Bruins are 2-0 but could easily be winless after a pair of lackluster performances. Brett Hundley passed for 396 yards and three touchdowns and the offense had 540 total yards but UCLA still needed to rally in the fourth quarter to beat Memphis. Last game: Beat Memphis, 42-35 Next game: Saturday vs. Texas (in Arlington, Texas)
19. Virginia Tech (2-0) – The Hokies became the first unranked non conference team to win at the Horseshoe since 1982. It was a big win for Virginai Tech, which will lose any momentum it built with the win if it overlooks East Carolina. Last game: Beat Ohio State, 35-21, Next game: Saturday vs. East Carolina
18. Missouri (2-0) – Give the Tigers credit, it’s rare for a power 5 team to go on the road against the little guys but they did and won by 25. QB Maty Mauk threw for 325 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another score in the win.
Last game: Beat Toledo, 49-24, Next game: Saturday vs. UCF
17. Wisconsin (1-1) The Badgers overcame a slow start to even their record after blowing their opener to LSU. Quarterback Tanner McEvoy had 338 total yards in a bounce back performance. Last game: Beat Western Illinois, 37-3 Next game: Sept. 20 vs. Bowling Green
16. Kansas State (2-0) – The Wildcats were down to the Cyclones 28-13 late in the third before scoring the final 19 points of the game to escape with the win. Bill Snyders’ crew will need to be much better against Auburn to avoid a loss. Last game: Beat Iowa State, 32-28 Next game: Sept. 18 vs. Auburn
15. Arizona State (2-0) – The Sun Devils have scored 103 points in two games and need to keep it going against the Buffaloes. After the trip to Boulder a three-game gauntlet with UCLA, USC and Stanford awaits. Last game: Beat New Mexico, 58-23 Next game: Saturday at Colorado
14. Stanford (1-1) – The Cardinal made too many mistakes as the Trojans won in Palo Alto for the first time since 2008. Stanford outgained USC 413 to 291 but had two turnovers, eight penalties and Jordan Williamson missed two field goals. Last game: Lost to USC, 13-10 Next game: Saturday vs. Army
13. Ole Miss (2-0) – Last game: Beat Vanderbilt, 41-3 Next game: Saturday vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
12. Michigan State (1-1) – The final score from Eugene was disappointing but the Spartans did have a 27-18 lead on the Ducks with about a quarter and a half left to play. Michigan State couldn’t answer Oregon’s late surge but it is looking more and more like the class of the Big Ten. Last week: Lost to Oregon, 46-27, Next game: Sept. 20 vs. Eastern Michigan
11. Notre Dame (2-0) – The Irish sent the Wolverines away limping as their annual series goes on hiatus and QB Everett Golson was a big reason why with three TD passes in an efficient performance. Last game: Beat Michigan, 31-0, Next game: Saturday vs. Purdue (in Indianapolis)
10. USC (2-0) – The Trojans still may lack depth but they showed against Stanford that they don’t lack for toughness and grit. That was a very losable game for USC but it did what it had to do for a win that sets them up as a possible playoff contender. Last game: Beat Stanford, 13-10 Next game: Saturday at Boston College
9. Texas A&M (2-0) Quarterback Kenny Hill continued to make Johnny Football a distant memory as he threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Hill and the Aggies should have another field day this week too. Last game: Beat Lamar, 73-3 Next game: Saturday at Rice
8. LSU (2-0) – The Tigers won’t be tested this week and will likely be 5-0 when they roll into the Plains for a slugfest with Auburn in early October. A promising development so far has been the play of sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings who has over 400 yards passing with five TDs and no interceptions. Last game: Beat Sam Houston State, 56-0 Next game: Saturday vs. Louisiana-Monroe
7. Baylor (2-0) – Bryce Petty is banged up but that hardly mattered for the Bears last week and should have little bearing on this week’s game in Buffalo. Last game: Beat Northwestern State, 70-6 Next game: Friday at Buffalo.
6. Alabama (2-0) – One last audition and tune-up for quarterbacks Blake Sims and Jake Coker. After meeting Southern Miss (1-1), games with Florida and Ole Miss loom. Last game: Beat Florida Atlantic, 41-0 Next game: Saturday vs. Southern Miss
5. Oklahoma (2-0) – Sooners coach Bob Stoops’ disdain for the SEC is well known and he has a chance to send another message to the southern giant against the Vols. Last game: Beat Tulsa, 52-7 Next game: Saturday vs. Tennessee
4. Georgia (1-0) — The Bulldogs had the week off before they head to South Carolina and a showdown with the Gamecocks. Should Georgia improve to 2-0 the playoff hype will commence with three straight home games before a road test at Missouri in October. Last game: Beat Clemson, 45-21, Next game: Saturday at South Carolina.
3. Auburn (2-0) – The Tigers rolled to victory over the Spartans and are looking at an interesting road test against Kansas State. Auburn rushed for 358 yards and just over seven yards per carry last week and with a run game like that it doesn’t matter much who lines up at QB. Last game: Beat San Jose State, 59-13 Next game: Sept. 18 at Kansas State
2. Oregon (2-0) — The Ducks made a push for the top spot with their win over the Spartans that showed a little bit of everything. Oregon proved it could be physical, tough, dominant and has resolve. Marcus Mariota led the offense and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu sparked the defense and if Oregon keeps playing this way they could be No. 1 sooner rather than later. Last game: Beat Michigan State, 46-27 Next game: Saturday vs. Wyoming.
1. Florida State (2-0) – The Seminoles played a rare under the radar game and did what they had to do in dispatching The Citadel. Jameis Winston threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns and Florida State recorded it 18th consecutive win heading into an off week. Last game: Beat The Citadel, 37-12 Next game: Sept. 20 vs. Clemson
Dropped out: Nebraska, Ohio State
Close but not quite:
Mississippi State
Oklahoma State
Florida
Duke
Louisville
Marshall
Utah
Tennessee
