On paper, Week 2 of the college football season had an unassuming look about it. But, as we should know by now, these are often the weeks where chaos flows freely.
That was indeed the case, as Ohio State fell as more than a two-touchdown favorite at home to Oregon. And Iowa State, despite being a favorite over Iowa, was steamrolled at home by the Hawkeyes and that feisty defense.
The more games that are played, the more data points we have to assess. As such, the rankings in the early part of the year tend to move far more violently.
As we move into Week 3, here are our updated CFB Power Rankings.
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50. Memphis (Last Week Unranked)
49. Marshall (Last Week Unranked)
48. Missouri (Last Week No. 48, No Movement)
47. Troy (Last Week No. 46, Down 1)
46. Baylor (Last Week Unranked)
45. Appalachian State (Last Week No. 42, Down 3)
44. UAB (Last Week No. 43, Down 7)
43. SMU (Last Week No. 47, Up 4)
42. Virginia (Last Week No. 49, Up 7)
41. Oklahoma State (Last Week No. 35, Down 6)
40. Boise State (Last Week No. 40, No Change)
39. Utah (Last Week No. 22, Down 17)
38. Maryland (Last Week No. 36, Down 2)
37. Texas (Last Week No. 12, Down 25)
36. Michigan State (Last Week No. 33, Down 3)
35. Kansas State (Last Week No. 29, Down 6)
34. USC (Last Week No. 14, Down 20)
33. BYU (Last Week No. 45, Up 12)
32. Pittsburgh (Last Week No. 39, Up 7)
31. Miami (Last Week No. 21, Down 10)
30. Indiana (Last Week No. 30, No Change)
29. TCU (Last Week No. 34, Up 5)
28. Nevada (Last Week No. 31, Up 3)
27. LSU (Last Week No. 28, Up 1)
26. North Carolina (Last Week No. 26, Unchanged)
The Iowa Hawkeyes proved they’re one of the nation’s top teams with a big win over the rival Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday.
25. Arizona State (Last Week No. 27, Up 2)
It was a so-so Week 2 showing, although having Jayden Daniels at QB should make them competitive in just about every game.
24. Auburn (Last Week No. 24, Unchanged)
They’ve outscored opponents 122-10 in two weeks, although things get interesting in a hurry. A trip to Penn State in Week 3 will tell us a lot.
23. Arkansas (Last Week No. 41, Up 18)
What a win against Texas. And it wasn’t just a win; the Hogs dominated the line of scrimmage. A big jump and a deserved one.
22. UCF (Last Week Unranked)
This could be an interesting test in Week 3. UCF takes on Louisville on the road, and a win certainly keeps them in the Top 25.
21. Kentucky (Last Week No. 32, Up 11)
I loved what I saw from this group against Missouri. Yes, they made mistakes. But they also showed they could be a tough out this year.
20. Liberty (Last Week No. 23, Up 3)
Don’t sleep on that win against Troy. I thought Liberty might struggle, although a 21-13 win on the road will work fine. The schedule has a lot of easy wins on it. Look out.
19. Wisconsin (Last Week No. 20, Up 1)
Time will tell how the Badgers stack up, and that time is coming soon. After a bye in Week 3, Wisconsin draws Notre Dame at a neutral site. Huge spot for both.
18. Iowa State (Last Week No. 13, Down 5)
The Cyclones had a chance at a massive win, although they were dominated by Iowa in Week 2. The biggest concern? The offense. It was sloppy, and it needs to get better fast.
17. Michigan (Last Week No. 25, Up 8)
In two games, Michigan has rushed for more than 600 yards. That’s the good news. As is a win against Washington. I’m curious what this team will look like when it has to throw.
16. Virginia Tech (Last Week No. 18, Up 2)
The big key to the Hokies’ push up the rankings is their Week 1 win against UNC. They have a real test at West Virginia this week that could help or hurt future rankings greatly.
15. Ole Miss (Last Week No. 16, Up 1)
Don’t sleep on Tulane this week. Oklahoma did and nearly lost. With that said, if the Rebels win in Week 3, they get a bye and then a trip to Alabama the following week. Stay tuned.
14. Notre Dame (Last Week No. 11, Down 3)
If the play continues, Notre Dame will keep drawing. The Irish have Purdue in Week 3, and they better pick it up or things could get even dicier.
13. Coastal Carolina (Last Week No. 19, Up 6)
I like this team a lot. A Friday night win at Kansas won’t make or break a year, but it certainly shows how far expectations have come so quickly. That said, a trip to Buffalo this week won’t be easy.
12. Florida (Last Week No. 15, Up 3)
Alabama is up next. Plain and simple. See you next week.
11. Texas A&M (Last Week No. 6, Down 5)
I liked this team a lot heading into the season, though A&M just hasn’t played well. The Aggies lost their starting QB early against Colorado — and the defense has played well — but the play has to pick up.
10. Penn State (Last Week No. 10, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+5000) at DraftKings
I thought Penn State could come out flat against Ball State, a team that was solid in 2020, and I was wrong. Big one at Auburn on deck. A win and Penn State will certainly move up.
9. UCLA (Last Week No. 9, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+8000) at DraftKings
The Bruins had a bye this week after downing LSU, and they’ve been one of the best stories of the season. If they play like that, they can contend with just about anyone.
8. Ohio State (Last Week No. 3, Down 5)
National Championship Odds: (+900) at DraftKings
Yuck. That defense was, well, bad. But all hope is not lost for the Buckeyes (obviously) after a loss to Oregon. The next month of games includes some easier matchups, which is needed to get things fixed.
7. Cincinnati (Last Week No. 7, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+7500) at DraftKings
The second biggest game of Week 3 features Cincinnati at Indiana. With a small spread, I am curious to see how the Bearcats play in one of their most important games of the year.
6. Oklahoma (Last Week No. 4, Down 2)
National Championship Odds: (+750) at DraftKings
While the thought of welcoming Nebraska might have sounded exciting, the oddsmakers have Oklahoma pegged as more than a three-touchdown favorite. With losses from Texas and Iowa State, the Sooners should really dominate everyone to come. Keyword: “Should."
5. Clemson (Last Week No. 5, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+800) at DraftKings
A 49-3 win over South Carolina State doesn’t tell us much, but Clemson must look dominant against pretty much every team on its schedule to maintain its spot. It’s just the way it is in the ACC right now.
4. Iowa (Last Week No. 8, Up 4)
National Championship Odds: (+6000) at DraftKings
Two games, two wins against opponents ranked in the AP Poll. Iowa’s defense has been superb; now the offense needs to catch up. The October 9 game against Penn State might be one of the games of the year.
3. Oregon (Last Week No. 17, Up 14)
National Championship Odds: (+2500) at DraftKings
What a win. I wasn’t sure the Ducks had the offense to keep up with Ohio State, although they showed they did. If they play like that, they can beat anyone.
2. Georgia (Last Week No. 2, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+330) at DraftKings
With J.T. Daniels out due to injury, the offense looked just fine against UAB. The Bulldogs play South Carolina and Vanderbilt the next few weeks, and those games might get really, really ugly.
1. Alabama (Last Week No. 1, Unchanged)
National Championship Odds: (+180) at DraftKings
The first true road test of Bryce Young‘s career comes this week at Florida. While Alabama is better at just about every position, the moment is worth watching.
