Week 1 has already started sorting out the AP top 25 picture, and a few teams made especially loud statements.
Texas looked the part of a team ready to climb. The Longhorns blasted Texas State, 59-7, in a win that went well beyond routine. Quarterback Arch Manning “looked as strong as ever,” and with Texas entering the year at No. 5 in the preseason AP poll, a bump in Tuesday’s ranking feels likely.
Notre Dame also did plenty to help its case. The Fighting Irish, ranked No. 4 before the season, rolled past Wisconsin 41-13. That kind of one-sided result could be enough to nudge them upward.
Georgia put together a similarly dominant showing. The Bulldogs handled Tennessee State 63-3, a result that keeps them firmly in the mix near the top after opening the year at No.
- There isn’t much room to move from there, but a slight rise is still on the table.
Not every result was clean enough to inspire confidence. Michigan escaped Western Michigan with a last-second Hail Mary, but the near miss may cost the Wolverines. They entered the season at No. 16, and even with the win, the close call could send them down in the new poll.
One game remains in Week 1, with No. 19 SMU facing Florida State on Monday evening in what is shaping up to be an exciting matchup.
The AP poll normally drops Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, but this week’s release is pushed to Tuesday, giving the final result a little extra weight before the first rankings of the season settle in.
Week 2 is about to begin, and that’s when things really start to get rolling.
In Other News...
Kenny Minchey Just Changed How Notre Dame Fans See That QB Battle
Kenny Mincheys first start at Kentucky was the kind of debut that gets remembered, especially for Notre Dame fans who watched him leave with unfinished business. Against Youngstown State, the former Irish quarterback threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover, flashing the arm talent that made him a highly rated recruit in the first place. It also put him in rare company by matching a statistical benchmark not seen at Kentucky since Tim Couch nearly 30 years ago.
For Notre Dame, the performance inevitably reopens the conversation about what might have been, and what the quarterback picture looked like while Minchey was still in South Bend. He had limited playing time with the Irish before transferring, but now he has a start that gives his new program a clear jolt and gives his old one another reminder that quarterback evaluations rarely feel settled in the moment. Even one game can change the way a fan base remembers a battle, and this one certainly did. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Fans Have A Strong New CFP Argument Against Critics
Notre Dames path to the College Football Playoff is getting judged through the same old lens, but the broader scheduling picture around the sport suggests the criticism is not as simple as it sounds. The Irish are once again being framed by some as a team that cannot afford a loss because of its schedule, yet the comparison with Miami shows how selective that argument can be when other contenders also go through stretches with relatively few highly ranked opponents on the slate.
A closer look at Power 4 schedules only reinforces the point: plenty of conference teams line up against few preseason AP Top 25 opponents, and that is often the reality of playing inside a league schedule. For Notre Dame fans, it creates a stronger response to the familiar skepticism, because the issue is not whether the Irish are alone in avoiding elite matchups so much as whether their schedule is being held to a standard other contenders are not forced to meet. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Finally Has A Plan For Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa's Return
Notre Dame is finally moving toward getting Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa back on the field, with the linebacker expected to see limited snaps in the upcoming game against Rice. He has been out since last season because of an ACL tear, and Marcus Freeman said his practice volume has risen enough that he is trending toward being ready to play.
For a defense that has been waiting on his return, the key now is not just getting him back, but managing how quickly he is asked to do too much. The Irish plan is clearly cautious, with the staff aiming to bring him along gradually and let his role grow as he settles back in after a long absence. [Read more 🡒]