College Football Rankings 2023: Predicting Week 2 AP and Coaches Polls

The Florida State Seminoles should be rewarded in the AP and Coaches polls for earning the best win of Week 1.

Florida State made a statement on Sunday night with its over the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers that it could be a player on the national stage in 2023.

Mike Norvell's team began the season at No. 8 in both polls and a move into the top five feels likely given the lack of quality opponents the rest of the top 10 teams faced.

The other question for the poll voters to answer is whether or not the Colorado Buffaloes deserve to be ranked.

That may seem like a wild overreaction to some, but the Buffaloes earned one of the best victories of the weekend over the 17th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs.

Colorado did not receive any preseason votes in both polls, so it may come just short, especially if some voters keep TCU at the back end of their top 25.

Poll Predictions

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 02: Caleb Williams #13 of the USC Trojans runs the ball during the second quarter against the Nevada Wolf Pack at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 02, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

1. Georgia

2. Michigan

3. Ohio State

4. Alabama

5. Florida State

6. USC

7. Penn State

8. Clemson

9. Washington

10. Texas

11. Tennessee

12. Utah

13. Notre Dame

14. LSU

15. Oregon

16. Kansas State

17. Oregon State

18. Wisconsin

19. Oklahoma

20. North Carolina

21. Ole Miss

22. Texas A&M

23. Tulane

24. Iowa

25. UCLA

Florida State Jumps into Top 5

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ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 03:Florida State Seminoles tight end Jaheim Bell (6) breaks free for a rushing touchdown in the second half during the Camping World Kickoff game between the LSU Tigers and the Florida State Seminoles, on Sunday, September 3, 2023 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Florida State deserves to be in the top five after Week 1.

The Seminoles authored a 45-24 win over LSU in Orlando on Sunday in the only Week 1 matchup of ranked foes.

The style in which the Seminoles won should help their case to jump from No. 8 to No. 5.

The USC Trojans are No. 6, but wins over the San Jose State Spartans and Nevada Wolf Pack should not resonate with voters compared to Florida State.

At least the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions played a power-five foe in the West Virginia Mountaineers, but Neal Brown's team is expected to finish at, or near, the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

Fifth seems like the right spot for Jordan Travis and Co. because we are not sure yet if they are in the same echelon as the top four teams.

We will find that out on September 23, when the Seminoles visit the No. 9 Clemson Tigers in a game that will decide who the ACC favorite is.

Did Colorado Do Enough to Enter Top 25?

Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

FT. WORTH, TX - SEPTEMBER 02: Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws under pressure from TCU Horned Frogs defensive lineman Tymon Mitchell (91) and TCU Horned Frogs defensive lineman Caleb Fox (90) in the fourth quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Ft. Worth September 02, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Colorado earned the biggest result on Saturday.

The Buffaloes went into Fort Worth and upset the 2022 College Football Playoff runner-up in electric fashion.

Deion Sanders appears to have a strong team on his hands in his first year in Boulder, but now the question is whether the Buffaloes did enough to enter the Top 25.

Colorado was the only unranked team to upset a Top 25 foe, and it occurred on the road, but it came into that game with zero votes in either preseason poll.

The poll voters could easily slide a team like the UCLA Bruins into the No. 25 spot while TCU drops out. UCLA received 66 votes in the AP poll and 43 in the Coaches rankings.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders and South Carolina Gamecocks had the most votes outside the Top 25 in the AP poll. UCLA was third. Texas Tech and South Carolina both lost on Saturday.

Texas Tech will drop from No. 24 in the Coaches Poll after its loss to the Wyoming Cowboys, and its spot will be filled by the Iowa Hawkeyes, who had the most votes outside the top 25.

If TCU falls out of both polls, and it should because of the nature of its loss, the voters could go with a safe pick and known commodity in UCLA.

A win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Week 2 should get Colorado on the verge of the Top 25, but some people may wait until the two-game stretch against the Oregon Ducks and USC on September 23 and 30 to believe if the Buffs are for real.