College Football Rankings: Bleacher Report's Week 2 Top 25
We had to wait almost eight months, but it was worth it. We were treated to five days of great college football games over Labor Day weekend, starting with the Head Ball Coach pulling out a win in Charlotte and ending with Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes starting their national title defense in Blacksburg.
And from those games and the other 83 in between, we have a set of results that require us to take the Bleacher Report preseason Top 25 and make some adjustments.
Twenty-one members of our college football staff voted on Bleacher Report's Top 25: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Ed Feng, Justin Ferguson, Bryan Fischer, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Adam Kramer, Brian Leigh, Mike Monaco, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh; video experts Michael Felder and Sean McManus; and editors Eric Bowman, Hunter Mandel and Eric Yates.
First-place votes were worth 25 points, with each subsequent rank worth one fewer point, all the way down to one for 25th place. The 25 highest vote-getters made our list, with the rest falling into the "others receiving votes" category.
See where everyone ended up after the first week of the 2015 season, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
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West Virginia didn't earn enough votes to creep into the Top 25, but if the Mountaineers keep putting up results like they did Saturday, they're sure to make an appearance quite soon.
A 44-0 home win over Georgia Southern was impressive in many ways. First, West Virginia limited the top rushing offense from 2015 to 3.4 yards per carry, compared to its 2014 average of 7.1. Second, the Mountaineers intercepted four passes, with safety Karl Joseph grabbing three picks in the second quarter alone.
And West Virginia's young offense amassed 544 yards of total offense, with two receivers going over 100 yards for the game.
Here's who else received votes but didn't make the Top 25:
- Arizona State (35)
- Mississippi State (26)
- Louisville (17)
- West Virginia (14)
- Stanford (13)
- BYU (12)
- Northwestern (12)
- Oklahoma State (9)
- Maryland (4)
- Virginia Tech (4)
- Florida (3)
- Kansas State (3)
- Temple (3)
- Minnesota (2)
- Navy (2)
- Cincinnati (1)
No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers
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Poll points: 38
Preseason ranking: 21st
Week 1 result: Lost 35-17 vs. Alabama (in Arlington, Texas)
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Miami, Ohio
Wisconsin held its own with Alabama for one half, trailing only 14-7 after 30 minutes, but an inability to move the ball on the ground (or prevent the Crimson Tide from doing so) kept the Badgers from hanging around down the stretch.
Joel Stave threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing, having to make up for a run game that only tallied 40 yards on 21 carries. Wisconsin's top run was for 25 yards, on an end-around by wide receiver Alex Erickson, and top back Corey Clement had just 16 yards on eight rushes as he was slowed by a groin injury.
Wisconsin allowed 238 rushing yards, including 147 to Derrick Henry.
No. 24 Missouri Tigers
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Poll points: 44
Preseason ranking: Not ranked
Week 1 result: Won 34-3 vs. Southeast Missouri State
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Arkansas State
Missouri excelled on both sides of the ball in an easy win over FCS Southeast Missouri State, performing well enough to slide into the rankings after one week.
Quarterback Maty Mauk shook off a blatant cheap shot by a SEMO defender to throw for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-22 passing. True freshman quarterback Drew Lock added 138 yards and a score, as the duo worked well with an inexperienced group of receivers.
The Tigers also held the Redhawks to 201 total yards.
No. 23 Utah Utes
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Poll points: 66
Preseason ranking: Not ranked
Week 1 result: Won 24-17 vs. Michigan
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 11 vs. Utah State
In a matchup where almost all the pregame attention went to its opponent's new coach, Utah showed what it was made of with a defense- and rushing-fueled victory to spoil Jim Harbaugh's return to college.
The Utes intercepted Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock three times, including one that Justin Thomas returned 55 yards for a touchdown.
Utah quarterback Travis Wilson ran for 53 yards and a TD to go with 208 passing yards, while Devontae Booker ran for 69 yards and a score.
No. 22 Boise State Broncos
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Poll points: 77
Preseason ranking: 24th
Week 1 result: Won 16-13 vs. Washington
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at BYU
Boise State managed to squeak out a win over its former head coach, but not without trying to give the game away in the second half. The Broncos led 16-0 at halftime but then had to watch as Washington missed a 46-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.
The Broncos held Washington to 179 yards, including just 29 rushing yards, but nearly blew the game because of poor special teams. Boise had an extra point and a punt blocked, and it also allowed a 76-yard punt return to Washington's Dante Pettis.
