The first full Saturday of the college football season brought the usual mix of statement wins, near-misses and a few results that had people talking for all the wrong reasons. Rutgers stumbled in a loss.
Michigan survived with controversy attached. Tulsa went into the state and knocked off Oklahoma State by two touchdowns.
Baylor and Auburn played a game that left everyone focused on how it ended. And a handful of FCS programs grabbed the spotlight, with Idaho State beating Utah State by 12, The Citadel outlasting Charlotte in 3OT and Tarleton State beating Bowling Green.
Through all that chaos, the AP Top 25 mostly held steady. No ranked team fell to an unranked opponent, even if several came close to making life a lot more interesting. With that as the backdrop, here’s how the ballot would look after Week 1.
Ohio State stays on top after making short work of Ball State, rolling 56-3 behind Julian Sayin’s 320 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes piled up 671 total yards, which is the kind of opening statement that keeps a No. 1 spot secure.
Georgia jumps into the No. 2 slot after a 63-3 demolition of FCS Tennessee State. The Bulldogs finished with 31 first downs and 660 total yards, a performance that looked every bit like a team separating itself from the pack.
Oregon slips one spot, but only because the Ducks’ 34-27 win over Boise State never felt comfortable. Dan Lanning’s team trailed by double digits at one point and had to dig out of trouble late to avoid the upset.
Notre Dame remains at No. 4 and hasn’t even played yet, with Sunday night’s matchup against Wisconsin in Dublin still ahead. The Irish are heavy favorites in that one.
Texas holds at No. 5 after Arch Manning turned in a sharp showing in a 59-7 win over Texas State. He threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, exactly the kind of line that keeps the Longhorns right where they were.
Indiana stays at No. 6 after a 52-16 win over North Texas, the same North Texas team that finished last year nationally ranked. Miami is next, and Malachi Toney made sure everyone noticed. In a 45-6 win over Stanford, he caught 12 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns and looked every bit the early Heisman contender.
Texas A&M sits at No. 8 after a 50-0 shutout of Missouri State that featured balance on offense, with 236 rushing yards and 269 passing yards. Ole Miss stays at No. 9 after one of the best games of the weekend, a 41-38 win over No. 24 Louisville in which Trinidad Chambliss threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns.
Oklahoma remains at No. 10 after a 51-0 win over UTEP. John Mateer threw for 225 yards and three scores, and the defense added four sacks and 10 TFL’s.
LSU climbs to No. 11 after looking the part in a 51-10 rout of Clemson. Lane Kiffin’s group rushed for 309 yards and kept Clemson’s offense in check, even with the off-field noise hanging around.
Texas Tech stays put at No. 12 after beating Abilene Christian 33-10. Will Hammond returned from last year’s season-ending injury and threw for nearly 300 yards. Alabama follows at No. 13 after a 48-10 win over East Carolina that featured five rushing touchdowns and none through the air, though Ryan Coleman-Williams did finish with five catches for 130 yards.
USC moves to No. 14 after following up a 42-26 win over San Jose State with a 39-0 shutout of Fresno State. That defensive showing is the kind of result that makes the offseason addition at coordinator look like a big deal.
BYU slips one place to No. 15 after a 63-7 win over FCS Utah Tech. Bear Bachmeier threw three touchdowns, and the Cougars ran for more than 300 yards.
Washington rises to No. 16 after taking the Apple Cup, 24-10, over Washington State. Demond Williams accounted for more than 300 all-purpose yards, with 268 passing and 61 rushing, and scored once through the air and once on the ground.
Penn State moves up after a 45-0 rout of Marshall. Rocco Becht threw a career-high four touchdowns, and Koby Howard had 161 receiving yards.
SMU comes in at No. 18 after the final game of Week 1, a delayed matchup at Doak Campbell Stadium that didn’t kick off until 9:15 because of a power outage. The Mustangs held on for a 27-24 win on a field goal with 20 seconds left.
Michigan falls to No. 19 after needing late-game heroics, some luck and a little controversy to squeeze past Western Michigan, 13-12. Kyle Whittingham’s group converted a hail mary with one second left to escape.
Tennessee stays at No. 20 after a 56-9 win over Furman that featured more than 600 total yards. Faizon Brandon threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more.
Utah holds at No. 21 after opening the post-Kyle Whittingham era with a 66-14 win over FCS Idaho. The Utes scored nine offensive touchdowns, with both quarterbacks throwing multiple.
Iowa remains at No. 22 after a 40-0 win over NIU in a game where Kirk Ferentz’s team posted more than 500 total yards and 26 first downs while NIU managed just seven.
Houston stays at No. 23 after beating Oregon State 33-20 in a game that was one score after a quarter. Oregon State finished with more passing yards, while Houston controlled things on the ground.
Louisville rounds out the ballot at No. 24 despite the loss to Ole Miss. Jeff Brohm’s team pushed the Rebels to the end before falling 41-38 on a walkoff field goal as time expired.
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Temple Heads To Penn State With One Problem Fans Will Notice
Temples trip to Penn State comes with a little more uncertainty than a normal September road test, starting up front where the Owls are already shorthanded. KC Keeler confirmed that starting left tackle Giakoby Hills will be out for six weeks, a significant blow to an offensive line that has to deal with one of the bigger fronts on the schedule.
The injury picture does not stop there, either. Starting tackle Kevin Terry and left guard Eric King are both game-time decisions, which leaves Temple waiting to see how much of its protection plan will be available by kickoff. The quarterback situation is still unsettled as well, with the Owls choosing between Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard for the starting job, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already looks demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Put Its Recruiting Board On Notice
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Among the names in attendance were 5-star cornerback Nasir Richardson from the 2028 class and 4-star edge rusher DJ Dockery from the 2029 class, both the kind of young blue-chippers Penn State wants to keep circling. The staff also added to the board by extending an offer to 3-star defensive lineman McCoy Richardson, a prospect viewed as a possible flip from Wake Forest, leaving the rest of that recruiting picture to keep developing after the visit. [Read more 🡒]
DAnton Lynn Just Raised A Big Penn State Defense Question
Penn States secondary is already looking a little different as the season settles in, and DAnton Lynn made it clear why true freshman Josiah Zayas is getting first crack at cornerback. Lynn pointed to Zayas mental strength and steady development, a notable endorsement for a young player stepping into a demanding spot on a defense that is still sorting itself out.
Lynn also signaled that the scheme itself is going to keep evolving, with the staff planning to add complexity gradually rather than overload the group early. With Temple next on the road, he emphasized communication and preparation as the big keys, which leaves an obvious question hanging over the defense: how quickly can a young corner and a growing playbook handle the next test? [Read more 🡒]