Week 1 of college football was full of upsets, exciting finishes and superstar performances. Here are my national power rankings heading into Week 2.
I will do a top-25 college football power rankings every Tuesday for the regular season. It’s impossible to make a final judgment of a team based on just one game, but a lot of teams showed their colors during the first weekend of the season. These power rankings will be based on where every team stands at the current moment, not a prediction of where these teams will be at the end of the season.
#1- Georgia
This was the easiest decision of the entire rankings. I was confident that Georgia was the best team in the country by a decent margin entering Week 1, and their performance against Clemson confirmed that. After a slow start offensively, Georgia dominated Clemson in the second half in every facet of the game, resulting in a 34-3 victory. They have one of the best defenses in the country, and Carson Beck has proved that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. This team was even missing some pieces for this game, including their top two running backs. The Dawgs may never surrender this #1 spot in the power rankings.
#2- Ohio State
It was a shaky start for the Buckeyes in the first half against Akron, but they turned it on in the second half, ultimately winning 52-6. This defense looked as good as advertised, limiting Akron to just 177 total yards of offense. Inconsistent quarterback play could be Ohio State’s downfall in their quest for a national title, but Will Howard did just fine against this Akron defense. More importantly, young WRs Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate lived up to the hype for the Buckeyes.
#3- Oregon
The Ducks were involved in one of the strangest games of the weekend. If you look at the box score, Oregon dominated Idaho across the board. However, this was a 3-point game halfway through the fourth quarter. A missed field goal, a lost fumble in Idaho territory and multiple turnovers on downs limited the Ducks to just 24 points in this game. However, I am not worried about Oregon based on this result. Dillon Gabriel looked really solid, and Oregon took a very conservative approach to this game from a play-calling perspective. This roster is still loaded with talent, and they will flex their muscles when they have to.
#4- Texas
It was an easy Week 1 matchup for Texas against Colorado State, and they took care of business with a 52-0 win. The defense was perfect against a Colorado State team with a dangerous passing attack. Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning both looked great at quarterback for the Longhorns. This was especially impressive because Texas has a huge matchup with the defending national champions in Ann Arbor this weekend. Despite that, the Longhorns remained focused and will be riding high heading into the biggest game of Week 2.
#5- Alabama
The Crimson Tide played a game without Nick Saban as their head coach for the first time since 2006 on Saturday, and things went off without a hitch. Kalen DeBoer started his tenure with a 63-0 victory over Western Kentucky with great performances across the board. This team has national championship potential if DeBoer can improve Jalen Milroe’s quarterback play.
#6- Ole Miss
Ole Miss also had an easy matchup in Week 1 but convincingly thrashed Furman 76-0. QB Jaxson Dart looked great in his first game of the season and the Rebels have found a superstar WR in Tre Harris. If this defense can improve from last season’s unit, Ole Miss will be in contention to win the SEC and should make the College Football Playoff.
#7- Notre Dame
Notre Dame played in one of the biggest games of the weekend, where they took down Texas A&M in College Station. Kyle Field is one of the hardest places to play in the country, but the Fighting Irish grinded out a hard-fought victory against the Aggies. QB Riley Leonard got better as the game went on and did what he does best: he used his legs to make smart plays and grind out a victory. The Irish have one of the best defenses in the country and now have a really manageable schedule the rest of the way. It would be shocking if this team did not make the College Football Playoff at this point.
#8- Penn State
Penn State made one of the best offseason hires in offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki showed that he has already made a huge impact on QB Drew Allar. Allar made some spectacular throws and was allowed to air it out which he did not do much last season. Morgantown is a really tough place to play, and West Virginia is a team that a lot of people were high on going into this season. However, the Nittany Lions dominated the Mountaineers from start to finish in every facet of the game. Penn State is a real contender for the Big Ten title.
#9- Miami
Miami comes into almost every season with some degree of hype, but this season, it was really high, thanks to their new quarterback, Cam Ward. Ward put up insane numbers at Washington State the past couple of seasons but was never on a good enough team to compete for championships. Miami has surrounded Ward with talent, and he showed why he was the top quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason. Miami went into The Swamp and shredded Florida from the jump. The offense was explosive, and the defense was dominant. The Hurricanes look like the best team in the ACC by a good margin.
#10- Tennessee
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was one of the best high school prospects of the last several seasons and had big expectations entering this season as the starter. He immediately showed that the hype is deserved by throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in his 2024 season debut. However, Iamaleava and the Volunteers have a much tougher test this weekend as they head to NC State to take on the Wolfpack.
#11- USC
USC had one of the best performances of Week 1. They played LSU in the standalone Sunday night game and put on a show for the whole country to see. QB Miller Moss looked fantastic in Lincoln Riley’s offense, but most importantly, the defense looked greatly improved. USC made a concerted effort to bolster its defense this offseason by hiring D’Anton Lynn as their new defensive coordinator. The hire immediately paid off with the way USC was tackling and limiting big plays against a good LSU offense. USC has a chance to compete for the Big Ten if they stay on this path.