Jeremy McNichols scored two first-half rushing touchdowns and finished with 89 yards for Boise, which earned the win over former coach Chris Petersen, now in his second year at Washington following eight seasons with the Broncos.
No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers
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Poll points: 88
Preseason ranking: 22nd
Week 1 result: Won 59-30 vs. Bowling Green
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Oklahoma
Lightning seemed to be the only thing that could stop Tennessee's offense Saturday, as a weather delay caused a stoppage in the middle of what would ultimately be the Volunteers' highest-scoring output in six years.
Tennessee had 604 yards of total offense, including 399 on the ground, with Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd combining for 267 yards and five scores. Kamara, a former Alabama recruit, had 144 yards and two TDs, while Hurd ran for 123 yards and three scores.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs ran for 89 yards and a TD while throwing for 205 yards and two TDs.
Tennessee's defense wasn't as crisp, however, allowing 557 yards, including 424 passing yards and two TDs to Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson.
No. 20 Arizona Wildcats
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Poll points: 106
Preseason ranking: 20th
Week 1 result: Won 42-32 vs. UTSA
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Nevada
Arizona won its fourth straight season opener, but the biggest story was what it lost: star linebacker Scooby Wright.
The junior, who led the nation in tackles, tackles for loss and forced fumbles in 2014 en route to winning three national defensive awards, left the game early with a left knee injury. Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated reported Saturday that Wright underwent a procedure to repair a meniscus tear, and coach Rich Rodriguez said Monday that Wright will miss three to four weeks, per Daniel Berk of the Arizona Daily Star.
With Wright unavailable, the Wildcats allowed 525 yards to a UTSA team that graduated 17 starters and was starting a redshirt freshman quarterback. But Arizona also scored two defensive touchdowns, one on a 23-yard interception return by Anthony Lopez in the game's opening minute and the other on a 22-yard fumble return by Jamar Allah.
Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon threw TD passes to four different players and was 22-of-36 for 229 yards.
No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners
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Poll points: 169
Preseason ranking: 18th
Week 1 result: Won 41-3 vs. Akron
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Tennessee
Oklahoma's switch to an Air Raid offense produced some big passing numbers, with Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield throwing for 388 yards and three touchdowns in his Sooners debut.
Mayfield's passing total was more than Oklahoma had in any of its previous 23 games. He completed 23 of 33 passes, pacing an offense that finished with 539 total yards.
Running back Samaje Perine, who ran for more than 1,700 yards as a freshman and set the FBS single-game rushing mark with 427 yards, was limited to 33 yards on 11 carries.
Oklahoma's defense was also stout, holding Akron to 226 yards.
No. 18 LSU Tigers
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Poll points: 181
Preseason ranking: 17th
Week 1 result: Game canceled
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Mississippi State
LSU and McNeese State were never able to get started, as lightning in and around Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge forced the game to get canceled.
The game would have marked the first start for LSU quarterback Brandon Harris, who beat out Anthony Jennings for the starting job.
"That cancellation is bad news for LSU," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee tweeted. "Brandon Harris really needed a tune-up before Mississippi State and Auburn."
No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies
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Poll points: 186
Preseason ranking: 25th
Week 1 result: Won 38-17 vs. Arizona State (in Houston)
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Ball State
A year ago around this time, a big season-opening win for Texas A&M had many praising the Aggies as a potential national championship team. That team began 5-0 but then fell apart, serving as a cautionary tale for putting too much stock in early results.
After the Aggies convincingly beat Arizona State in a much-anticipated Pac-12/SEC matchup, might we be seeing A&M again have a hype train hitched to its bumper?
"Go ahead. Join me on the Aggies bandwagon," Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel wrote. "Texas A&M can reach the College Football Playoff."
If the Aggies can play every game like they did against ASU, this might just happen. They held the Sun Devils to 301 yards while forcing two fumbles and sacking ASU quarterback Mike Bercovici nine times.
A&M's offense wasn't as explosive as normal, but it still managed 425 yards with sophomore Kyle Allen and true freshman Kyler Murray sharing the position. Allen threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns along with a rushing score, while Murray had 118 yards of total offense before leaving the game with a hip injury.
Another A&M freshman, Christian Kirk, had 224 all-purpose yards that included a 79-yard punt-return TD and a 66-yard TD catch.
