NCAA Football Rankings 2014: Week 2 Standings for College's Top 25 Teams
A wild Week 1 in college football is likely to produce some huge shakeups when the updated rankings are released. But prior to the polls being released, it's time to take a look back at where each team started the season.
With the updated rankings set to be announced after the first games were played, several teams helped their case. Meanwhile, other programs took a step back during their season openers.
After impressing the voters in Week 1, teams like Georgia and Baylor will likely see a jump in the standings. As for South Carolina and Clemson, a drop in the rankings is likely after disappointing losses.
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Before the updated polls are released, here's a look at the most recent Bleacher Report rankings and a breakdown of how teams shifted in the standings.
| 1. Florida State | 1-0 | def. Oklahoma State, 37-31 |
| 2. Oregon | 1-0 | def. South Dakota, 62-13 |
| 3. Auburn | 1-0 | def. Arkansas, 45-21 |
| 4. Michigan State | 1-0 | def. Jacksonville State, 45-7 |
| 5. Oklahoma | 1-0 | def. Louisiana Tech, 48-16 |
| 6. Georgia | 1-0 | def. Clemson, 45-21 |
| 7. Alabama | 1-0 | def. West Virginia, 33-23 |
| 8. Baylor | 1-0 | def. SMU, 45-0 |
| 9. Stanford | 1-0 | def. UC-Davis, 45-0 |
| 10. LSU | 1-0 | def. Wisconsin, 28-24 |
| 11 (tie). Texas A&M | 1-0 | def. South Carolina, 52-28 |
| 11 (tie). Ohio State | 1-0 | def. Navy, 34-17 |
| 13. UCLA | 1-0 | def. Virginia, 28-20 |
| 14. USC | 1-0 | def. Fresno State, 52-13 |
| 15. Notre Dame | 1-0 | def. Rice, 48-17 |
| 16. Ole Miss | 1-0 | def. Boise State, 35-13 |
| 17. Arizona State | 1-0 | def. Weber State, 45-14 |
| 18. Nebraska | 1-0 | def. Florida Atlantic, 55-7 |
| 19. Kansas State | 1-0 | def. Stephen F. Austin, 55-16 |
| 20. Wisconsin | 0-1 | loss vs. LSU, 28-24 |
| 21. South Carolina | 0-1 | loss vs. Texas A&M, 52-28 |
| 22. Clemson | 0-1 | loss vs. Georgia, 45-21 |
| 23. North Carolina | 1-0 | def. Liberty, 56-29 |
| 24. Texas | 1-0 | def. North Texas, 38-7 |
| 25. Missouri | 1-0 | def. South Dakota State, 38-18 |
| 1 | Florida State (57) | 1496 |
| 2 | Alabama (1) | 1361 |
| 3 | Oregon (1) | 1334 |
| 4 | Oklahoma (1) | 1324 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 1207 |
| 6 | Auburn | 1198 |
| 7 | UCLA | 1106 |
| 8 | Michigan State | 1080 |
| 9 | South Carolina | 1015 |
| 10 | Baylor | 966 |
| 11 | Stanford | 885 |
| 12 | Georgia | 843 |
| 13 | LSU | 776 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 637 |
| 15 | USC | 626 |
| 16 | Clemson | 536 |
| 17 | Notre Dame | 445 |
| 18 | Ole Miss | 424 |
| 19 | Arizona State | 357 |
| 20 | Kansas State | 242 |
| 21 | Texas A&M | 238 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 226 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 194 |
| 24 | Missouri | 134 |
| 25 | Washington | 130 |
Breakdown of Rankings
A record-breaking performance and resounding victory in Week 1 was enough to thrust Texas A&M up the rankings.
The Aggies' 52-28 win over South Carolina proved that the team is ready to move forward without Johnny Manziel. While the defense still allowed 28 points to the Gamecocks, it was the phenomenal offense that made waves around the college football landscape.
In particular, Kenny Hill more than emerged from the shadow of Manziel in his first college start. Numbers Never Lie takes a look at the signal-caller's first game compared to the previous field general:
Not only is the Texas A&M program now back in the spotlight, but Hill appears to have Heisman hopes. Following a season in which Jameis Winston unexpectedly won the award, Hill has a good shot if he continues putting up huge numbers.
Speaking of Winston, the sophomore struggled slightly in his opener. But with the win over Oklahoma State, Florida State remains atop the Bleacher Report rankings and will likely stay on top of both the AP and Amway polls when they are released.
But with a favorable schedule that includes just one potential test against Clemson before facing Notre Dame on Oct. 18, the Seminoles will likely remain at No. 1 moving forward. While Winston wasn't flawless, he showed flashes of brilliance with a huge run, as SportsCenter notes:
As for those who took a dive in the standings, Wisconsin was likely the one team that is the most befuddling. Not because of the result against LSU but how the program got there.
Melvin Gordon is the clear star for the Badgers, but he was limited to just four carries in the second half against the Tigers. With only 16 touches, he still produced 140 yards and a touchdown on the big stage.
Head coach Gary Andersen spoke about the disappearance of Gordon in the second half, per Zach Heilprin of ESPN Wisconsin:
Yes, that is the head coach saying he didn't know why his biggest playmaker only toted the ball twice in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, LSU scored 15 unanswered points in the final frame to win—something that Wisconsin fans won't soon forget.
Along with Wisconsin, both South Carolina and Clemson are sure to slide down in the polls. But as the season goes on, the focus will likely be on the top teams with hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
Whether some of the early surprises emerge into the top four will be something to watch moving forward. Given the way the first week shaped up, the 2014 season is guaranteed to be an unpredictable one with plenty of surprises in store.
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