ESPN wasted no time reshuffling its college football power picture after a wild Week 1, and the first thing at the top is Texas sitting alone at No. 1.
That spot makes sense after the Longhorns hammered Texas State 59-7 on Saturday. Arch Manning led the charge with 305 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception, giving Texas the kind of opener that forces everyone else to chase.
Right behind the Longhorns is Ohio State at No. 2 after its own blowout, a 56-3 win over Ball State. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith were operating at a different speed in that one, and ESPN’s ranking snapshot makes clear the Buckeyes will need that same kind of firepower if they’re going to take down Texas next Saturday.
The rest of the top five comes in with Notre Dame at No. 3, Miami at No. 4, and Georgia at No.
- Notre Dame handled Wisconsin, Miami got past Stanford, and Georgia beat Tennessee State.
There’s still one Week 1 game left on the schedule - SMU against Florida State - but ESPN’s updated FPI Top 25 already gives a fresh look at where the country stands after the first full Saturday of the season.
Here’s the full list of the updated ESPN FPI Top 25 rankings after Week 1:
Texas
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Miami
Georgia
Indiana
LSU
Oregon
Alabama
Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
USC
Penn State
South Carolina
Ole Miss
Florida
Tennessee
BYU
Michigan
Pittsburgh
Nebraska
Utah
SMU
Virginia
In Other News...
Notre Dame May Be Catching A Huge Break Before Miami Showdown
Miamis defensive picture just got a little murkier heading into its meeting with Notre Dame, with coach Mario Cristobal saying cornerback OJ Frederique will be sidelined for an extended stretch after suffering a significant left shoulder injury against Stanford. Frederique had been a key piece for the Hurricanes, and junior Damari Brown has already stepped in and is expected to keep handling that role over the next few weeks.
For Notre Dame, the timing could hardly be better with the matchup looming. Any absence in the secondary matters when a game against a ranked opponent is on the horizon, and Miami now has to sort through that adjustment while trying to keep its coverage intact. The Fighting Irish still have work to do on their end, but this is the kind of break that can change the feel of a big early-season showdown. [Read more 🡒]
Leonard Moore Made Wisconsin Back Down From Its Pregame Talk
Leonard Moore came into Notre Dames game against Wisconsin with a lot of attention on his side of the field, and the Badgers seemed to take the hint. After pregame chatter from Luke Fickell that Wisconsin should not shy away from Moore, the game plan still leaned the other way, with the Badgers targeting the star defensive back only four times and finding limited success when they did.
Colton Joseph finished 19 of 30 for 217 yards with a touchdown, but Notre Dames defense still came away with the more memorable plays, including an interception returned for a score. Even with the passing numbers on the board, Wisconsins reluctance to test Moore said plenty about how the Irish cornerback is being viewed right now, and it left Fickells earlier challenge hanging in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Answered One Big Question While Another Suddenly Looms
Notre Dame left Lambeau Field with a convincing 41-13 win over Wisconsin, and the biggest takeaway was how the Irish took over after a tighter-than-expected first half. Notre Dame led 13-10 at halftime before rolling through the final two quarters, with CJ Carr throwing two touchdown passes and Aneyas Williams powering the ground game with 90 yards and two scores.
The defense also helped turn the game in Notre Dames favor, as Wisconsins two turnovers opened the door for Irish points. Even so, the broader mood coming out of the victory was not entirely celebratory, because Notre Dame lost two defensive players to injuries during the game, including preseason AP All-America second-team safety Brauntae Johnson and defensive lineman Jason Onye. [Read more 🡒]