No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks
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Poll points: 187
Preseason ranking: 19th
Week 1 result: Won 48-13 vs. UTEP
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Toledo (in Little Rock, Arkansas)
Arkansas responded to the loss of one of its two 1,000-yard rushers just like everyone (read: no one) expected, by taking to the air en route to a blowout win over UTEP.
Brandon Allen had four touchdown passes, all in the first half, throwing for 308 yards on 14-of-18 passing. Keon Hatcher had two of the TDs, catching six balls for 106 yards.
Alex Collins ran for 127 yards and a TD, handling the bulk of the work with Jonathan Williams lost for the year to a foot injury.
The Razorbacks held UTEP to 204 yards.
No. 15 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
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Poll points: 234
Preseason ranking: 15th
Week 1 result: Won 69-6 vs. Alcorn State
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Tulane
Georgia Tech scored 34 first-quarter points and led 48-0 at halftime in an effortless win over FCS Alcorn State, rushing for 476 yards and nine touchdowns with scores from six different players.
Marcus Marshall ran for 184 yards and two TDs, while Stanford transfer Patrick Skov had 72 yards with three scores. Quarterback Justin Thomas, who led the Yellow Jackets' triple-option run attack in yardage last season, only carried the ball three times for two yards with a TD and added 54 yards and a score on 3-of-4 passing.
Tech held Alcorn State to 272 yards and forced three turnovers.
No. 14 Ole Miss Rebels
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Poll points: 245
Preseason ranking: 14th
Week 1 result: Won 76-3 vs. Tennessee-Martin
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Fresno State
Ole Miss got everyone involved in one of the biggest offensive days in program history, matching the most points for the Rebels in 80 years.
Chad Kelly started for Ole Miss at quarterback, but all three passers who competed for the job threw touchdown passes. Kelly threw for 211 yards and two scores, Ryan Buchanan had two TD passes and DeVante Kincade had a passing TD.
The Rebels also had five rushing TDs, two from Jaylen Walton, including a 60-yard score on his first carry. All told, Ole Miss had 662 yards of total offense.
The 76 points matched the total Ole Miss had in a 1935 win over West Tennessee Teachers College, per David Brandt of the Associated Press.
No. 13 Florida State Seminoles
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Poll points: 280
Preseason ranking: 10th
Week 1 result: Won 59-16 vs. Texas State
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. South Florida
Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns in his Florida State debut, pacing a lopsided win at home.
Golson connected with four different receivers on the scoring strikes as the Seminoles jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back.
"I liked what Everett did, not just throwing the ball but what he managed to gain," FSU coach Jimbo Fisher told the Associated Press. "I thought he was accurate with the ball and protected it for the most part."
The Seminoles had 636 yards of total offense, with Dalvin Cook rushing for 156 yards and two TDs while Mario Pender added 92 yards and a score.
No. 12 UCLA Bruins
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Poll points: 299
Preseason ranking: 13th
Week 1 result: Won 34-16 vs. Virginia
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at UNLV
It's only one game, but the choice to go with true freshman Josh Rosen as UCLA's quarterback looks to be a good one.
Rosen threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns on 28-of-35 passing in his collegiate debut, rarely looking like a first-time player against a Virginia defense that was its team's strength in 2014.
"Simply put, it was the most impressed I've been by a freshman quarterback in his debut since Jameis Winston tore apart the Pitt defense in 2013 before winning a Heisman Trophy and a national title," CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli wrote. "Of course, Winston also had the benefit of redshirting a season before making his debut."
Rosen's numbers might have been even better had his first throw, on the Bruins' first snap, didn't go just off the outstretched hands of his receiver on a deep pass that likely would have resulted in a touchdown. Still, he connected with 12 different targets on the day.
It wasn't all good news for UCLA, as Edward Lewis of Rivals.com reported Sunday that defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes tore his ACL and was lost for the season.
No. 11 Clemson Tigers
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Poll points: 306
Preseason ranking: 12th
Week 1 result: Won 49-10 vs. Wofford
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Appalachian State
Clemson cruised to an easy win over FCS Wofford, scoring 35 first-half points, but also dealt with a major scare when star wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a neck injury on a touchdown reception.
Williams was hurt after hitting his head on the padding around a goal post as he came down with a four-yard TD catch from Deshaun Watson in the first quarter. Williams suffered a fractured bone in his neck, per Will Vandervort of TheClemsonInsider.com, and could be out for the year.
