Week 2 of the college football season turned the latest Top 25 into a moving target, and the shakeup at the top is hard to miss. Oklahoma State’s stunning upset of then-No. 6 Oregon helped set the tone, while Michigan’s minor upset of Oklahoma and Texas’ statement win over top-ranked Ohio State gave the rankings a new look.
Texas is now the clear SEC favorite in this race for the CFP. The Longhorns beat Ohio State 24-23 in Austin and enter as the No. 1 team in the country with what has been the best win in college football so far. Arch Manning and Texas close out non-conference play against UTSA before opening SEC action with a road trip to Tennessee.
Ohio State’s loss opened the door for Indiana, which now sits in the Big Ten favorite spot for the moment. The Hoosiers are No. 4 in the latest AP Top 25 and will host Ohio State on October 17th. The setup favors Indiana with home field and coaching edge.
The Big 12 favorite is BYU. The Cougars handled Arizona 28-17 in their Big 12 opener and climbed four places to No.
- Bear Bachmeier picked up Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors and looks like a force in the conference.
Miami also stayed in the mix near the top. Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney both look like Heisman candidates, and the Canes are No. 5 in the latest AP Top 25.
They should remain unbeaten until their November 7th meeting at No. 3 Notre Dame.
Notre Dame takes the automatic bid spot and checks in at No. 3 after a 52-0 rout of Rice. The Irish host Michigan State with starting quarterback CJ Carr playing at a high level.
Their schedule also features key games against No. 11 BYU on October 17th, No.
5 Miami (FL) on November 7th, and No. 16 SMU on November 21st.
Boise State gets the Group of Six automatic bid after a 38-20 win over Memphis. Maddux Madsen is leading the Broncos, and the September 26th trip to Western Michigan is one to circle.
Georgia remains right behind Texas at No. 2 after a strong start under Kirby Smart and Gunner Stockton. The Bulldogs open SEC play at Arkansas on Saturday.
Even with the loss to Texas, Ohio State is still in the playoff picture, but the margin for error is getting thin after the Buckeyes let a 23-3 lead slip away. Ryan Day’s team still has chances to repair the resume in Big Ten play.
Ole Miss comes in at No. 8 after beating Charlotte 41-9, with the Ole Miss-LSU game on Saturday night now front and center. LSU, meanwhile, was only up 10-7 at halftime against Louisiana Tech before pulling away for a 45-14 win. Turnovers remain an issue for Sam Leavitt, who has two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Texas A&M sits at No. 9 after a 48-20 win over Arizona State, a team expected to land in the upper half of the Big 12. The Aggies open SEC play at home against Kentucky on Saturday.
Alabama rounds out the top 10 at No. 10 after a 45-17 road win over Kentucky to begin SEC play. Kalen DeBoer’s team now turns to Florida State on Saturday, looking for revenge after last year’s loss to the Seminoles.
The projected top four seeds are Texas, Georgia, Indiana and Notre Dame. In the bracket, Boise State would draw Ohio State, BYU would face Ole Miss, Alabama would meet Miami (FL), and Texas A&M would take on LSU.
The final four projection has Texas against Notre Dame and Georgia against Indiana, with Texas beating Georgia for the national championship.
In Other News...
Missouri May Have Found The Pass Rusher It Desperately Needed
Missouris defense got a much-needed jolt in its latest matchup, and the player providing it was a teenager still early in his college career. Daeden Hopkins earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors after repeatedly getting into Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshalls face, piling up eight pressures in the game and continuing a breakout stretch that has him among the nations more disruptive young edge defenders.
For a Missouri front looking for consistent pass-rushing help, Hopkins has started to look like a real answer. The 19-year-old underclassman has 12 pressures this season, and Eli Drinkwitz has pointed to both his work ethic and his development, including added weight and better run defense, as reasons the Tigers have been encouraged by his growth. What comes next for Hopkins will tell Missouri even more about whether this is a one-game spike or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Fans Will Be Watching One Injury Story Much Closer Now
Missouris latest win gave Eli Drinkwitz plenty to like, but Tiger Talk also offered a reminder that the staff is still sorting through a few problem areas. The coach pointed to blocked field goals and turnover issues as details that need attention, while also praising Austin Simmons for his leadership and noting the progress Donovan Olugbode has made at receiver. He had positive things to say about the defense, too, which has been a steady part of the Tigers stretch.
One of the more notable topics was Darris Smith, whose recovery has already been a challenge for Missouri to manage. Drinkwitz discussed the difficulty of that rehab process and made clear it has been a long road back for the edge rusher. For a fan base that has been watching the Tigers build momentum, Smiths situation is now another subplot worth tracking as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Golf Found An Early Bright Spot In Brutal Conditions
Mizzou mens golf opened its season with a solid showing in a tough setting, finishing fifth at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational despite weather that made scoring difficult for everyone in the field. The Tigers ended the tournament at 25-over par, but senior Veikka Viskari provided an early lift with a steadier week than most of the leaderboard could manage.
Viskaris play gave Mizzou a legitimate bright spot to build on, and junior Trent Mierl also turned in a top-10 result to round out an encouraging team effort. In conditions like these, having multiple players hold up under pressure can matter almost as much as the final place, and the Tigers left with proof that there is some depth to lean on as the fall schedule continues. [Read more 🡒]