#12- Utah
Utah is the top Big 12 team on the list after their 49-0 win over Southern Utah on Saturday. Cam Rising looked as good as ever in his long-awaited return to the field and the defense was flawless. The Utes have a much bigger test against Baylor in Week 2, which will tell us a lot more about this team.
#13- Michigan
The defending national champions looked a bit shaky against Fresno State on Saturday. One of the big question marks around Michigan entering this season was at the quarterback position. That question was not really answered on Saturday. Alex Orji got some snaps, mostly as a runner, but Davis Warren was the starter. Warren did not look very good and finished 15/25 for 118 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The defense still looks really strong for the Wolverines, but the offense needs to figure itself out before Texas comes to town this weekend.
#14- Missouri
Missouri dominated Murray State 51-0 to open their season. This team still doesn’t have a real test for a couple more weeks, so only time will tell what the ceiling is for the Tigers. However, Brady Cook and Nate Noel hope to lead this offense and make Missouri a real SEC contender.
#15- Oklahoma
The Sooners dismantled Temple in their season opener, 51-3. It was the first game of the Jackson Arnold era in Norman and Arnold looked really solid at quarterback. If this defense can continue to improve as the season goes on, Oklahoma could be a dark horse to make the College Football Playoff.
#16- LSU
LSU is the first 0-1 team to make the rankings! Despite losing to USC, I feel better about LSU than before the season started. QB Garrett Nussmeier looked sharp, but he was held back by the coaching decisions made by the Tigers’ offensive staff. The defense still didn’t look great, but it definitely improved from last season’s unit. If Nussmeier can continue to grow in his role leading the team, LSU will make some noise in the SEC.
#17- Kansas State
The Wildcats took care of business in their first game against Tennessee-Martin. Like many teams in Week 1, it’s hard to tell how good Kansas State is because of their competition level. However, this week, they face Tulane, which should be a much tougher test.
#18- Oklahoma State
Many thought Oklahoma State could be tested by defending FCS national champions South Dakota State in Week 1. However, the Cowboys took care of business, led by over 100 yards on the ground from Ollie Gordon II. If Gordon stays healthy, this team should be competitive in the Big 12 title race. However, the Pokes face a big test this weekend against cross-conference rival Arkansas.
#19- Iowa
Just like USC with their defense, Iowa made a concerted effort to improve their offense this season. The opponent, Illinois State, might not be the best barometer for how improved this unit is, but a 40-0 victory is impressive nonetheless. QB Cade McNamara looked solid in the second half, and the Iowa defense looked as good as ever. The Hawkeyes, however, are another team with a tough Week 2 test against their rival Iowa State.
#20- Arizona
Arizona will be one of the most exciting teams to watch all season. They have an incredible offense led by QB Noah Fifita and WR Tetairoa McMillan, who had ten catches for 304 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday’s win 61-39 win over New Mexico. However, they have a lot of issues on the defensive side of the ball. Due to their defensive issues, they could lose on any given week. But because of the Fifita-McMillan connection, they could also beat anybody on any given week.
#21- Clemson
Clemson looked bad in their season opener against Georgia. However, as discussed, Georgia is the best team in the country. QB Cade Klubnik looked shaky for the Tigers, but their wide receivers improved greatly from last season. This defense still has a lot of talent but was just overwhelmed by Georgia in the second half. Against most opponents, Clemson should still be competitive, and this team should contend for the ACC.
#22- Kansas
Kansas played a bad FCS opponent in Week 1 and cruised to victory with minimal effort. The Jayhawks have huge upside potential if QB Jalon Daniels stays healthy, but we should get a much better picture of this team after this weekend’s clash with Illinois.
#23- Texas A&M
The Aggies lost their opener to Notre Dame, but this team still has a lot of potential. It was just their first game under new head coach Mike Elko. The defense played well for the most part, and Elko should continue to improve in that group. It was the quarterback play from Conner Weigman that held this team back. If Weigman can shake off the rust and start playing competently, this team can still be competitive in the SEC.
#24- Nebraska
The first game of the Dylan Raiola era was a roaring success as they defeated UTEP 40-7. This weekend, all eyes will be on Nebraska as they host Deion Sanders and Colorado in Lincoln. If the Cornhuskers win that game, they will be on the path to their best season in a long time.
#25- Iowa State
The Cyclones are the final team on the list. They quietly handled North Dakota 21-3 to open their season. However, their massive matchup with Iowa this weekend will be their first real test. If the Cyclones win that game, they will move up this list a good amount, but if they lose that game, they will likely drop out of next week’s rankings. QB Rocco Becht will be the key to the season for Iowa State. If he can continue to improve, this team should compete for a Big 12 title.
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