Watson, making his first appearance since tearing his ACL in November, threw for 194 yards and two TDs. Clemson ran for five scores, two each from Wayne Gallman and Tyshon Dye, and finished with 533 yards of total offense.
Wofford was held to 213 yards.
No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs
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Poll points: 324
Preseason ranking: 11th
Week 1 result: Won 51-14 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Vanderbilt
Georgia had little trouble rolling past Louisiana-Monroe, scoring seven offensive touchdowns and logging a safety before lightning called off the game with 9:54 left in the fourth quarter.
Nick Chubb topped 100 rushing yards for the ninth straight game, going for 120 yards and two TDs, while Keith Marshall added 73 yards and two scores. Virginia transfer Greyson Lambert threw for 141 yards and two TDs on 8-of-12 passing, and Brice Ramsey also tossed a TD.
Louisiana-Monroe was held to 45 rushing yards.
No. 9 USC Trojans
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Poll points: 342
Preseason ranking: 8th
Week 1 result: Won 55-6 vs. Arkansas State
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Idaho
USC racked up 509 yards and forced four turnovers in an easy win over Sun Belt foe Arkansas State.
Cody Kessler threw for 236 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-26 passing, connecting with four different receivers for scores, as 11 Trojans had at least one reception. JuJu Smith-Schuster's 61-yard TD catch in the first quarter was all USC would need.
USC ran for 189 yards, led by Tre Madden's 106 yards that included a 65-yard score. True freshman Ronald Jones II had 86 yards on six carries, including a 44-yard TD run.
No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Poll points: 363
Preseason ranking: 9th
Week 1 result: Won 38-3 vs. Texas
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Virginia
Notre Dame overcame the loss of leading rusher Tarean Folston to romp over visiting Texas, holding the Longhorns to 163 yards in the process.
Quarterback Malik Zaire completed 19-of-22 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns, two to Will Fuller among his seven catches for 142 yards.
Folston injured his knee early in the game and did not return, and ESPN's Matt Fortuna reported Sunday that Folston is out for the year with a torn MCL. In his place, C.J. Prosise ran for 98 yards, and Josh Adams added 49 yards and two TDs. The Irish finished with 527 yards.
No. 7 Auburn Tigers
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Poll points: 391
Preseason ranking: 7th
Week 1 result: Won 31-24 vs. Louisville (in Atlanta)
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Jacksonville State
Auburn's two major changes to its team produced mixed results en route to a closer-than-it-should-have-been opener, one that the Tigers had to sweat in the final minutes after leading by 24 points midway through the third quarter and by 21 with 10 minutes left.
The Tigers' revamped defense, led by former Florida coach Will Muschamp as coordinator, forced two turnovers and turned one into an 82-yard fumble-return touchdown by Justin Garrett. But that same defense struggled down the stretch, allowing Louisville to score three second-half touchdowns, including two in the final 6:21 to get closer.
Auburn's other change, going to a more pass-oriented offense behind Jeremy Johnson, was not successful. Johnson threw for 137 yards and a TD on 11-of-21 passing (along with a rushing score), but he was intercepted three times. Instead, it was Peyton Barber who shined on the ground with 115 yards on 24 carries.
No. 6 Oregon Ducks
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Poll points: 398
Preseason ranking: 6th
Week 1 result: Won 61-42 vs. Eastern Washington
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 at Michigan State
Transfer Vernon Adams Jr. dazzled in his debut, amassing 340 yards of total offense against his former team as the Ducks ran over FCS Eastern Washington in a game that didn't feature much defense.
Adams threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-25 passing and ran for 94 yards, part of Oregon's 731 yards. He left the game in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the head, but coach Mark Helfrich hinted that Adams did not suffer a concussion, according to Andrew Greif of the Oregonian.
Oregon ran for 485 yards, with Royce Freeman gaining 180 yards with three TDs.
The Ducks allowed 549 yards, including 438 passing yards, with receiver Cooper Kupp catching 15 passes for 246 yards and three TDs.
No. 5 Michigan State Spartans
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Poll points: 412
Preseason ranking: 5th
Week 1 result: Won 37-24 at Western Michigan
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Oregon
Michigan State jumped out to a 20-7 lead to take the air out of a hopeful Western Michigan crowd and led by as many as 24 points in the second half before holding off the upstart Broncos late.
Connor Cook threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns but was just 15-of-31 for MSU, while Madre London rushed for two TDs and Gerald Holmes added a rushing score.
The Spartans defense and special teams struggled, however, with Western Michigan's Zach Terrell throwing for 365 yards and two TDs and the Broncos scoring on a 100-yard kickoff return by Darius Phillips. But a late interception in the end zone by the Spartans stalled the home team's comeback.
No. 4 Baylor Bears
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Poll points: 453
Preseason ranking: 3rd
Week 1 result: Won 56-21 at SMU
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Lamar
Baylor tallied 723 yards on just 69 offensive plays, scoring twice in the first 69 seconds of the game, but early defensive breakdowns had the Bears only leading 28-21 at halftime before exploding in the second half.
Seth Russell threw for 376 yards and five touchdowns and added a rushing score, and true freshman Jarrett Stidham threw a 42-yard TD on his first collegiate snap. Jay Lee caught three TD passes, while KD Cannon and Corey Coleman both topped 100 receiving yards with a score.
Baylor ran for 300 yards on 37 carries, with three different players gaining at least 70 yards.
SMU scored on its first two possessions, gaining more yards on those drives than in last year's 45-0 season-opening loss at Baylor. Quarterback Matt Davis threw for 166 yards and two TDs and added 115 rushing yards.
No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs
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Poll points: 468
Preseason ranking: 2nd
Week 1 result: Won 23-17 at Minnesota
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Stephen F. Austin
TCU didn't have the look of a championship-level team in terms of crispness in its season-opening win, but the road victory over a power-conference team could still prove to be valuable later this year. That's what will likely be taken from Thursday's win more than how it was accomplished.
"Maybe visiting Minnesota is just about getting out alive, debilitating heartburn notwithstanding," Sports Illustrated's Brian Hamilton wrote.
Trevone Boykin had 338 yards of total offense with a passing touchdown and a rushing score, but he also took plenty of hits from the Golden Gophers. The Horned Frogs had 449 yards, below their 533-per-game average from 2014, and they needed all of Jaden Oberkrom's three field goals, including a 53-yarder.
TCU was playing without several starters, out either because of injury or suspension, and had others hurt during the game.
No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide
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Poll points: 483 (one first-place vote)
Preseason ranking: 4th
Week 1 result: Won 35-17 vs. Wisconsin (in Arlington, Texas)
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Middle Tennessee
Alabama proved the far more dominant running team in its annual neutral-site game against a power-conference opponent, with Derrick Henry leading the charge.
Henry ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries, scoring on runs of 37, 56 and two yards. Kenyan Drake added 77 yards and a TD as the Crimson Tide ran for 238 yards, compared to 40 for Wisconsin.
The Tide held Corey Clement to 16 yards on eight carries and limited Wisconsin to 268 yards of total offense.
Jake Coker won the prolonged quarterback battle at Alabama, at least for one game, starting and throwing for 213 yards and a TD on 15-of-21 passing.
No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Poll points: 524 (20 first-place votes)
Preseason ranking: 1st
Week 1 result: Won 42-24 at Virginia Tech
Week 2 opponent: Sept. 12 vs. Hawaii
From the moment Ohio State hoisted the national championship trophy in January, we've been looking ahead to its first opportunity to defend that title. And it was somewhat fitting the Buckeyes got to do so against the only team to beat them during the 2014 season, thus adding a revenge angle to the already gripping storyline for OSU's 2015 opener.
We ended up getting that, and so much more, thanks to the Buckeyes trailing 17-14 at halftime before erupting.
With help from Braxton Miller—who seems like a natural as a wide receiver yet still has the moves to tuck it and run as a quarterback—and Cardale Jones' playground-like approach to the game, the Buckeyes scored 28 straight points to turn a tight game midway through into a runaway victory.
Miller had 140 all-purpose yards, including two highlight-reel plays, a tightrope walk along the sidelines for a 54-yard touchdown catch and then a 53-yard scoring run that featured a video game-like spin move to juke out a Hokies defender. Jones had 285 yards of total offense, throwing for 186 yards and two TDs and adding 99 rushing yards with a score, getting the start over J.T. Barrett.
Barrett didn't enter the game until the fourth quarter, then promptly broke off a 40-yard run before throwing a 26-yard TD pass. And not to be forgotten, Ezekiel Elliott ran for 122 yards on 11 carries, the first going for an 80-yard TD that gave OSU a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.
All slides written by Brian J. Pedersen. Follow him on Twitter, @realBJP.
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